Counteroffers: Will they cushion thorns in the nest?

"Many a dangerous temptation comes to us in fine gay colours that are but skin deep." The same can be said for counteroffers, desperate enticements offered to lure you back into the nest after you've decided it's time to fly away.

The recital of horror stories we have come across in the 25 years as technical recruiters provides a litmus test that clearly indicate counteroffers should never be accepted....EVER!

Simply stated, a counteroffer in an inducement from your current employer to get you to stay after you have announced your intentions to take a new job with another company. Experience working with employers who made counteroffers and employees who accepted them have shown that as tempting as they may be, acceptance may cause an assortment of career frustrations. Consider the issue in its proper perspective. What goes through a manager's mind when someone quits?

• "This couldn't be happening at a worst time."
• "This is one of my best people. If I let this person quit now, it willaffect the morale of my entire department."
• "I already have an opening in my department, I don't need another one rightnow."
• "Their skills are hard to find, it could take months to find a replacement and I'll have to pick-up the extra workload."
• "My review is coming up and this is going to make me look bad."
• Maybe I can persuade them to stay long enough to discretely find areplacement."

• "I'm really shocked. I thought you were as pleased with us as we are with you."
• "I've been meaning to tell you about a major project we want you to head up, but it's been confidential until now."
• Your raise was scheduled to go into effect next quarter, but we'll make it effective immediately."
• You're going to work for who? And you're going to be doing what?"

Unfortunately, it's also human nature to want to stay unless your work life is pure misery. Changing jobs, like all ventures with the unknown, is tough and serious business. That's why managers know they can usually keep you around by pressing the right buttons.

Before you succumb to a tempting counteroffer, consider these universal facts:

• Any situation in which an employee is forced to get an outside offer before the present employer will suggest a raise, promotion or better working conditions, is suspect.
• No matter what the company says when making its counteroffer, you will always be considered a fidelity risk. Having once demonstrated your lack of loyalty (for whatever reason), you will lose your status as a "team player" and your place in the inner circle.
• Counteroffers are usually nothing more than stall devices to give your employer time to replace you.
• Your reasons for wanting to leave still exist. Conditions are just made a bit more tolerable in the short term because of the raise, promotion or promises made to keep you.
• Counteroffers are only made in response to a threat to quit. Will you have to solicit an offer and threaten to quit every time you deserve better working conditions?
• Decent and well managed companies don't make counteroffers...EVER! Their policies are fair and equitable and will not be subjected to "counteroffer coercion."