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 James Todd on October 15, 2010 at 8:36am: Jerry, your post will make the recruitblogs hall of fame. I idea is hilarious and I am sure not meant to be taken as a trade practice recommendation. However, any recruiter who has felt the wrath of a key client reacting poorly to the loss of a candidate because of a counter offer will surely be entertained by the concept.

Comment by Paul Alfred on October 15, 2010 at 10:31am: Perhaps a blog on how do deal with Counter Offers before they occur would be more instructive. No professional in their right mind is going to move on from a career with that advice which would only lead to them being walked out the door ...

Comment by SURESH VENKATARAMAN on October 15, 2010 at 2:18pm: I have worked as Vice President Managed Services and now into SAP Staffing for Last six years. Fed up of resignations. I have always planned for resignations in all my SAP projects at SONY and HP and have a backup candidate shortlisted for most of my team members. What if on the first afternoon when I see my employee in a suit I call up HR and request him to Roll-out an offer. Maybe I am hiring a replacement person at lesser salary and following HP tradition do more within the Budget.

Comment by Jerry Albright on October 15, 2010 at 2:26pm: Suresh - are you saying you'll fire someone for wearing a suit to work?

Comment by Maureen Sharib on October 15, 2010 at 2:31pm: That's how I took it Jerry.

Comment by Dennis Smith on October 15, 2010 at 4:13pm: Wow...Jer...I really can't believe it, but I just made it thru six pages of comments - sweet. On the flip side, we corp recruiters also tire of the candidate who interviews just to get a counter from his current employer. It happens. I know two people in a different company who did just that (recently). When they got the offer, their current employer countered - tough market and they didn't want to go through the expense of hiring again.

Btw, Rayanne....it's not HI-Larious, with Jer it's HAIR-Larious : )

Might sound like a extreme example to many, but I thought it was a funny post, Jer. If it just makes people think a bit differently about what they can do to "get more $$" without going thru a bevy of interviews and recruiters, then I say: Mission Accomplished.

Comment by SURESH VENKATARAMAN on October 15, 2010 at 9:15pm: Jerry : No I will not fire a person for wearing a Suit but I will have 2 extra resources on my project so that I can release a person within One week if he submits resignation or Blackmails me using the approach you suggest.

Comment by bill josephson on October 15, 2010 at 10:20pm: Which is why employees won't risk being straightforward with their bosses asking for more money BEFORE they start working with us recruiters, and why we'll waste an inordinate amount of time with candidates who take counteroffers in their hope of actually remaining with their present employers......after their work situation dissatisfaction has been resolved.

Comment by chris on October 16, 2010 at 1:18am: Anyone in this business that is naive enough to thing that recruiters are USUALLY thought of as simply a tool used by job-hoppers with no integrity. i Happens. All we ask is to be n0tified. and ke[t in the loo[.\\\\\;p;l,..;//,
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Comment by bill josephson on October 16, 2010 at 7:48am: I believe there are candidates sincerely willing to move for a better opportunity and candidates insincerely using the recruiting process to better themselves or correct something at their present employer. The problem is we don't know till the end because both jump through all the hoops during the process and it's not in their best interests to tell us during it. Specially now looking exclusively for passive/invisible candidates. You called them, they didn't call you so their follow through is always a question.

At any rate in the end, whether intenrional or unintentional, we get used by candidates remaining at their employers as the reason for their leaving dissipates just as they receive an offer. We won't even often know if they actually gave notice.

The process is about what's in one's best interest, and the recruiting process is the candidate's best vehicle to act in theirs.

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