Yes, it feels like a massive compliment when you hand in your notice and your current company comes up with a counter offer. It’s easy to be swept up with thoughts of “better the devil you know”, but in my many years of recruiting marketing professionals, it has too often proved to be a bad decision which candidates have lived to regret.
Let me share one example that highlights what can happen if you decide to stay put:
Last year, one of my candidates accepted a counter offer which gave them a higher base salary and the promise of career development with a rapid rise to a manager’s position within six months. This sounded good, but perhaps a little too good to be true…
Several months later I got a call from the distraught candidate: Not only had the promotion not materialized, but the company had been bought out and the candidate was being made redundant. The counter offer had been a retention tool in place for the forthcoming takeover, designed to make life easier for the company, not to be in the candidate’s best interest.
So think, why should you have to resign before you are given a pay increase or promotion? What are you going to do next time you want a pay rise, threaten to leave again? A good employer should recognize your worth earlier and take steps to reward you.
Your career will of course take many paths, twists and turns but remember a decision taken today could affect you in the future. At some point in everyone’s career there are times to take on a new challenge and move on. Reduce the potential career damage and stress by having the confidence to trust your gut instinct and stick with your decision.
Don’t look back, look forward…
Jane Nash is a senior recruitment consultant and partner at marketingmoves.
Jane manages marketingmoves’ Fast Track programme for up-and-coming marketing talent in the technology space.
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