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Resignations and counter offers
How to close the deal
If you want to move your career forward, tendering your resignation is often an unavoidable task. All managers will have had to do the same thing themselves a number of times, and should be able to empathise with you if you handle the situation well.
Be professional
- Time your resignation to be considerate of the working patterns of your manager. First thing Monday morning is rarely a good time
- Bring a carefully prepared resignation letter to the meeting to show your resignation is an intention not a whim
- Explain the reasons for leaving in positive terms and avoid personal criticism of current colleagues wherever reasonably possible
- If you focus on the positives of the new role that are not available in your current role, most people will appreciate your reasons and offer you their congratulations despite their disappointment in losing you
- Agree a provisional departure date at the time of resignation; it can always be changed, but sets up a framework within which everyone can plan for the future
- If you are hoping to leave before your official notice period ends, suggest targets for you to achieve that would allow them to be able to release you earlier than contractually required
- In the very unlikely event of the meeting turning sour, retain your professionalism and conclude the meeting at the earliest opportunity. They may well need time to reflect on your news. Such a response may further strengthen your resolve that you are doing the right thing.
Invitations and promises to stay
- As a rule of thumb, the worst possible thing you can do tactically is walk into a meeting intending to resign, and walk out agreeing to stay. If you handle the situation in that way you will seriously erode the (questionable) esteem in which you are currently being held
- If sudden promotion prospects, salary improvements and great futures with the company appear, it is rather unlikely that they had been planned for you five minutes earlier
- If you genuinely feel you have heard something new that may influence your decision, confirm that your resignation and provisional departure date will stand, and agree to meet again in a few days once you have had the chance to reflect on the conversation, and confirm the accuracy of the new information. Are your colleagues of the same grade getting the same pay rise and promises? Have they had them already?
- Discuss your situation with your recruitment consultant. Some less scrupulous employers have a consistent track record in relation to counter offers that may be worth you being aware of
Predatory approaches and other job offers
Having made your decision, some current employers and less professional recruitment agencies need a little help in understanding you have made your decision and that it is final:
- Once you have made your decision, let all interested parties know as soon as possible. If you are frank with them about your decision, you can reasonably expect them to archive your details without further complication
- If a recruitment agency is reluctant to cease contact with you, you may want to write to them to formally request that they either archive your details or permanently remove them from their database.
Counter offers
Counter offers are more common than you might think. Recruiting quality people can be an expensive and time-consuming process for employers and you might unexpectedly find yourself in a bargaining position.
If your employer tries to persuade you to stay by offering you a pay rise equal to, or above your new job offer you might first want to ask yourself why it took the threat of leaving to bring it about.
Most of us are easily flattered and the offer of more money coupled with colleagues telling you "the place won't be the same without you" can easily make you forget the reasons why you wanted to leave in the first place.
Don't feel guilty and always try to stand your ground. The fact is, once you have resigned there is rarely a good reason to change your mind and stay where you are.
You wanted to leave for good reasons. You thought it through and went through the recruitment process successfully. You have a new job to look forward to and if you change your mind now you have three realities to deal with:
- Your manager may have question marks in his/her mind about your loyalty once all the fuss is over. After all, you did nearly leave
- You are going to have to let down your would-be employer and this might work against you in the future
- Experience shows the majority of the people who accept counter offers end up leaving within a year anyway. Are things really going to change that much once the dust has settled?
Rather than let things get to this stage, make sure you have thought about how to handle a counter offer in advance.
Be certain of your reasons for leaving, discuss it with your friends and family and stick to your decision once it is made.
Our innovative approach continues to gain recognition with clients and candidates alike.
And one more thing....
10% of our clients' final invoices are donated to our clients' chosen charities.
Simple yet life changing.
info@pure-4.co.uk
or phone: 0207 917 9530