On the surface a counter offer would make anyone attempting to quit their job feel really good. It makes you feel important and needed, not to mention what wonders it can do for your ego.
The story plays out like this… you meet with your manager to hand in your letter of resignation, you mention that you have received a great job offer and you are therefore leaving, he/she looks disappointed and asks you to reconsider your decision. Thereafter, your manager promises you more money, benefits, title and even a better future, now that gets you all excited…
So you accept the offer, without even thinking of the after effect of the whole situation… Here are 7 reasons why accepting a counter offer may not be the smartest thing to do;
1. The main reason why you accepted it in the first place is because you think your manager finally values you…
Now you attempting to resign and being offered a counter offer could mean your manager needs you, but does this means your manager values you any more than he/she did prior to you resigning? What your manager could thinking is that he/she doesn’t want to wreak havoc in the morale of the department, and it would be less stress to just have you around. The offer may have nothing to do with your skills or value, and rather everything to do with convenience.
2. Now your employer knows that you were unhappy and from now on your commitment might be questioned.
By you initially expressing the fact that you were planning on leaving for another job made it clear that you are not satisfied with the one you have and can indicate to some extent your lack of commitment to the current team, so think carefully about the impact of coming back after attempting to quit your current job.
3. Just because you’re payed more doesn’t mean the reasons you had for leaving in the first place will disappear.
Are you really just playing yourself up and or are you thinking through the whole situation logically? There were reasons why you decided to resign in the first place, and think carefully if you think those reasons will now change post the counter offer?
4. Your next promotion is basically non-existent
When promotion time pops by, your employer will know who is loyal and who isn’t… and the loyal person in his eyes very least likely be you.
5. Statistics show that if you accept a counter offer, there is a ninety percent chance you will be out of the job within six months or even less.
Because of all the build-up of awkward feelings that may come as a result of your attempted resignation, your working environment might just change and it may not be for the better. Also, the added fact that you stayed at a place that you were previously unhappy at and are still unhappy because no change was made – the chances are very high that you will once again look to quit.
The moral of the story is to think carefully before considering a counter offer; if you found yourself a better opportunity and you find that a counter offer has made its way into your situation think carefully about the reason you decided to look to leave in the first place.
Also acknowledge that money is generally only a temporary fix to the overall unhappiness that made you decide to leave. Don’t fall for the trap because at the end of the day it may cause more bad than good and may only delay the inevitable.