RESIGNATION & COUNTER OFFER
Congratulations! You’ve landed the job! Now you are faced with the delicate challenge of resigning from your current employer without burning bridges or accepting a counter offer.
Your employer may make a counter offer when you resign by offering you more money or other incentives for you to stay with the company. While counter offers may be tempting and even flattering, there can be pitfalls that you need to be aware of. Ask yourself these questions:
- Will your loyalty always be in question?
- If there are future cutbacks, will you be the first to go because of concerns about your loyalty?
- Will your career track remain blocked if you accept it?
- Will your responsibilities be expanded?
- Will you have to report to a person you don’t respect?
- Will you receive next year’s raise or bonus early?
- Is the counter and offer a ploy to avoid a short-term inconvenience by your employer?
- What are your realistic chances for promotions now that you have considered leaving?
Counter Offer Statistics
According to national surveys of employees that accept counter and offers, 50-80 percent voluntarily leave their employer within 4 months of accepting the counter and offer because of unkept promises. The majority of the balance of employees that accept counter offers involuntarily leave their current employers within 12 months of accepting the counter offer (terminated, fired, laid off, etc.)
As attractive as counter offers may appear, they greatly decrease your chances of achieving your career potential.