Companies like ShopSavvy are in hiring mode. They are looking for the best and brightest in their fields to come join their teams. Often the ‘best and brightest’ are working for other companies and aren’t actively seeking new employment. Of course many of these candidates aren’t opposed to looking at new opportunities.
Tip One: Make sure you are dissatisfied with your current job before entertaining a meeting with a prospective employer.
Why are you willing to consider another offer? Understanding the ‘why’ is very important. If you are underpaid or under appreciated have you talked to your boss? What would make you happier? Have you discussed these issues with your boss? If not, meet with him and talk about how to get your job back on track before taking a meeting with a new employer. Never make a threat, instead ask your boss for career advice – ask him to help you build a road map for your career at the company.
Tip Two: Before you resign make sure you are ‘sold’ on the new company so that a counter offer won’t persuade you to stay.
If the only reason you are considering making a move is money – I bet you aren’t working hard enough to find the right company to work for. Sure, more money is great, but if your current employer matches or beats the new offer and you are persuaded to stay you are likely committing career suicide. The Capital H Group conducted a study of counteroffers and determined that after accepting a counteroffer the average employee is with the company for less than one year. If you really were dissatisfied with your job more money won’t make you happier. Your dissatisfaction will bleed into every part of your work and personal life. Employees who are dissatisfied with their jobs are 75% less likely to get promoted, are 50% more likely to get a divorce and shorten their lives by an average of seven years. Finally, if you accept a counteroffer your relationships with your coworkers will likely be damaged. They may be envious that you turned in your notice and were rewarded with a raise – they may wonder if you really deserved the raise (this is a good reason companies should not make counteroffers as well). In summary (via):
- The current employer is attempting to cover their tush. When you quit they lose money. When you quit the manager looks bad. Better to keep you on board until they can find a replacement. If that happens your pink slip will follow in short order.
- You become a fidelity risk to your current employer. You’ve threatened to quit once. It’s only a matter of time before you do it again, and smart companies won’t allow themselves to be put into this situation. You will never be perceived the same to them once you’ve threatened to quit and decided to stay.
- Any situation which causes an employee to seek outside offers is suspect. For example, if money is your issue why does it take a full court press for your employer to realize they need to pay you more? If you’re worth more money now, why weren’t you worth it 15 minutes earlier?
- The reasons for you wanting to quit will still remain, even if they are temporarily shaded.
- Quality, well-run companies won’t give counteroffers…ever! How would you feel if one of your employees forced you into something? ”If you don’t X, then I’m quitting.” I know I’d be angry. I’d be more than angry. If they don’t like working for you then they should go.
Tip Three: Don’t buy an employers threat to sue your or the new company if you quit.
Some employers may skip the counteroffer route and simply threaten to sue you if you take the new offer. First, you don’t really want to work for a company that threatens to sue you. Second, in all likelihood they won’t sue you because they don’t have a case. Here in Texas the law says that the loser pays – it makes it hard to use lawsuits as intimidation. Your employer doesn’t have a case and he knows it and once he realizes that if you call his bluff he will have to pay your legal expenses he will drop the matter. In fact, your new employer will likely cover your legal costs if they are really interested in having you on board (ShopSavvy will).
