I heard an anecdote about a CEO who will happily provide a counter, just so he will have an opportunity to replace you on his terms. Be wary.
When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
31–40 of 49 posts
Re: When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
#32I think that an important step is to pre-empt the counter-offer. When you even start to consider another opportunity, think about why you actually want to move to the new opportunity. Is it that you need more money? Is it that you want to work on a different kind of project? Is it that you need more stimulation? Then go to your employer, and without bringing up the other opportunity, see if they are willing to make t…
If it does come down to a counter offer, I'd advise telling your current employer that your desires (salary, benefits, etc...) aren't up for negotiation. Give them concrete details of what you want and make sure they know you aren't opening the field for a lower offer. Way better for everybody this way.
Re: When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
#33I think that an important step is to pre-empt the counter-offer. When you even start to consider another opportunity, think about why you actually want to move to the new opportunity. Is it that you need more money? Is it that you want to work on a different kind of project? Is it that you need more stimulation? Then go to your employer, and without bringing up the other opportunity, see if they are willing to make t…
One advantage of this approach is your current employer will only give you what they're comfortable with when there is no threat of you leaving. Which is better than them offering you way more than they're comfortable with in the heat of the moment ("Oh noes, we HAVE to keep this guy.") and then later deciding they're unhappy with your compensations ("Wait, we're paying this guy too much.").
Re: When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
#34I think that an important step is to pre-empt the counter-offer. When you even start to consider another opportunity, think about why you actually want to move to the new opportunity. Is it that you need more money? Is it that you want to work on a different kind of project? Is it that you need more stimulation? Then go to your employer, and without bringing up the other opportunity, see if they are willing to make t…
You are assuming some sort of ideal case where both parties act in good faith.
First of all, you have to make an educated guess what demands would be acceptable based on how the company presents ifself to you. If you ask for things that are normally considered unacceptable you are just exposing yourself as a person who is unsatisfied with his position and there is huge risk of being denied any further development with this company or even fired.
For example, it might be reasonable to ask for 20-30% raise maximum. But if you have to ask for 200-300% salary raise, in a company that just told you budget is tight and there is not even enough money for legal fees to award shares, then save your breath. Such an extreme case is quite rare, but I've seen it happen.
Most cases wouldn't be as bad, but you have to ask yourself if your demands have a good chance to be accepted before confronting the company, otherwise make sure you have an offer on the table. Nobody is paying you for the risks of asking too many questions.
Re: When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
#35I think that an important step is to pre-empt the counter-offer. When you even start to consider another opportunity, think about why you actually want to move to the new opportunity. Is it that you need more money? Is it that you want to work on a different kind of project? Is it that you need more stimulation? Then go to your employer, and without bringing up the other opportunity, see if they are willing to make t…
Absolutely the right approach. You owe it to yourself and to your employer to be honest with them. If you think you deserve more money, a new manager, a better project, etc. then ask. You shouldn't say you'll leave if you don't get it. You just lay out your reasons and make a simple request. Also, it's important to start these conversations early. If you want more money and are ready to quit within 1 month if you don…
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Re: When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
#36Earlier quoted context omitted.
Well. In this case, the company could offer money, and maybe even contractual guarantees of continued employment. If structured properly these may be worth more than empty promises.
Sure, but usually money isn't the root cause, and who wants guaranteed employment at a place they despise? A person with a solid job that isn't on the chopping block (presumed because of the presence of a counteroffer) isn't job-shopping for a 10% bump.
> Sure, but usually money isn't the root cause
Not so fast. I, for example never changed jobs for any other reason.
Of course, I never got only a 10% bump, but well, we do need money, and we should try to get more of it with time.
Re: When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
#37>For his part, Hurwitz himself resigned from a job at one point. He turned down a counteroffer from his boss. Six months later, he quit his new job. He got his old job back, in part because of his decision to turn down the counteroffer. “The boss told me it was because I hadn’t played games and had acted ethically,” Hurwitz said. Wot? His company gave him a counteroffer with the attitude that accepting their offer wo…
Counteroffers are frequently made out of desperation more than anything else. "Holy shit, Bob is leaving?!? I didn't even know he wasn't happy. Quick, put together something that'll keep him around." The problem with this is that the people making the counteroffer often feel they are doing so, effectively, at gunpoint: give me a bag of cash right now, or lose a key cog in your machine. "Nice company you've got there.…
It makes some sense - leaving demonstrates that pushing them for the counteroffer wasn't your intent at the outset.
Re: When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
#38You should consider a counter-counter-offer. Actually, any number of counters until they exhaust. Then you choose the better one.
If you're willing to treat yourself as a commodity to be auctioned off to the highest bidder, imagine how your eventual employer is going to treat you.
Re: When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
#39I think that an important step is to pre-empt the counter-offer. When you even start to consider another opportunity, think about why you actually want to move to the new opportunity. Is it that you need more money? Is it that you want to work on a different kind of project? Is it that you need more stimulation? Then go to your employer, and without bringing up the other opportunity, see if they are willing to make t…
One advantage of this approach is your current employer will only give you what they're comfortable with when there is no threat of you leaving. Which is better than them offering you way more than they're comfortable with in the heat of the moment ("Oh noes, we HAVE to keep this guy.") and then later deciding they're unhappy with your compensations ("Wait, we're paying this guy too much.").
Well, that's one way to always keep your salary at the absolute minimum as an employee. This is the equivalent of the employee asking the employer to "Keep me posted when you can pay more, right buddy?". It's an unethical demand to keep yourself at disadvantage in negotiations. And those other jobs that pay more out of the box are more likely to give you a better career path with more benefits without having to confront them. Accounting for all the associated risks and stress in doing so..
Re: When You Get a Job Counteroffer: Should You Stay or Should You Go?
#40Bram Cohen had an article about this a few years ago that offers a different perspective: http://bramcohen.com/2011/12/04/never-make-counter-offers