Best Sales Talent

In today’s business climate, however, you should expect to get a counteroffer You should be disappointed if you do not get one It is often difficult to resist a counteroffer This is especially true if you are making a move to enhance your career, rather than to move away from an undesirable situation It is not unusual to feel guilty and concerned about leaving your “friends ” Companies know this and will take advantage of it It is often cheaper to make a counteroffer than hire and train someone new, especially when it may cost the company more money to hire an experienced new person than it would to give you an unplanned raise and keep you After all, you are a known entity

Counteroffers Can Come in Forms Other Than Money

They can be an appeal to your loyalty

They can attempt to manipulate you through a sense of guilt, such as “after all we have done for you ” There may be a promise of a brighter future Examples seem to be a recognition of your sales talent and may include a promotion, larger territory, and more responsibility This information, of course, was something that could not be shared with you while you were a trusted employee This type of counteroffer usually comes from a more senior manager

You Should Ask Yourself the Following Questions:

• What is their agenda and how will my leaving impact them?
• Why did they wait until I resigned to increase my income or share information with me that was critical to my career in the company?
• Are they simply trying to keep me from competing against them?"
• Are they just buying time until they can replace me?
• Is this my next raise – in advance?
• Whose budget is this “extra” money coming from?
• Will they still respect me tomorrow?

Most people recognize that counteroffers

are a short-term fix.

• Never discuss the offer you have received from the other company
• You will not know what you are truly worth to your present company, if you tell them what the other company offered you
• If you inflate the figure, your company will find out (and they will), and you will be out of a job
• Get the counteroffer in writing
• You will have the offer from the new company in writing, so why not get the counteroffer in writing, too? We have seen a number of instances where counteroffer “promises” are conveniently forgotten, or delayed indefinitely
• Sometimes, managers who are leaving the company make counteroffers, but leave no no written record of what was promised
• Ask for a “stay-on” bonus
• If you are being offered more money, you must have been underpaid
• Why not ask to have the difference made up in the form of a bonus?
• Ask for time to think about it