Job Seeker Blog - Spark Hire

How to Reject a Counter Offer

Leaving a job for a new job has its difficulties. The one that we least expect though, such as the proposal of a counter job offer from your current employer, is one of the most difficult ones to navigate. After you’ve found a new job, it’s time to make the transition to leave your current job. When you inform your employer, they decide to give you a counter offer. What do you do now? This counter job offer will probably offer you a raise in salary, extra vacation days and better benefits- everything you wanted before but had never been offered until now. You may want to say yes to this counter offer, but there are many things to consider before you do.

First of all, consider the fact that you had to quit before they decided to give you a raise. As US News suggests, your employer may just figure that keeping you around is easier than taking the time and money to recruit and hire a new employee. Your boss may have an image in the office to uphold, and he or she may not want your departure to look bad on them. These reasons for a counter offer aren’t really positive ones, but it all depends on how you feel about your company. When you are offered a counter offer from an employer, take the time to go over it carefully and make the best decision you can for yourself. This isn’t something that needs a quick yes or no response.

You may decide to reject this counter offer for many reasons. If you do, there’s a right way to do it and a wrong way. When it comes to rejecting your current employer’s counter offer, it’s all about maintaining a good level of mutual respect for one another. If you hated your job and see this counter offer as another source of hate, don’t let them know. Be professional about it because leaving your current job on a good note is important to your future career since they can come in handy as a good reference in the future.

It’s suggested that you meet with your boss and anyone else involved in the counter offer to decline their offer formally in person. Another way to respectfully decline the job offer is to call your boss or simply reject it in your resignation letter. Thank them for the counter job offer and indicate that you appreciate it, but must respectfully decline. You do not need to include that you are taking another job since they are already aware and that is the reason why they are offering you the counter job offer in the first place.

As flattered as you may be by this counter job offer, keep in mind why you started looking for a new job in the first place. Rejecting a counter job offer doesn’t have to be a painful experience that can damage your relationship with your current employer. It can actually be a way for you to professionally leave behind a job.

Have you accepted a counter offer in the past? How did it pan out for you? Let us know about it in the comments section below.

IMAGE: Courtesy of Flickr by o5com

Hanna Guerrero

Hannah is an intern writer here at Spark Hire. She is from the northern suburbs in Chicago and is currently studying journalism at DePaul University. She has always had a passion for writing which is why Journalism has proven to be the perfect career for her. She has written for the DePaulia Online on various topics such as fashion, music, movies and television. She loves living in Chicago because it offers exciting events to write stories on. In her free time she enjoys going to music concerts, watching movies with friends, cooking vegetarian food and walking her adorable Cocker Spaniel Coco.

2 comments