Do You Stay Or Go?

In spite of the economy, job seekers are finding work. But employers want to keep their staffs, so counter offers have been more prevalent. If you get a counter offer, is it enough to keep you in place? It depends. You might be wise to pass on a counter offer.

By Robert Elsenpeter, Star Tribune Sales and Marketing

Last update: January 18, 2009 - 10:10 PM

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Why the Offers? Companies want to keep their staff for a number of reasons:

If there's a hiring freeze in place, a manager won't be able to fill your old job.
You perform a critical function.
There isn't a mechanism to train anyone new.

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Given the state of the economy, you might think leaving your job for a new one would make your employer happy, thinning out the potential layoff base. But the fact of the matter is that there's been an increase in companies counter offering employees so they'll stick around.

But before you decide one way or another, you need to consider the situation from all angles, and figure out what's best for you.

Staying Put

Think about why you are leaving the company and whether a counter offer addresses those reasons. What changes most often in counter offers is usually a different title, more pay or more vacation time.

"You have to ask yourself, `Why do I have this today, and not yesterday,'" adds Steve Kenney, vice president of permanent placement for Robert Half International in Minneapolis.

A counter offer might not fix your woes. Kenney observes that most people who accept a counter offer still wind up leaving the company within a year, and you might be in a worse position.

"And there's no guarantee in six months that there will be as good of a job offer out there," adds Kenney.

Also, seeking out a new job and then turning it down doesn't make potential new bosses happy.

"The Twin Cities is a small world," says Kenney. "Everyone knows everyone else."

Company Considerations

That you just accepted a new job doesn't mean you'll be the first person to go if they perform layoffs.

While we hear daily about companies laying off staff, people are still getting hired. But a lot of it is for mission-critical work, or for a special skill, which gives them a measure of security.

Ultimately, if you have problems, talk to your current employer and see if they can't be resolved.

"Before you accept a job offer, take stock of it, figure out what you like and dislike about your current job, and then talk with your employer," says Kenney.

In the end, Kenney says when someone decides to quit, a company usually wishes them well and moves on.

Robert Elsenpeter is a freelance writer from Blaine.