NEVER ACCEPT A COUNTEROFFER

What do you do if your employer beats a new job offer?

By Scott Love, Columnist

March 28, 2004 7:31 p.m.

You have just accepted a position with another company and are in the process of turning in your notice. It was a difficult decision, and you thought long and hard about what path you would take. But you have decided to leave. In your resignation meeting, you tell your employer you have decided to leave the company to go to another opportunity. Your employer interrupts you by saying, "I can't believe that today is the day you are telling us you are leaving. What a coincidence. Tomorrow we were going to promote you, and the next week we were going to give you a top-secret bonus. Why don't we just give you those things today and forget about you leaving? What sort of offer did they make you? We'll match it." That was easy, you think to yourself. Now you have received the raise that you didn't get before and a promotion to go along with it. Companies try to keep their staff as long as they can, and when a desirable

employee turns in his or her notice, many times a well-intentioned manager will try to talk the employee out of it with a financial incentive to stay. But before you accept that counteroffer, consider the following reasons why that last-minute decision could be one of the last decisions that you make with this company:

1.     Your employer will no longer consider you part of that "inner circle" of his trusted confidants. If you have been flirting with other companies, then  the trust is always going to be weakened. Your employer might say he'll forget about the whole thing, but every visit to the dentist will be viewed with suspicion.

2.    Your manager's effectiveness is judged by how well he keeps his staff happy and by how long he keeps his staff. He could be afraid that his competence as a leader will now be in question, which could damage his own chances for advancement.

3.    It's easier to keep you with a counteroffer than replace you. The cost of recruiting and placing a qualified candidate can be significant.

4.    If you have to turn in your notice to a company just to get a raise and a promotion, then is that the type of company you really want to work for? The promotion and raise your employer is giving you is not based upon your merit. If that was the case, then you would have already received it. Instead, because of the timing of this advancement, the reason is to keep you. Once the crisis has quelled and the status quo is back in place, then the odds are very high that this raise and increased remuneration could be revoked. Why should a company keep someone who didn't deserve a promotion and instead  received it in reaction to a fear of departure? When the crisis is over, so will be the incentive to keep you.

5.     They won't respect you. They know that they are the ones who really call the shots in your career, not you. Well-managed companies rarely offer counteroffers to their staff. Instead, they treat them with the dignity and respect of an individual who has thought long and hard enough to take his career into his own hands.  The healthy companies will tell you, "Thank you for your service, and we hope that you have become a better person by working here. Consider us if you ever want to come back. We'd love to have you here again." Leaving a company is something that happens to everyone in the world of work. Minimize the potential career damage and your anxiety in this transition by having the confidence to stick with your decisions.

Scott Love improves the leadership performance of corporations by working as

an author, management consultant, and professional speaker.

A IT'S NICE TO BE WOOED BACK, BUT DON'T EXPECT TO STA Y LONG

A tax accountant with a Chicago based public accounting firm accepted a top corporate position at a local manufacturer that paid $15,000 more than he currently earned. But the accountant changed his mind after his firm's senior partner made him a counteroffer.

The partner dangled a plethora of incentives, including the promise of a partnership in the near future. Three months later, after the tax season ended, the accountant was fired.

A manufacturing manager with a medium-sized metal products company in Albuquerque, N. M. accepted a new position that included a higher salary and better benefits. But he decided to stay put after his company agreed to match the offer and told him of great things on the horizon. However, he wasn't told that the firm might be merging with another. Six months after the executive decided to stay, he was merged out of his job. Following nine months of unemployment, he landed a lower-paying position.

Ask any executive recruiter and you'll hear dozens of heartbreaking stories like these involving counteroffers. Unfortunately, more executives seem to be getting and accepting them because of the inconsistent economy. Companies are operating with reduced staffs and any defections from the ranks create problems for those who remain. It's much easier for employers to sweeten the pot to keep executives from deserting that to conduct grueling and expensive searches for replacements.

