Career Tips: Please don’t go!

If your employer tries to entice you into staying after you have announced

your intention to leave, BEWARE.

Executive recruiter Paul Hawkinson says that in his more than 30-year career

he has only ever known a few examples where accepting a counter offer to

stay with a current employer actually turned out to be a good career

decision.

Your career is your very own business. Deciding to move to a new role is a

business decision – not an emotional one – and so you need to keep a clear

head if your current employer tries to get you to stay.

First up, keep in mind why you are leaving. Reasons could include that you

are unhappy in your current role, you believe you are worth more money in

the current market or that the new role will give you greater responsibility

and thus help build your skill set.

Managers want people to stay for a variety of reasons but mostly because a

team member’s departure looks bad on him or her. Everyone can be replaced

but how quickly and at what cost is the question your manager will need to

wrestle with.

Your departure might impact on the morale of the team or it might be

following closely on the heels of another resignation. It could mess up the

holiday leave schedule or delay the start of an important project.

Whatever the impact, push your ego to one side. The manager’s reaction is

not about you but about what might happen to him or her.

It is tempting to stay when someone says: “We need you.” Tempting but not

always a good idea.

At the end of the day, if it has taken your resignation to get your boss to

offer you the additional responsibility, pay increase, promotion or window

office that you have been asking for then GO.

And if you decide to stay, don’t kid yourself that you haven’t created just

a tad of ill will. Are you really a team player? Will you jump ship the next

time you don’t get what you want? Counter offers can also be a tactic to

give your company time to find someone to fill your shoes.

According to Paul Hawkinson, well-managed companies do not make

counter-offers “ever”.

“Their policies are fair and equitable. They will not be subjected to

‘counter-offer coercion’ or what they perceive as blackmail.”

Now that’s settled, you can get back to the business of telling your

colleagues where you want them to hold your farewell and booking the exotic

holiday you are going to take before staring your new job.

Story by Kate Southam, editor of CareerOne. Go to www.careerone.com.au for more career related articles. Job hunting and workplace questions can be directed to CareerOne by emailing: editor@careerone.com.au