How to Get a Counteroffer

OK. So you’ve decided you’re underpaid. A few of your team mates are making considerably more than you.
You know you’re as good (if not better) than them, so what gives?

You really do like your job. The company Christmas party is off the hook! The drive is less than 5 minutes and your best buddies work there too…….but you keep seeing jobs all over the internet paying more than what you're making and it's starting to weigh on your mind......

So what can you do about it? Call a recruiter? Well, maybe…..

But you know what happens next, right? If you’re so good- you’ll be going on an interview next week. Then another. Pretty soon you’ve got yourself an offer. More money!!! Woo hoo!!

But wait! Now you’ve got to resign. And you don’t really want to do that, do you? You’ve got to go through with this, though…….right? The recruiter is calling you night and day making sure you’re “on the same page” and you’ve already reluctantly agreed that he can accept an offer on your behalf. Who knows – maybe he already did…?

This isn’t what you really wanted, is it? To leave all your friends? To bail out on the awesome project you’ve been working on the past 2 years? It’s just about ready to go into production. All your hard work – and you’ll never see how happy your customers are……bummer……

I’ve got a solution for you. All you really want is more money. Heck – we all want that. So let me help you do just that without dragging a few other companies and that nice recruiter through the mud.

Wear your best suit into work tomorrow. Look better than you have since you interviewed there to begin with. Let your boss know you need the afternoon off. She’ll ask you why. Just let her know “It’s personal” and try to seem a bit apprehensive about it.

Next week you’ll need to take a whole day off. Again – let your boss know it’s personal. You might jokingly say “I’m not going on any interviews or anything” and then throw in something about your grandma not doing so well and she lives quite a distance away. Again – keep it somewhat vague.

Hang in there. You’re almost done Just one more step. This is the important one. You now need to tell your boss you need a few minutes. She’s already thinking something is up and this will confirm it. Her suspicion will be that you’re leaving – and she can’t have that happen now. Not at this critical time!

When you’re in her office let her know you just want to get a better idea of where you’ll be in the next few years. Ask about your chance of promotion. Let her know you feel like you need some more responsibility – but NEVER let on that you’ve been “interviewing” – just make it appear as though you’re at a crossroads and “might” be looking elsewhere. She’ll suspect this. She’s been here before. Trust me.

She’ll be on the phone with HR in a matter of minutes. Within a day or two you’ll find yourself in a meeting again. This time she’ll be happy to let you know that she’s been thinking of your career plan there – and while
that all shapes up – there is also a salary increase she’s requested for you. There you have it. You’re in!

Simple. No hassle. No bitter recruiter. No other company involved. Just you, your company and your new, phatter paycheck.

Good luck!

Comment by Maureen Sharib on October 14, 2010 at 1:15pm: I loved this when you mentioned it on the show yesterday. Shows off your expert gamesmanship!

Comment by Doug Beabout on October 14, 2010 at 1:23pm: Jerry,

That is a humorous missive. As a veteran recruiter, I am compelled to ask; "Was this meant to be humorous or to provide actual advice?"

Comment by Gary Patton on October 14, 2010 at 1:26pm: I'm with you Jerry, as someone with 30+ years experience in HR.

If this is 'advice', I'd suggest people be concerned about the ethics of it and what will happen when a boss catches you behaving like this.

Gary In Toronto
http://is.gd/fTaVl

Comment by bill josephson on October 14, 2010 at 1:26pm: Jerry nails it with this one. This is what's really going on with passive candidates. They wait till receiving an offer to see if they can correct their situation using many people wasting their time in the process.

Comment by Jerry Albright on October 14, 2010 at 1:31pm: Hi Doug.

I hadn't really thought about it I guess. While the post was written just to give us a laugh or two - I've suggested this on more than a few occasions. Normally to candidates who seem to be enjoying their job - but would want to hear about more money. I tell them nearly exactly what I've written here. Never checked back to see if they did it or not - but I'm guessing it certainly would work.

I've lost more than my share of good candidates during the process where they've been given a surprise raise or promotion mid-stream. I think we all have......and I'm guessing many of them have happened this way.......whether we know it or not.

Comment by Wendy Johnson on October 14, 2010 at 1:47pm: Why not save time and energy of dressing in a suit and wasting personal days and just go to your boss from the get go and ask where your career is headed, or ask for a raise? If you don't get the answer you are leaving for perhaps it IS time to move on. I still believe whole heartedly in the counter offer rebuttal "if you have to threaten to leave your company to get what you deserve, what kind of company are you working for?" In this case you may not be threatening to leave, but the idea is the same by playing these games....just my opinion!

Comment by Jerry Albright on October 14, 2010 at 1:53pm: Anyone can ask for a raise. But you see - you've got to put the theatrics behind it to give it some substance - and then not even ask for a raise thereby giving them the sense you may be leaving. It's a much more powerful approach in my opinion.

Comment by Sandra McCartt on October 14, 2010 at 1:59pm: Why not do on purpose what people have been doing by accident for a thousand years.

Comment by bill josephson on October 14, 2010 at 1:59pm: People only tend to have the nerve to do this, specially in this jobs market, when they have an offer in hand to show their employer

Comment by Maureen Sharib on October 14, 2010 at 2:03pm: It's a powerful negotiating ploy. Companies aren't handing out more money these days unless faced w/ the spectre of an exiting employee that will be expensive to replace. This is some of the best Career Advice I have ever seen handed out.

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