Mathew Henry, the 17th_century writer, said, "Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in [many colours] that are but skin deep." The same can be said for counteroffers, those magnetic enticements designed to lure you back into the nest after you've decided it's time to flyaway.

But in good times or bad, the dictum remains constant. Counteroffers should never be accepted. . . EVER! Those few rare instances where accepting one is beneficial occur about as frequently as being struck by lightning.  

THE RIGHT PERSPECTIVE

A counteroffer is an inducement from your current employer to get you to stay after you've announced your intention to take another job. It doesn't include instances when you receive an offer but don't tell your boss, or when you tell your employer about an offer you never intended to take in a classic "they-want-me-but-I'm- staying-with-you" ploy.  

These are merely positioning tactics that can reinforce your worth by letting your boss know you have other options. Mention of a true counteroffer, however, carries an actual threat to quit. Interviews with employers who make counteroffers, and employees who accept them, have show that accepting a counteroffer - tempting as it may be - is tantamount to career suicide. Consider the problem in its proper perspective.  

What really goes through a boss's mind when someone quits?

"This couldn't be happening at a worse time." "He's one of my best people. If I let him quit now, it'll wreak havoc on the morale of the department." "I've already got one opening in my department. I don't need another right now." "This will probably screw up the entire vacation schedule." "I'm working as hard as I can and I don't need to do his work too." "If I lose another good employee, the company might decide to "lose" me too." "My review is coming up and this will make me look bad." "Maybe I can keep him on until I find a suitable replacement." "My word, we're working with a skeleton crew already. If I lose this one, we'll all be working around the clock just to stay even."  

What will the boss say to keep you in the nest?

These comments are common:

• "I'm already shocked. I thought you were as happy with us as we are with you. Let's discuss it before you make your final decision."
• "Aw gee, I've been meaning to tell you about the great plans we have for you, but it's been confidential until now.
• "The V.P. has you in mind for some exciting and expanding responsibilities."
• "Your raise was scheduled to go into effect next quarter, but we'll make it effective immediately."
• “You're going to work for whom?"
• "How can you do this in the middle of a major project? We were really counting on you." (They're always in the middle of one.)

JUST A STALL TACTIC

Let's face it. When someone quits, it's a direct reflection on the boss. Unless, you're really incompetent or a destructive thorn in his side, the boss might look bad for allowing you to go: It's an implied insult to his management skills. His gut reaction is to do what has to be done to keep you from leaving until he's ready. That's human nature.  

Unfortunately, it's also human nature to want to stay - unless your work life is an abject misery. Career change, like all ventures into the unknown, is tough. That's why bosses know they can usually keep you around by pressing the right buttons. Before you succumb to a tempting counteroffer, consider these universal truths:  

Any situation is suspect if an employee must receive an outside offer before the present employer will suggest a raise, promotion or better working conditions.  

No matter what the company says when making its counteroffer, you'll always be a fidelity risk. Having once demonstrated your lack of loyalty (for whatever reason), you will lose your status as a team player and your place in the inner circle.  

Counteroffers are usually nothing more that stall devices to give your employer time to replace you. Your reasons for wanting to leave still exist. They'll just be slightly more tolerable in the short term because of the raise, promotion or promises made to keep you.

COUNTEROFFERS

Counteroffers are only made in response to a threat to quit. Will you have to solicit an offer and threaten to quit every time you deserve better working conditions.  

By accepting a counteroffer, you have committed the unprofessional and unethical sin of breaking your commitment to the prospective employer making the offer.  

Decent and well-managed companies don't make counteroffers. . .EVER! Their policies are fair and equitable. They will never be subjected to counteroffer coercion, which they perceive as blackmail.  

If the urge to accept a counteroffer hits you, keep on cleaning out your desk as you count your blessings.

And, if you decide to stay, hire a lawyer to put your newly won promises in contract.  

This reprint prepared by the National Business Employment Weekly for information of this reprint or any portion thereof may be made without the express written Employment Weekly. For subscription information call: {212) 808-6791.

