You’ve accepted a new job. You go to your current boss and resign. Flattering words about your value to your current organization and flattering changes to your compensation and your job description ensue. You find yourself seriously considering staying at the job you just resigned from.
More than 50% of all employees who accept counter offers change jobs within the following 24 months.
WHY?
- You become a FIDELITY RISK to your current employer. “Resigning sends a signal that you’re unhappy, and if your boss personalizes your desire to leave, then staying doesn’t make sense no matter what they offer you,” says Arlene Hirsch, a Chicago career consultant. “Your motives will be suspect from that point on,” she says. Your boss will wonder whether your resume is still out there.
- Your counter offer was made to solve a SHORT TERM PROBLEM for your current employer. Your resignation makes your manager look bad, and creates more work for your associates. Better to keep you on board until they can find your replacement. A staggering 80% of employees who accept counter offers say that relationships with co-workers deteriorates and productivity falls; 70% add that counter offers are perceived by employees as a short-term cure for a long-term problem.
- Accepting a counter offer at your current company BURNS BRIDGES with the company you were so excited to go to before the counter offer. If you are one of the 50%+ who accept a counter offer but then continue looking, you just lost one great career option, the company you walked away from. No one likes to be second choice and chances are they won’t revisit your candidacy.
- The REASONS you were job hunting in the first place probably all haven’t been “fixed”. Why stay at a company where resignation is the only way to effect change? Quality, well-run companies and managers should have mechanisms and relationships in place to recognize dissatisfaction or lack of challenge for their employees. If your needs weren’t addressed before, future problems will be treated the same.
WHAT TO DO?
Professionally and gracefully make it clear to your current employer that you do not want to consider a counter offer. The career progression/product/location of the new employer is just too good an opportunity to pass up. Say nothing negative about your current position or your current employer. Stay positive, and stay excited about that great new job you just landed!
