So, you have been on the lookout for a new opportunity, perhaps for career progression, training and development, a better location, improved work life balance, or even better non-pecuniary benefits or a salary increase?

You interview with a company that you like and …. They like you!

You finally have that golden job offer, an opportunity for that perfect work life balance or the true investment in training and development, or a role that will challenge you and catapult your career to the next level… BUT….

All too often many candidates find themselves in a counteroffer crisis at the point of handing in their resignation.

Should you find yourself in that position here are my top 5 things to really consider before you make any knee jerk decisions!

  1. Make sure that your motivations for accepting a counteroffer are genuine, remember the reasons why you decided to look externally.
  2. Question why at the point of leaving an organisation your employer offers you a pay rise. If you were valued, you would not have to leave the business to obtain a pay rise. This can often be more about a company meeting their resource needs in the immediate than bearing the cost & time of recruiting a replacement.
  3. The stats show that those accepting a counteroffer will often be looking for another job or have taken another job within 6 months. In my experience this happens in 90% of circumstances.
  4. By handing in your resignation, you are highlighting that you are unhappy with the company/employer that you work for and this can raise the question of trust between employer and employee.
  5. If you have already raised issues around pay, work-life balance or benefits previously and this hasn’t been dealt with effectively it is highly likely these issues will persist even if you accept the counteroffer!
Victoria Haughton
Senior Client Delivery Specialist

Its worth considering all your options in detail to ensure that you make the right decision for you and a decision that is based upon the reasons you decided to look externally in the first place.

The team at CMR are here to help, and will always give you an objective balanced view based on many years’ experience!