Determine Your Priorities

Your home and career life are firmly planted. Is it fair to ask your family to uproot their lives for the sake of your career?

Gauge what is most important by asking yourself the following questions:

Is this position more beneficial for my family in regard to income and benefits?

Will our children be able to adjust to the move?

Will this part of the country that we are moving to benefit my family?

Will my spouse be able to find a job?

Will this position be essential for furthering my career? Or not?

What will we gain or lose by moving?

Now is the time to do some soul-searching and discuss the options with your family. Research the area where you would be relocating. After doing these things, you should be closer to a decision.

What is a behavioral based interview? A behavioral based interview is basically an interview designed to gather information that will tell the employer how you will perform on the job. The principle behind this technique is the belief that the best indicator of future behavior is past behavior. This interview technique involves asking questions designed to get you to talk about how you handled certain situations in the past.

For example, if a company has a high-stress environment, the interviewer might ask you to talk about whether you have ever been in a stressful situation in the past. If you say yes, the interview will proceed with questions about what you did in the situation, how it made you feel, how others responded to your actions, how you relieved the stress in the situation and so forth.

In most situations the interviewer will have determined several behavioral characteristics that would be important for on-the-job success and will have a definition of each such characteristic.

For example:

Project Management-Taking responsibility for organizing projects, monitoring progress, resolving problems, and reporting on status.

Good Listening- The ability to listen to a client's problems, be empathetic, asking appropriate questions and paraphrasing the responses.

Typically in a behavioral interview you will be provided with the definitions of desired characteristics and asked for examples of situations in which you have exhibited those characteristics. After you have given an example you may be asked for another, in order for the interviewer to test the depth of your experience.

Nonverbal clues also speak loudly. Behavioral interviews are not just about what you say. During the interview, the employer will also observe your behavior and communication skills. The interviewer will note how you maintain eye contact, speak, listen, make use of non-verbal communication and body language, exhibit self-confidence and appear energetic and enthusiastic.

Employers often choose to use behavioral type of interviews because job candidates can't prepare for these questions beforehand. However, you can help yourself by anticipating the types of questions you might be asked and thinking up examples of past behavior. You may be able to think up some possible questions the interviewer might ask by analyzing the job requirements ahead of time.

Behavioral interviews can be difficult, but preparation will help. By preparing for your interview ahead of time you may be seen as better suited than the other candidates who don't anticipate these types of questions.

• Send out your thank-you letters no later than 24 hours after your interview has ended.
• Always keep your audience in mind. Address the issues and the concerns that were mentioned during the interview.
• Use the thank-you letter as a follow-up "sales" letter, in which you restate your reasons for wanting the position and remind the interviewer why you're qualified.
• Mention anything of importance that your interviewer might've neglected to ask in person.
• If you're only writing a few sentences, send a handwritten note. Otherwise, send a typed, formatted letter (see sample letters below).
• Thank everyone who contributed to your job search.
• If you decide after the interview that you don't want the job after all, write a respectful note withdrawing your application.
• Choose your words carefully when using email. Email creates an instant written record, so don't let the speed and the ease of sending it blind you to the fact that you will be judged on what you've said and how you've said it.

Sample Thank You Letter #1

December 1, 2002

Mr. Important Business
Human Resources Manager
XYZ Company
111 Employment Way
Anytown, MN 55555

To Mr. Business:

Thank you for the opportunity to discuss the operations manager position with you this morning. Our conversation gave me a better understanding of both XYZ Company and the requirements of the job. The additional information from Max and Kathryn was helpful in gaining a better perspective of the position. I am confident that my strong operations and managerial skills will make a positive contribution to XYZ Company. I am proficient in all the computer software packages you use, and I possess the P&L experience you desire. I enjoyed meeting the office staff and touring the facility. This is clearly a quality organization with an emphasis on efficiency and a dedication to teamwork. I would consider it a privilege to join your team, and I look forward to hearing from you. Again, thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,
Amy Applicant

