Part advice column, part career resource, we are here to answer your questions about job searching, hiring, culture concerns, recruiting, and business in general. If you have a question you want us to answer, submit it HERE. Be sure to tune in every Monday as we answer the questions that YOU want to know the answers to.
Q: I was offered a new job, but now my current company is coming back with a counteroffer that I am interested in taking. What should I do?
Accepting a counteroffer is usually not a good idea. We understand how tempting it can be; change is scary and it’s far easier to stay at your old job than head out on uncharted waters. But taking a counteroffer, especially during the current economic climate where companies might be keeping a close eye on people who already have one foot out the door, could hurt your career more than help it. Here’s some reasons why you should think about not taking that counteroffer:
- It might not improve your relationship with your employer. They will see you as the person who was looking to leave, and you could be bumped to the top of the list if they need to do restructuring or make budgetary cuts in the future. It can also cause some awkward tension since your employer is very aware that you were ready to leave and had to be tempted into staying.
- It’s very likely that part of the reason why you wanted to leave your current company was because you wanted better pay or a more fair salary. They weren’t paying you your worth, and what do you think will happen the next time you want a raise or a title change? Drastic measures shouldn’t need to be taken in order to get your company to treat you right.
- The factors that made you look for a new job aren’t going to change. Something at your current position wasn’t working for you. If you accept your employer’s counteroffer and stay, even with the extras they’ve promised you, those other negative factors aren’t going to change.
- Change is good. If you’ve been at your company for a long time it can be daunting to make a change to a new one. But sometimes shaking things up is exactly what your career needs. Perhaps your career is stagnant, perhaps you are finding yourself often bored, perhaps you don’t even remember what it feels like to be challenged at work. These are all reasons to move on from your current company, even if you’re content there.