Negotiating Offers – Navigating Your Way Through the Offer Process

Quitting your existing job when you have accepted another can be fraught with anxiety of the unknown – and what happens if you are counter offered?

Quitting isn’t always as easy as you expect. Over the years I have been working in the recruitment industry,  I have seen all too many times a candidate who is unprepared for the counteroffer; or, specifically using the recruitment process to hopefully gain a counter offer. Both sides can be fraught with anxiety of the unknown, and most are unsure of how to deal with the ramifications. To stay or not to stay – that is the question.

Say you’ve decided to accept a job offer. But when you attempt to resign, the boss throws out numbers instead of a farewell handshake. “What if we give you more money plus an office with a window?” Be honest–you’re not leaving because your office doesn’t have a window. Remember at this point why you planned to leave, and ask yourself why your boss is showing his or her appreciation for you just now. Is it only because keeping you on staff is less bother than going through a job search?

Moreover, if you are planning to use a new role as a negotiating strategy being mindful of the negative outcomes within your present working environment should always be considered. When a counteroffer is proposed and accepted, problems often follow. More than 50% of all employees who accept counteroffers change companies within the following 24 months. I have been privy to such time and time again at a national level – and in all industry.

Even when a company makes an appealing promise, it can backfire on employees who stay put. In one extreme situation, “a resigning construction project engineer was offered a new car and substantial bonus when the entire project was completed. He stayed, only to be axed six weeks later when his portion of the project was finished.” Construction recruitment  can be a minefield of opportunity and loss; how to work in a project specific environment in a soft market can be tricky.

Being a specialised recruitment agency, Harvest Talent Recruitment & People Solutions can offer help and advice at all stages of the employment process. We are one of the few recruitment agencies in Geelong, who assist seekers through the offer stage and guide through the potential pitfalls that can occur once you have received your ‘golden ticket’.

If you are unsure what to do with your next career move, let’s chat.