Things to consider: Counter Offers

On paper, counter offers sound like a dream; you’ve got leverage and the power is in your hands. The reality is however, more comparable to being stuck between rock and a hard place. Your current co-workers are friends for life, the prospective studio’s new project might be your pièce de résistance, or none of that is true and the counteroffer is simply financially or logistically beneficial.

Whatever the case may be, it’s important to explore the options available to you, and take into consideration the long and short-term impacts of your final decision. That’s why we at Aardvark Swift have put together just a handful of factors involved when a counteroffer hits the table, so that you can make the decision that’s right for you. We’ve talked to some of our recruiters, who deal with candidates and counter offers on a daily basis, to give you advice from tried and tested, first-hand experience!

I knew from the start…

Before you even begin your search for a new role, become resolute in your decision to leave, armed with the knowledge that should you find a different position, there’s a very real possibility that your current studio will try to win back your heart, boom box and all. This will aid you when the path right for you becomes cloudy, as your studio entices you with promises of an increased salary, promotion prospects, additional responsibility or a change of project. Being able to think back to how you felt before you began your job search, how dead set you were on leaving, and what the catalyst was in looking elsewhere will serve as a beacon to you as a more objective view on the prospects of staying with current employer. On the flip side, if you’re taking a more passive approach in your job hunt, making a mental note of your level of satisfaction, regardless of how high that is, will act as a great baseline when things do progress with alternative options.

Team Lead and Programming Recruiter Dave Moss is sure to make candidates aware of the possibility of counter offers in early talks, as he mentions, “from the very beginning of working with a candidate, the possibility of a counteroffer is included in our discussions, and is a core part of exploring what the candidate needs from a role and studio”, says Dave. “From then on, the candidate can be prepared for a counteroffer through every stage of the hiring process, and will come as no surprise to them when it inevitably lands on the table”.

From all angles…

Many articles will tell you to really consider what it is that’s driving you to leave your current position. While that is crucial, there’s two other angles to consider when you receive a counteroffer; “what would motivate you to stay at the studio?” and “why would you like to join the prospective studio?”. Let’s take a brief overview of all three.

Reasons for leaving: These are likely to be the primary driving forces in your original decision to being open to the idea of alternative employment. For most people, this boils down to more than just wanting an increase in pay - and typically, this is all a counteroffer can provide. As our Design Consultant Lawrie Brennan puts it, “If there’s a fundamental problem with working practices at your current employer, a less-than-ideal company culture, or little room from career progression, then a bump in salary can offer nothing more than papering over the cracks”. If you’re quite satisfied in your role, bar the financial element, there are still caveats to accepting a counteroffer, which will be explored later in this article.

Reasons to stay: There’s no doubt there will be reasons to stay; perhaps you’ve become an expert in your role, the company offers some industry-leading benefits or you’re part of a close-knit team, to name a few. These may be reason enough to stay and should be taken into consideration. With that in mind, they say that while the grass isn’t always greener, leaving your comfort zone to grow and challenge yourself in new opportunities will only benefit you and your career. While platitudes shouldn’t be the basis for a decision as important as a career move, reminding yourself that the perks of your current role aren’t necessarily exclusive to your current company, should be.

Reasons to join: If you’ve already accepted an offer in principle from a new employer, then there’s bound to be several benefits of joining their team. If a counteroffer is giving you cold feet, cross-referencing them with what your studio already offers may shed some clarity on your position.

A Second Opinion…

If your job offer came via a recruiter (hopefully, one at Aardvark Swift), then being transparent with them on your situation is crucial, no matter what the ultimate outcome may be. You may think that recruiters will try and get their placement over the line at all costs, but the truth is it benefits no party involved to convince candidates to join a studio that isn’t right for them. Being clear on your situation opens the door to honest conversation and advice from somebody who specialises in the ins and outs of the hiring process and allows them to better assist you while you take time to consider your options.?

Why here? Why now?

If the prospect of a pay-rise, a promotion, or a change in role in the counteroffer calls out to you, it might be worth taking a step back to reconsider. Why has is taken the threat of you leaving for the company to recognise your worth, your skill level, or your job satisfaction, and does offering this now solve the underlying problem? Design Recruiter Lawrie mentions, “counteroffers are often knee-jerk reactions to the prospect of losing a vital worker - the cost of rehiring and retraining is substantially more than a wage increase, so employers may put out the offer for budgetary reasons more-so than appreciating your value”.

The point of no return…

Here lies the caveat with accepting a counteroffer; the company knows your intentions regarding leaving. That’s not to say that trust and positives cannot come from staying at your studio, in fact, if your studio has a healthy culture, this can open up a dialogue to implement change in addressing the issues that caused you to want to leave initially. However, it isn’t out of the realms of possibility that you’ll begin to feel pushed out of the organisation after your loyalty is brought into question. If you’re in a leadership position, and the team below you believe you aren’t committed to the role, you may just ‘lose the dressing room’. Take into account your own personal situation when planning what a future at your current studio would look like, your initial reasons for deciding to leave may worsen if you stay.

Should you choose to stay…

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with choosing to stay at your current employment if you’re certain the counteroffer will work for you, especially if you were just curious to see what other opportunities were available to you. With that in mind, if you do choose to keep your role, take advantage of the position you’re in to address every major issue you have that caused you to look elsewhere initially. If you don’t, you may find yourself back on the job market sooner rather than later, as Art Recruiter Liam Hollinshead notes. “Leave no stone unturned when it comes to negotiating your counteroffer, if it was worth leaving for, it’s worth fixing if you choose to stay. Furthermore, make sure the conditions of the offer are permanent and precise to ensure that these aren’t just temporary measures to keep you around until other offers aren’t available to you”.

Conclusion…

While the tone of this article may seem to be swayed toward rejecting counter offers, there’s no blanket rule for everyone. A counteroffer can be a sincere recognition of your talent and a commitment to recognise your value and implement change, and should never be disregarded. The takeaway from what has been explored is that whatever you choose, keep in mind the issues that lead to needing a counteroffer, and trust your instinct in what will ultimately be the most beneficial to you!

If you do decide you’re on the lookout for a change of role, we can help - call +44 (0)1709 834 777 or email [email protected]