Sample Thank You Letter #2

December 1, 2002

Mr. Important Business
Human Resources Manager
XYZ Company
111 Employment Way
Anytown, MN 55555

To Mr. Business:

I would like to thank you for your hospitality during my visit to XYZ Company. I found my discussion with you to be both enlightening and encouraging.
I am confident that I am an excellent candidate for the Quality Assurance Auditor position at XYZ. My diverse accounting background, along with my broad-based experience in the automotive industry, will allow me successfully to make a positive contribution to your team. I am excited about the position, and I look forward to the possibility of working with you and your team if given the opportunity. Thank you again for your time and consideration. I look forward to speaking with you in the near future.

Sincerely,
Alex Applicant

Borrowed from Brilliant People.com site

Do's

• Arrive 15 minutes early. Late attendance is unacceptable.
• Pay attention.
• Clarify questions. Be sure to answer the questions the interviewer really asks. If you don't understand the question, ask the interviewer to rephrase it.
• Speak Clearly.
• Use proper grammar, syntax, and a good vocabulary.
• Logically organize your thoughts and answers.
• Make use of non-verbal communication and body language.
• Exhibit self-confidence.
• Appear energetic and enthusiastic.
• Have the interviewer describe the position and responsibilities to you early in the conversation so you can relate your skills and background to the position throughout the interview.
• Sell your qualifications. Stress the accomplishments that are most relevant to the job.
• Conduct yourself professionally. Be aware of what your body language is saying. Smile, make eye contact. Don't slouch. Maintain composure.
• Anticipate tough questions. Prepare in advance so you can turn apparent weaknesses into strengths.
• Dress appropriately. Make a professional first impression.
• Ask questions throughout the interview. An interview is not a one-sided conversation. You are interviewing the employer as much as they are interviewing you.
• Listen. This is one of the most important abilities. By concentrating not only on the employer's words, but also on the tone of voice and body language, you will pick up on the employer's style. You will understand how the employer thinks and can pattern your answers accordingly. This way you will be able to better relate to him or her.

Don'ts

• Don't answer vague questions. Get the employer to be more specific and then respond.
• Never interrupt the employer. If you don't have time to listen, neither does the employer.
• Don't smoke, chew gum or place anything on the employer's desk.
• Don't be overly familiar, even if the employer is doing all of these things.
• Don't wear heavy perfume or cologne.
• Don't ramble. Long answers often make the speaker sound apologetic or indecisive.
• On the other hand, don't answer questions with a simple "yes" or "no". Explain whenever possible.
• Do not lie. Answer questions as truthfully as possible.
• Do not make derogatory remarks about your present or former employers or companies.
• Don't bring up compensation. Always let the employer bring up money first.

Closing the Interview

Many people second-guess themselves after an interview. By closing strongly and asking the right questions, you can eliminate the post-interview doubts that tend to plague most interviewees.

If you think that the interview went well and you would like to take the next step, be sure and express your interest to the hiring authority. Try something like this:

"After hearing more about your company and the position, I am certain that I have the qualities that you are looking for in the (title) position. Based on our conversation and my qualifications, are there any concerns that you have that would lead you to believe otherwise?"

You have the right to be assertive. You should ask a closing question such as the above because it opens the door for the employer to be honest with you about his or her feelings. If there are concerns, this is a time to overcome them. You have one final chance to dispel the concerns, sell your strengths and end the interview on a positive note.

Some things to remember during the closing process:

• Do not be discouraged if there is not an offer made or specific salary discussed. The interviewer will probably want to talk with the office first or meet with other applicants before making a decision.
• Be sure that you can answer the following questions: "Why are you interested in the company?," and "What can you offer?."
• Thank the employer for his/her time and consideration and shake his/her hand with a firm handshake.
• Ask the employer for a business card so you can write a thank you note as soon as possible.
• Send a handwritten thank you note to the employer within 24 hours after the interview.

Following Up

When you get back in your car, promptly write down key issues uncovered in the interview. Think of the qualifications that the employer is looking for and match your strengths to them. Immediately call your recruiter! Follow-up is critical!

