The days of the thirty-year gold watch are gone. Experience at several companies is an asset you bring to a new job. Today, changing jobs is an essential part of your professional career.
Consideration of a change is usually because your present position does not offer the growth environment which is necessary for advancement. It is to be hoped that your present company has helped you to progress professionally and, as a result, you feel uncomfortable resigning. You will be leaving managers and co-workers, some of whom you may see socially and might have been instrumental in advancing your career.
What Can You Expect When You Tender Your Resignation?
Your company will be sorry to lose you. You have contributed to their success. You are involved in projects that require your unique talents. Put yourself in your manager's position. What would you do?
The Counter Offer
It is natural to resist and disrupt. Your manager will be no exception.
They will want to keep you and will attempt to do so with a counter offer.
In their eyes, your acceptance of a new job is definitely a mistake.
Counter Offers Have Many Variations:-
“I guess it’s my fault for not telling you, but we have some plans for you which we intended to implement next month”.
“This is strictly confidential information. We have some re-organisation developing which will mean a significant promotion for you within six months”.
“We will match your new offer. The raise was supposed to go into effect the first of next quarter anyway, but because of your fine record, we will start it on the first of the month”.
“The chairman and commercial director want to have dinner with you before you make your final decision.”
The Implications Of The Counter Offer
Of course, it is flattering so your emotions can obscure the objectiveness used when you made the decision to leave your present employer. It is natural to have “buyer’s remorse” – that vague apprehension of change that urges you to reconsider. Ask your self these questions:
I made the decision to leave because I felt that the new position offered the sort of environment that would better fill my career needs. If you stay, will the situation here really improve just because I said I was quitting?
If I stay, will my loyalty be suspect and affect my chance for advancement in the future?
If my loyalty is questionable, will I be an early casualty when business slows down?
They are offering me a raise to stay. Could it be my annual review coming early?
The raise they’ve offered is above their guidelines for my job. Does this mean they are “buying time” until they can find my replacement
The Professional Attitude
As the professional you will make a career decision objectively. It will be free of the emotional pressures one is likely to feel when being urged to reconsider. Advice will be offered by well-meaning friends, relatives, and business associates. Depend primarily upon your own judgement because only you are in the position to understand the implication of a counter offer. Expect your company to be sorry to lose you and to make an attempt to keep you. At best their response should be considered flattering but beset with numerous pitfalls which you should not risk. If more money is issued as a counter offer, then it really is only an advance against future pay rises and should be seen that way.
End your relationship in a professional manner – on a good but decisive note.
Your new company will be anxious for you to start, so do so as soon as possible. We will help you to negotiate a shorter notice period.
The counter offer is nothing more than a belated affirmation of the contributions you have made. Move ahead to your new position with the goal of making yourself as valuable to you new employer as you were to the old.
It is important that you leave your employer on the best terms possible as they are likely to be requested for references, not only for your new jobs but quite likely throughout your career ahead.
An Important Fact
Ninety per cent of the people who accept counter offers find themselves back on the job market within six months!
“What would the company have to do to make me stay?”
