Counter Offers

Giving your notice can be a difficult thing to do. Although you do not want to burn any bridges on your way out, you do not have to subject yourself to guilt. We don’t go through life with a goal of being a “Good Quitter.” Let go of the guilt…the company will survive without you. Below are some comments you might hear when giving your notice.

• “I thought you were happy working for us. Let’s sit down and talk before you make any big decisions.”
• “Do you realize how much farther behind we will get now?”
• “Who do you expect me to give all of your work to?”
• “Great changes are right around the corner, but we have had to keep them quiet.”
• “How about if we give you a raise and make it effective now?”
• “I haven’t heard very good things about that company you are going to.”
• “What will it take to make you stay?”
• “What are they offering that we don’t have?”
• “Are you sure you weighed this out carefully?”
• “You are giving up a lot. I hope you know what you are doing.”

Stick to your guns—here are the facts on counteroffers:

• When a company makes a counteroffer, you will be considered a risk and treated different in the future. Fellow employees will lose confidence in you once they find out you tried to leave. They might think your getting “special favors” now.
• Once you give your notice, they may have already started looking to replace you. They will try to make you stay until they can replace you at their convenience.
• The real reasons you want to leave are still present. Money and vacation time are temporary fixes. The fact is – you still want out!
• Why should it take a threat to change a poor work environment or pay scale? How many times will you have to threaten them in the future to improve the situation? How long will you have your job after each threat?
• Successful and respected companies don’t usually make counteroffers. An open door policy should help create an environment that people want to stay in. If you started looking—there is something better out there.
• Follow your gut instinct! If you have already invested time in researching a new position that will change your life, you will automatically do better moving ahead rather than staying where you are.