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Should I Stay or Should I Go: The Consequences of Accepting a Counteroffer

The day has finally arrived; you’ve accepted a job offer and now comes the tricky part....handing in your resignation. I won’t get into many details about how to resign because I want to save that topic for another blog. Below I share the types of potential consequences that could happen if you consider a counteroffer from your current employer.

Once you provide your resignation, don’t be surprised if your current employer entices you to stay for a number of reasons. Firstly, you are a hard working employee and without you there will be gaps that cannot be filled immediately.  Therefore, they may entice you to stay with more money.  Please remember this is often only a short-term solution until they train someone within or bring in someone from outside the organization with the skills to replace you.  Secondly, when an employee resigns, this does not look favourably on the hiring manager as you represent a lost investment of time and money.

Very seldom do we see candidates who have accepted a counteroffer stay in an organization and not regret their decision.  Accepting a counteroffer can be damaging to your reputation with both your current employer and your potential future employer because you can be seen as someone who is unsure of what they want.  Another issue to be aware of is that accepting a counteroffer may look like you are leveraging an outside offer to get more money or perks from your current employer.  Once you do resign from your position, there is no going back, the relationship and trust between you and your employer will likely be broken.

My advice to you is that once you decide to enter the final stages in the recruitment process you are committing yourself to the process. If you have any hesitations about joining the organization they should be addressed and resolved before an offer is presented to you.  

If your employer does offer you a counteroffer think about the reasons you started looking for a new opportunity in the first place. Was it a lack of advancement? Was it poor management? Was it a negative work environment? Will these reasons still exist even if you accept more money? Chances are the answer is yes.

In conclusion, when you are pursuing other career options outside your current employer, please take into account how you would handle a counteroffer and most importantly always keep in mind the roots of your concerns for leaving in the first place.