Before you walk into any interview, you should know as much as possible about the company and the position. Your recruiter should be able to provide you with some information. For additional information, search the web or go to the library. In today's world of mass communication, there is no excuse for lack of research.

Questions you should ask at the interview:

• Why is this position available?
• What are your goals for this position?
• What type of training programs will be offered to the person in this position?
• What obstacles must be overcome for the person in this position to succeed?
• How will my performance be evaluated?
• What opportunities are there for growth?
• What growth do you anticipate for the company over the next 12 months?

Think about how you would answer the following questions:

• Tell me about yourself. Keep your answer to the professional realm only. Review your past positions, education and other strengths.
• What do you know about our organization? If you've done your research, you should have no problem with this one. Be positive.
• Why are you interested in this position? Relate how you feel your qualifications match the job requirements and express your desire to work for the company.
• What are the most significant accomplishments in your career thus far? Pick recent accomplishments that relate to this position and its requirements.
• Describe a situation in which your work was criticized. Focus on how you solved the situation and how you became a better person because of it.
• How would you describe your personality?
• How do you perform under pressure?
• What have you done to improve yourself over the past year?
• What did you like least about your last position?
• Why are you considering leaving your current position?
• What is your ideal working environment?
• How would your coworkers describe you?
• What do you think of your boss?
• Have you ever fired anyone? What was the situation and how did you handle it?
• Are you creative?
• What are your career goals?
• Where do you see yourself in two years?
• Why should we hire you?
• What salary are you looking for?
• What other types of jobs/companies are you considering?

Resume Formats

There are many types of resumes, but the one we recommend is the Traditional. There are several different types of Traditional resumes. One of the most popular Traditional resumes is the Historical / Chronological resume. This type is set up in reverse chronological order, most recent first. This style is best suited for those with significant experience in their field.

Another type of Traditional resume is the Functional. This format uses titles ( or job functions) as headings and may ignore historical format. Recent college graduates use this style.

A third type of Traditional resume is the Analytical. This format uses skill fields as headings and also ignores historical sequence. If you have diverse experience or are trying to change careers, use this style.

Top 12 Accomplishments of Interest to Employers

1. Increased revenues
2. Saved money
3. Increased efficiencies
4. Cut overhead
5. Increased sales
6. Improved workplace safety
7. Purchasing accomplishments
8. New products / new lines
9. Improved record keeping process
10. Increased productivity
11. Successful advertising campaign
12. Effective budgeting

NOTE: To include yourself in our database click here to submit your resume.

Contact Inf ormation

Make yourself easily accessible by phone or email. Be sure that your voicemail message is professional. You don't want a potential employer to get the wrong impression from an unprofessional message or greeting.

Do not include personal information, such as marital status or age, on your resume.

Objective / Title

Some believe that if you include an objective, it might limit your chances of being selected for an interview and/or if your objective doesn't match the recruiter's needs at the time, you may miss out on a great opportunity.

On the flip side, if you know exactly what you want, why not say it?

It may be best to take a broad approach. Instead of writing a sentence like "Seeking a career opportunity in Industry......," try a simple title after your contact info, such as Veterinarian

Summary

Include your title and years of experience first, then list special skills. Next, talk about your character traits or work style. Remember that this is a summary. Don't go over three sentences.

Example: Small Animal Veterinarian with over 10 years of experience with two hospitals. Over three years of directing a hospital. Customer service oriented.

Professional Experience

List each position held in reverse chronological order. Go back at least ten years. If you held multiple positions with the same employer, be sure to list all of them to show how you have progressed. You should describe your responsibilities and your accomplishments.

The body of the position description has two parts:

1. A description of your responsibilities and
2. Your accomplishments

Formats to organize your experience:

Feature-Accomplishment-Benefit

Use the Feature-Accomplishment-Benefit format to organize your skills and sell your accomplishments.

Example: Small Animal Veterinarian

Statement: Turned around clinic by increasing clientele base by 30% which led to increased revenues of more than 45% last year.

