Ever wonder why you become more valuable to your employer after you resign than before? "You can't leave now, we were just about to. This age old analogue is being played out in Canadian corporations at an alarming rate in the late 1990's. The reason, it is simply too difficult and time consuming to refill and train the positions vacated through resignations.
Whether you undertake your job search on your own or you seek the assistance of a professional employment consultant, you discover there are lots of opportunities available. Within weeks you accept a great new job that suits you to a 'T' and you rush to tell your boss. "I'm outta here in two weeks." Note: Ask your consultant for advice on how to handle your resignation professionally.
Once you give notice you start a totally new phase of your employment, the notice period. You face a period of personal and business turmoil, before you can start your new job. You cannot wait to get to your new position yet you are full of ambivalence about leaving. You constantly second guess yourself about whether you have made the right decision. Recognize that these feelings are normal; you are leaving the comfortable for the unknown. You surprised your boss with your resignation, but in good grace he/she wishes you luck and wants to know all about your new job. Expect though, that once your supervisor's shock wears off, what follows is hurt and bitterness. Your relationship will be stranded at best and may be even hostile. Remember bosses, too, have feelings. Your supervisor will seek to elicit everything you know during this notice period; you will be busy. If you were a computer, they would simply do a system dump before you left. You are not, so it is necessary for you to bring someone else up to date on the status of everything. The biggest thing the company is losing is your knowledge base.
You are down to your final days here. Right about now you are feeling pretty low about leaving your friends, the old comfy job feels pretty good and that new job is looking real big and pretty scary. You receive an invitation to lunch with your boss, to go over things; beware 'the counter offer' is about to be tabled. WOW! They really want you. Do you stay or do you go?
Before you decide to stay, you need to look at why you are getting the offer and what may happen if you stay:
What kind of company do you work for where you must resign before you receive the position and / or the remuneration you are worth?
Will what they offer you, fix the real reason /reasons you are leaving? Chances are you did not seek a new position because of money alone, yet most counter offers are all about giving you a raise. Just remember all the other reasons will still be prevalent.
Where is the company suddenly finding the money to give you this counter offer? Is it possibly your next raise, just early? After all this company has touted, they have strict wage and salary guidelines.
Did you know your company likely will start looking for a new person with a less expensive price tag?
Your employer is now aware of your unhappiness and henceforth your loyalty will be in question.
The promotions and biggest raises always go to loyal employees.
When tough times come again, you may be the first on the chopping block.
Statistics show that, all to often, those that accept counter offers still voluntarily leave within six months or involuntarily within one year.
By accepting the counter offer, you "have been bought." Do not let your ego of receiving this counter offer outweigh your intelligence.
Once the word gets out and it will, the relationships you enjoy with your fellow workers will never be quite the same.
You will see the next plum assignment go to someone else, while you fix the same old problems.
You learn that your new assistant, is nearly as senior as you and he/she has the ear of your boss. Are you training your replacement?
Everyone else receives training for the 'new' whatever. You are kept on the 'old' because you are so good at it. Is this really why you stayed?
Whether you recognize it yet, you are being side lined. You are about to leave the company, but this time, it will be on the company's terms and there will not be any wooing to keep you. They will have gotten what they needed; you have transferred your skills and knowledge to others. You are now expendable.
In today's hot candidate driven market every person who chooses to leave their current employment for a better opportunity must expect to receive a counter offer. You are only being naïve to believe you will not receive one. Will your resolve be strong enough? There are ways you can lessen your chances of receiving one and be true to yourself and the commitment you made to your new employer, you should do so.
The correct time to set the stage to avoid counter offers is right up front when you submit your formal written resignation. Yes, resignations should be done in writing. By setting the ground rules immediately you will have an easier time working out your notice. You just need to add a paragraph to your resignation letter similar to this;
"While I have learned a great deal here, I recognize it is time I take these skills and move to this new opportunity I have accepted. I will not entertain efforts on your part to entice me to remain at X Company. The reasons for my decision are mine alone and neither counter offers nor promises of change will impact my decision. I will do everything possible to achieve the smooth transition of my duties up to my leaving date."
Before you even considered giving notice to your current employer, you made sure you had a solid position to go to and you had the offer in writing, didn't you? That was a very wise thing to do. Now ask yourself what would you do, say and feel, if your new employer reneged on this signed contract of the job after you have resigned? Pretty awful!!! So now imagine what your new employer will say if you renege on this signed contract? If you accept a counter offer you will be breaching the contract you signed with your new employer. Is that what you want to do?
Certainly, be flattered when you receive a counter offer, but it should end there. Your boss is going to say your timing is lousy (there never is a good to lose an employee) and, of course, he/she is disappointed that you are leaving, after all you must be replaced. It will be a very long time before your replacement can, as competently, handle your old job. Maintain your clear head. It was the right decision for you when you accepted the offer, be equally confident; it still is the right decision for you. That is what is important! Furthermore you have a signed contract to start your new position. You gave your best while you worked here and you assisted in the smooth transfer of duties to the new person. Be proud you handled your resignation and leaving as a professional. It is time to go.
"Things To Consider Once You Get The Offer"
