How to deal with a counteroffer

As you already know, at Manfred we make a mad dash to post releases every Friday. Buuuuut this week, between #Tarugo21 and the little job that’s leading us to nickel-plated onboarding of our Manfredites, allow us to share something else that we hope you’ll find useful. A while ago, David launched a debate on how to deal with a counteroffer, which made quite a bit of noise 👇🏿

Tips to deal with a counteroffer

This gave our team the chance to discuss what’s best to do when one of the Manfredites we’re helping through a recruitment process, receives a counteroffer. It’s a classic scenario that could happen to you at any time. This situation can cause a major headache. So, we’re sharing a few tips that you may find useful if you’re faced with a scenario such as this one, so your head doesn’t fall off. Let’s take a closer look.

1. Ask yourself

You’re about to start a recruitment process. They may have got in touch with you, or you might have found the job yourself. Yet there you are. Something has driven you to make that decision. The first thing we can tell you to do is to analyze the reason that has led you to apply in the first place. That motivation is key. You’re probably lacking something in your current role: a career plan, technical challenge, pay, workmates that inspire you. Something’s missing. But what is it? When you work that out, we always recommend talking to your current employer first BEFORE launching head first into a process.

2. Surprise! They’re going to make you a counteroffer.

You’ve been advancing through the recruitment process and the time has come for you to make a decision. You tell your current employer, and they make you a counteroffer.

What do you do?

Just as you’ve got through the first round of interviews, it should come as no surprise if you get a counteroffer from your current employer. We’ve already said it before, but if we’re writing this, it’s because it’s our bread and butter. The reason: if you have a technical profile, which is in short supply and is usually more costly to replace, they’re going to make you a counteroffer.

So, have a think: what would you ask for to stick around? It may be more money, better communication, being more valued internally, other projects, etc. But if you’ve got to this point, keep your motivations clear in your mind. This takes us back to point 1.

If your motivation to change is ‘just’ about your wage, maybe it’s the only case where accepting a counteroffer is a good idea. If your motivation goes way beyond that, and it’s not been resolved in previous chats, do you think that anything is going to change now?

In any case, knowing what it is that’s pushing you will save you time and many a headache. Not to mention the risk of giving a bad first impression to one or both companies.

3. Roadmap

By understanding what your motivation is for changing your job, it will make it easier to know if this new job offer will be the challenge that will help you to progress. Alternatively, you may need to draw up a new plan on which you can base some new goals.

Here are a few questions that will help you to work out the challenges that are driving you, beyond a possible pay rise: why do you want to leave your company? What are you looking for in your next stage? The same role? Promotion? A production company? Do you want to manage a different or larger team? Does this new role offer the space for you to do all that you want?

It never hurts to remind yourself when the last time was, that you received and gave feedback at your current company so that it at least gives you the chance to reassess the situation before having to issue an ultimatum and leave.

4. What you’d ACTUALLY earn

It’s not all about comparing the gross salaries that they’re offering you in both cases.

‘Yeah, but my current company’s now offering me 43K’ > “Yeah, but here they’re offering you 40K plus they’re offering these perks that are worth 15K more at the end of the year. Restaurant vouchers, crèche, ACTUAL remote working, _GENUINE_ flexible working hours, allowing you to save time travelling during rush hour, free parking, training, etc. These are perks that can mean you save thousands by the year-end.

Not to mention that some may even put shares on the table (but we’ll talk about that in a separate chapter).

5. Do your research

Experience tells us that sometimes, the fear of not knowing where you’re headed and the comfort of already knowing the role you’re in, your work mates, the processes or the emotional salary, can tip the balance when you’re faced with a new role. In order to surf the wave of that uncertainty, it’s best to do a bit of research:

• Research the reputation of this new company. Not only find out what people say about it on the Internet, but also try to chat to people who’ve spent time there in the past or who currently work there, even if you’re not going to work alongside them on a daily basis.
• Ask to talk to your team during the interview process and not just your managers. That will give you a more realistic picture and you can work out if you’ll feel at ease with them.

6. Reflect

Asking for a few days to reflect can help you to assess the big picture and avoid making any rash decisions. You can also ask for advice and talk about all your worries with your scout 🖖🏽. We’d love to guide you. We’re not aiming for you to change your job, but rather that you find the perfect cocktail between what motivates you and your career. You already know, life is too short for a shitty job.