Situation-Solution-Outcome

This format might be used to demonstrate your problem-solving capabilities.

Example: VP of Sales

Statement: Company wanted to grow non-government business. Developed business that resulted in the capture of commercial sales with increased revenues of over $50 million.

Before you make that next career move, know where you are headed. Map out your career and personal goals and make sure the two complement each other rather than conflict. Working with The Pursell Group will help you reach your goals quicker. Here is what you should do:

Determine your long-term goals.

Think about the consequences.

Don't make career decisions alone. Be sure that your family is supportive of your choices. By having their support, you will be able to move faster when an offer is made.

Manage your own career.

Between where you are now in your career and where you want to be is a world of uncertainty. However, it does not have to be that way. Take control of your career. You know where you want to go. Take action to get yourself there.

Take a fresh look at your skills.

Things change rapidly in today's economy. Make sure that your skills are cutting-edge. Research career enhancement opportunities in your industry through associations or training organizations.

1. Be Professional
“How you work with a recruiter is a direct correlation of how you will work with your boss, colleagues, and vendors. It is a window into who you really are. A good recruiter will always measure this as part of your qualifications and convey his or her impressions to the prospective hiring company.”

--Jeffrey A. Heath The Landstone Group

2. Be Honest
“Be upfront about the extent of your job searching efforts and results. Your recruiter has a vested interest in placing you in a career that could potentially change your life. You will gain nothing from being dishonest with your recruiter.”

--Ed Hamel, Building Products Recruiter Sales Consultants of Dallas

3. Be Forthright
“Tell your recruiter all of your requirements and preferences, for example, in regard to salary or relocation.”

--Gene Powell Management Recruiters of Kannapolis

“When an interview is completed, give us your feedback – good, bad, or indifferent! This is the only way we can facilitate the process. We must talk with you before we get back in touch with the hiring manager. We will want to know what was discussed, how did the manager leave the interview with you, are you interested in the position and do you want to proceed to the next step. If you are not interested in proceeding, we'll want to know your reasons. This will help us in screening other opportunities for you.”

--Gary Akin Management Recruiters of Champions

4. Be Committed
“Don't be casual with what you agree to or commit to. Your attention to commitment will not go unnoticed. Know what you want, say what you mean, and do what you say.”

--Ed Hamel, Building Product Recruiter Sales Consultants of Dallas

5. Be Pro-Active
“Get to know whoever specializes in your industry. (Our recruiters work in specialized niches. Be sure you contact the appropriate person! Search for a recruiter in your industry now.) Place a call to them and get familiar with them. Be sure to send them your resume. You don't even have to be looking for a job right now but it is good for them to have your resume on file. You never know when they might have that ideal job opportunity that might be better than the job you currently have.”

--Stacy Pursell The Pursell Group

6. Be Inquisitive
“You will likely have questions about housing costs, insurance, relocation, etc. Ask your recruiter. We want to make sure all these questions are answered before the interview. ‘Do I want to work here?' and ‘Do I want to work with these people?' are the only questions left for the final interview.”

--Gary Akin Management Recruiters of Champions

7. Be Prepared
“Prepare for the interview by reading materials that your recruiter has sent you and by doing research on the company.”

--Gary Akin Management Recruiters of Champions

8. Be Cooperative
“Don't play games! Regardless of any past experiences you have had with recruiters, take your current recruiter seriously. If you are not comfortable with your recruiter, move on. There are 5,000 recruiters in our network!”

--Ed Hamel, Building Products Recruiter Sales Consultants of Dallas

9. Be Patient
“A smart recruiter knows how frustrating it can be to search for a job. Be patient. We've got your best interest in mind, and we'll call you as soon as we can.”

--Mickey Kampsen Management Recruiters of Thousand Oaks

10. Be Enthusiastic
“I still get excited about a truly marketable candidate. I like to see enthusiasm in the candidate as well.”

--Gene Powell Management Recruiters of Kannapolis