Why Do Employees Accept or Reject Counter Offers?

Many of my candidates take an interview or explore other opportunities for a reason.  It could be job dissatisfaction, lack of career growth, seeking an increase in compensation, management changes or uncertainty, corporate culture, or a number of other things.  There are multiple parts of the interview process and lots of emotions.  For many, change is welcome and easy, and for others, it can be quite difficult.  I have candidates that go through the interview process and are often fortunate to receive very compelling offers (financially and career growth) from some fantastic companies.

On the employee/candidate side, I believe these are the some of the main factors and questions that most consider when receiving a counter offer:

1.  Why is my original company making me a counter offer? Why didn’t
they do this earlier?
2.  Have my reasons for looking to make a career move changed from
when I started the interview process?
3.  Can my original employer actually make changes to fix the things
that made me look to leave in the first place?
4.  Is the financial differential worth accepting a counter offer?
5.  What is my gut telling me?  (this is where candidates tend to be
more emotional in their decision-making process and things often get
complicated).

My advice to Employees/Candidates:

• 9 times out of 10 avoid taking a counter offer.
• Your reasons for looking in the first place are typically correct, and can’t be solved with $$$.
• Change is never easy, but often the way forward in your career.

Have you ever considered or accepted a counter offer?  Would love to hear your experiences….