Ok, so your candidate has thought long and hard, and they've come to the conclusion that it’s time to find a new job. You’ve sent off their CV, you’ve guided them through the nail biting interviews, and finally, you’ve secured them the offer of a lifetime. Hurrah! You deliver the good news, they accept and hand in their notice to their boss. And that’s it, right?

Not always, no.

Cue urgent call from your candidate. What’s this? He explains that his contribution is vital to the company and that his boss will do anything, ANYTHING, to make you stay. And then he started to think – Ok, so maybe his boss wasn’t so awful every Monday for the last 5 years, maybe his job isn’t that boring, and maybe the Christmas party wasn’t so awkward…And he decides to stay, knowing that he'll finally get the credit he deserves.

WAIT! BIG MISTAKE!

Counter offers aren’t always the best idea. It's vital you remind your candidates why: 

• The problems you have with your current role / employer aren’t going to disappear overnight – is that worth a little extra on your salary? Or are you going to be looking for a more fulfilling role a few months down the line?
• Your employer will question your loyalty to the company. You wanted to leave once, you could do it again – and should the economic crisis hit your workplace, as it has so many, who do you think could be the first in line for redundancy? And it works both ways – Who do you think is going to be considered last for promotion?
• You’ve burned your bridges to that ideal job – remember that job you originally applied for? With so many other candidates on the scene, it’s unlikely the company offering you your hopes and dreams will consider you for a role again. Are you going to live to regret it?

The statistics say it all – 83% of people who accept a counter offer are either looking for a new job again or even unemployed after just 6 months (Confederation of British Industry - http://www.cbi.org.uk/).

We all know this. In the current climate, we see this happening more and more. It's vital we prepare our candidates for the counter offer as it can come as a complete shock, leaving them riddled with guilt. By ensuring we have these conversations with our candidates, we can make every placement water tight.