? about counteroffers after you put in 2-weeks notice

[Blarg]

I'm just saying your real and perceived corporate value aren't necessarily the same, and many departments and even whole companies are run like fiefdoms rather than with logic, succeeding despite rather than because of their decisions. There's more than logic involved in business. LOTS more. Sometimes there's actually not a whole lot of logic going on at all.

However, every company is different, and some are more rational and less petty than others. Just a heads up that sometimes the puzzle of what to do with someone doesn't get solved the most responsible, reasonable way.

[scotchnrocks]

[ QUOTE ]
I'm just saying your real and perceived corporate value aren't necessarily the same

[/ QUOTE ]

Exactly, and this is what could prove troublesome if they make a nice offer tomorrow. It will be difficult/impossible to know what their real plan is should I decide to stay.

[4 High]

I actually went through something similar a year ago. I quit Blockbuster for a Office Job. I took a small pay cut as i had no office experience, but i was excited about weekends off, no nights, no holidays etc. So a week and a half into my 2 week notice Blockbuster finally man'd up and offered me more money to stay. I didnt quit due to money but i was one of the issues. When i sat down and compared them i realized i would be losing about 15k a year by switching jobs. So there was no way i could quit at that point. So i stayed.

[Blarg]

Since money isn't the main reason you're leaving, it shouldn't be the main reason you stay, either. It sounds like they may offer strictly money to hold you. But that doesn't change that the company is top-heavy and that you don't have near the chances for advancement you would at the new firm. If your old firm can also offer you better opportunities -- and right now, not pie in the sky corporate baloney about what might happen "one day" -- then the offers come closer together.

It seems to me that if you're ready to leave a firm, often it's too late for money to be the main issue. If you get to that stage, there's probably something else they need to do to keep you, or some critical way they messed up or failed to live up to your expectations -- or it never would have gotten that far. So I wonder, even if your job was very secure, if you'd really be more happy staying at the old place, especially if the only thing they'd offer you to do it was money. Maybe it's really something else you want out of the, or a, job.

[Blarg]

[ QUOTE ]
I actually went through something similar a year ago. I quit Blockbuster for a Office Job. I took a small pay cut as i had no office experience, but i was excited about weekends off, no nights, no holidays etc. So a week and a half into my 2 week notice Blockbuster finally man'd up and offered me more money to stay. I didnt quit due to money but i was one of the issues. When i sat down and compared them i realized i would be losing about 15k a year by switching jobs. So there was no way i could quit at that point. So i stayed.

[/ QUOTE ]

There's always a way. It just depends what you value most and/or what your present opportunities are.

[kerowo]

Generally, once you've quit you shouldn't take a counter offer to stay because your manager or his manager or someone is going to figure you aren't loyal and you will not be in a happy position. This is probably more true for information workers than service workers. Besides, you have a valid concern about not having a very good career path in the current place.

[Headhunter13]

OP --
Speaking as a headhunter, I've never heard the figure that 90% of those who take a c-offer are released in 6 months. What I have heard is that vast majority (90%+) of those who take a c-offer are no longer with that company after 6-9 months. This is because (a) the reason you were probably looking/talking with the headhunter to begin with is not about the money. Whatever other issues there were are still there even after they offer more money, and (b) once you've given notice, you've "broken ranks" with your current employer. In the future, when they're deciding about raises/promotions, who do you think gets the bigger raise/promotion? The one who gave notice 6 months ago, or the one who hasn't?

I have seen vindictive employers make a counteroffer, have the employee accept it, and then conduct a confidential search for his/her replacement (sort of a "leave on my terms not yours" type of thing) ... but these are VERY rare.

I can't speak for your particular company or industry, and obviously those are major factors. I am speaking more in general terms about the employment marketplace.

As for your situation, you have to weigh out exactly why you are looking to leave/accepting the other offer.

--Headhunter

[tuq]

Jesus Christ OP, if you accept a counteroffer I WILL punch you in the mouth if we ever meet, and then you can print out this thread and use it in court against me.

Responses in this thread (particularly Blarg's) outline a number of reasons why you shouldn't consider staying, so I won't rehash them. Let's not forget about your word/commitment/etc.

As for the recruiter's motivation, I see ones that are pushy to the point of being a turn-off. But understand their loyalty is to their client, not you, because they're the ones paying the headhunter. I see greedy recruiters try to slam people into positions to make a buck all the time, but we're not all that way. In fact, if I have a fault it's that I DON'T think of the money but rather like making the right fit for everyone, to the point where many people have gotten jobs without me because I didn't think it would be a good fit for them (most often because they go somewhere that's a terrible cultural fit for them, e.g. a sweatshop). As a consequence I get fairly emotionally invested in the process and anyone that accepts a counteroffer is someone I will never forget and you're goddamn right I read them the riot act when they tell me they've done it.

The only solace I take out of these situations are the myriad studies that show that a person who accepts a counteroffer is typically gone within the year, and not often of their own volition.

[rutang]

I don't know an awful lot about this stuff, but tug leads me to believe that you are somehow violating the trust of the headhunter by accepting a counteroffer? if that's so, that should impact your decision.

The headhunter being pushy up to this point would make me hesitant to accept her words of advice on the matter, as her conflict of interest is obviously going to rear it's head.

If your company does make you a counteroffer, have you considered being honest with them about all of your concerns? including things such as that they might treat you worse because of this incident?

A good friend of mine was just in a very similiar situation, where he was being asked to travel too much considering he is a recent father, so he set up another position, and put in his notice. when his employers tried to keep him on, they were very receptive to things they were not before he put in his notice. He's now got better pay, and doesn't have to travel as much. His negotiation seemed to go very well because he was very clear about what the obstacles were to him staying on, and the company stepped up and resolved the issue.

I'd recommend honesty in your meeting tomorrow.

[jaydub]

rutang,

Much like realtors and used car salesmen; headhunters are not real people and don't count in terms of such moral obligations.

OP,

You should bump this with their offer as well as the current salary and the other firm's salary offer. I don't know if negotiations are set with the new firm but you might be able to use this as leverage.

I would lean strongly towards the new firm. I sounds like you are young and would have more opportunities for advancement there.

J