As recruiters, we speak to candidates who may be considering a new opportunity every day. Each person has their own reason for looking. We do our best to understand their motivation and needs, so that we can find a new role that fits.

The most common reasons that prompt people to seek a new opportunity, either actively or passively, include:

• Underpaid or unappreciated
• No career progression
• Difficult working hours / distance to work
• Culture
• Bad boss

Some candidates may not be actively looking, but willing to see what’s out there. We have found this group of job seekers, to be most likely to drop out of the hiring-process and accept a counter offer.

In today’s candidate-short market, counter offers are rife (and a contributing factor to the Straco team going grey).

Counter offers can be flattering and tempting, especially if salary was part of the reason you were looking. However, they’re not always as good as they seem.

If you receive a counter offer, take a minute to think about why you started your job search.

Think about the bigger picture.

While a pay rise is always nice, is it addressing the core reasons for wanting to leave in the first place? Or is it just a short-term solution?

Still contemplating? Here’s 4 reasons, why you should never accept a counter offer:

1. No Change
   The underlying issues that prompted you to consider new opportunities, will still be there. Things and people don’t change overnight. It’s likely that nothing else will change, except your salary.
2. Your Potential
   Your future employer sees your potential. A new hire is always a risk, but they think you’re worth it and want to pay what you are worth. Seize the opportunity!
3. Know Your Worth
   If your employer is willing to increase your salary, after you’ve ‘threatened’ to resign. This means they have been knowingly underpaying you for your talent. If they valued you, your salary should have already reflected this.
4. Lack of Loyalty
   Despite the counter offer, the trust will likely be broken between you and your current employer. They may question whether they can rely on you, after your resignation ‘threat’.

At the end of the day, it’s down to you whether you decide to accept the counter offer. But our advice, is to get everything you want in writing, from your current employer.

Be professional and courteous, closing off your application with the other employer and recruiter. You never know, when you will cross paths again!