January/February 2007

Counter-Offer Conundrum

By Elizabeth Lions

You've had a good, long run at your current job, but you recently started exploring the job market, just to see what's out there. Low and behold, you stumbled across a position with a company that is everything you've ever wanted — more pay, good management, a challenging product line. So, now you've been sneaking around, taking long lunches to move the interview process along, and after a lot of thought, you've decided to take the offer.

It's a Friday afternoon when you walk into your boss's office and hand in your resignation. You explain that this is a great opportunity —  too good to pass up — and announce your departure date.

But you are totally unprepared for what happens next: your manager counter offers.

Confused, you go home, thinking over what your manager said. They want to keep you. They had no idea you were looking. They will offer you more money, a bigger cube and an extra week of vacation, if you'll reconsider.

You start to mull it over. If you stay, you won't have to learn a new company's culture and complexities, you won't have to take unnecessary risks on your success, and you will get more money —  for doing exactly what you have been doing all along.

Stop.

Your decision was made long ago, when you first started looking for a new job. You should not reconsider it emotionally. Something motivated you to entertain the idea of leaving. What was it? Regardless, of what your response is, that same reason exists. Staying in your current role will only prolong your ever-looming departure.

If an employer were sincere about retaining you, they would have taken strides to keep you happy long before you handed in your resignation. It's likely that you've been unhappy for some time, and no one bothered to notice it.

An employer counter offers for one reason: fear. Fear of having to re-hire and re-train your replacement. And after all of that pain (statistically it takes a minimum of six to eight weeks to fill a position), it still may not work out. You are a proven performer. You work well with the team. You are a known quantity. Your employer doesn't want the inconvenience of starting all over again. Out of sheer fear, they will counter offer. The problem is, they now know that your loyalty is suspect. Like a jilted lover, the employer will say anything you need to hear to get you back. Or, worse, they will keep you around just long enough to find your replacement.

According to the Wall Street Journal, in more than 90 percent of the cases where people accept counter offers, they end up fired, laid off or at least looking for a new job within six to 12 months.

As a career counselor and recruiter, I discuss counter offers within the first few minutes of meeting engineers who are seeking new employment opportunities. I want to be clear about what they are looking for in the next job. After all, if I am to represent them, take time out of my day to market them to my clients, I want to best understand their level of commitment. Too many parties are involved by the time the interview processes gets started, and it doesn't make sense to start a direction that will only be halted because they have decided to accept a counter offer. Clarifying the job seeker's intentions up front saves everyone involved a lot of time and embarrassment, myself included.

Accepting a counter offer can be hazardous to your career — and your character. Unfair as it might seem, some might believe that you can be bought, you are indecisive, and could walk out at the most inopportune time. Your reversal, while reasonable enough to you, can send an indelible ripple through your old team.

The best way to avoid a counter offer is to state that, after much deliberation, your decision is final. That's it. You should incorporate your decision into your letter of resignation, as well as verbalizing it to your manager. No need to be unpleasant; you can deliver the news and reiterate that you will do whatever it takes to make the transition easy for them. Putting the focus on them, and away from you, will allow them to process your resignation and move forward.

You are free to take your talent any place you'd like.

Elizabeth Lions is proprietor and president of Solid Staffing, in Portland, Ore., where she works with placing and counseling engineering talent. She can be found online at www.elizabethlions.com. Comments may be submitted to todaysengineer@ieee.org.