Job Offer Dilemma

[Hamster]

Present offer B to Company A.. get them to match, whilst going to Company C for an interview.

In his 3 month probation period? LOL! Take a voice recorder with, I want to hear how he gets told to **** off

 

[ToxicBunny]

In his 3 month probation period? LOL! Take a voice recorder with, I want to hear how he gets told to **** off

In my world, I'd take the voice recorder.. If I get told to fsck off, I'd hand in my resignation and accept Company B's offer....

From my standpoint, its pretty much a win-win for the OP.

As much as SOME companies do value their staff, the majority don't and until the employees start being as mercenary as the employers, the relationship won't change.

 

[Lord Nikon6]

The lines become a little more blurred when accepting a counter offer for a different position and not only the money, but the fact still remains : you get special treatment to make you stay.

I don't want special treatment, and if I wanted it, I'd go speak to the relevant people. One should feel free hearted, for lack of a better term, enough to go speak to your superiors about your problems. Employers have a responsibility to not only casually say that their staff can approach them with problems at anytime, and then act daily in an unapproachable manner.

Why is the sudden offer of a different position only prompted by an intention to leave the company ?

This is true yes, especially in cases where you have let them know you are interested in another position.

 

[MagicDude4Eva]

I agree that there is a lot of sense in this, and especially that money is not everything, however, what exactly is wrong with accepting a counter offer? Just curious as I want to compare it with a situation I was in previously.

I know that the work environment I have created for my staff is probably dramatically different to most environments (especially corporate) and before answering why I would not make a counter offer for my staff:
- We set targets at the beginning of the year and then have a mid- and a year-end review. We have weekly team-meetings and my staff know that they can approach me with anything (be it of personal- or work-nature)
- I know each and everyone's circumstances and individually we plan career-development and each employee is very well aware how far they can go with regards to salary and bonuses as well as skills development
- During reviews we discuss progress and how we can improve (mutually as employee and employer)
- At year-end I ask staff what their increase expectation is and in most cases I will push for more (which is easy to get past shareholders when performance is great).
- Seldom do we run into an issue where non-performance becomes a surprise at year-end increase discussions.

So when you take all of the above into account, each employee basically gets a higher salary than they wanted/expected and get performance based bonuses. Granted, our salaries are not necessarily in the top-range (comparable to corporates) and we do not provide all the fancy perks, but having said that, the work environment is challenging but casual and flexible without the corporate red-tape and BS. So when a staff-member comes to me and says "I have received a better offer elsewhere" it tells me that I either have progressed them far enough that they are on to new challenges or that I could not give them a better salary (which would be related to company constraints and not the actual performance of the staff).

For me as a manager it would be too late to fix something (especially considering that we have a very transparent work-relationship). We had cases were people had financial difficulties due to personal circumstances changing and there we help with company loans, salary advances or other means to bridge that gap.

BTW: When it comes to salary: When you jump from 7K to 20-30K it will make a big difference to your life. When you jump from 30K to 40-50K your life-style will not necessarily change as dramatically. I compare this to the "pancake"-principle: The first pancake you eat is awesome, the 2nd is great, the 3rd is good --- by the time you hit that 5th pancake, it is actually not that great anymore.

 

[Jet-Fighter7700]

Are you working at Mr Video?

Not quite, although i once did 3 months there when i was at college

 

[Kilgore_Trout_Redux]

IMO, it's pointless offering the employee a counter offer- mentally, that employee has long since left his current job.

I know people who have accepted counter-offers and gone on to be very successful in the company, so you can't generalize.

Counter-offers are becoming more common as companies are starting to compete for good staff.

Personally I think it is a question of honour. I don't play games. I hand in my resignation once I have a signed contract which means I have made a deal. I am a man of my word so I won't go back on an agreement, even though I am legally entitled to do so and most people I deal with won't show the same curtesy.

Damn, I sound like an old man.

 

[reactor_sa]

Don't forget, a 3 month stint on your cv never looks good.
I've interviewed a few people with stints shorter than a year, some times 3 stints in a 2 year period. Our interview panel eyes those candidates with suspicion - usually job hoppers just after quick money.

 

[reactor_sa]

Regarding counter offers, it's generally not a good impression on you, at your current company and the one who's offer you just rescinded on.
But
Although I've not done it, I've been at my current company 8 years and have a good reputation, I know if I had to tell them I received an outside offer but I'm not looking to move, could they look at an out of cycle increase, I guarantee I will get it without any negatives (although I also know internally it's not possible to get more than 15% increase due to fixed company policy, and irrespective of the outside offer I'd probably get no more than 10%).


In your situation I'd say the carrot is dangling over the cliff.

 

[Nicodeamus]

I know that the work environment I have created for my staff is probably dramatically different to most environments (especially corporate) and before answering why I would not make a counter offer for my staff:
- We set targets at the beginning of the year and then have a mid- and a year-end review. We have weekly team-meetings and my staff know that they can approach me with anything (be it of personal- or work-nature)
- I know each and everyone's circumstances and individually we plan career-development and each employee is very well aware how far they can go with regards to salary and bonuses as well as skills development
- During reviews we discuss progress and how we can improve (mutually as employee and employer)
- At year-end I ask staff what their increase expectation is and in most cases I will push for more (which is easy to get past shareholders when performance is great).
- Seldom do we run into an issue where non-performance becomes a surprise at year-end increase discussions.

So when you take all of the above into account, each employee basically gets a higher salary than they wanted/expected and get performance based bonuses. Granted, our salaries are not necessarily in the top-range (comparable to corporates) and we do not provide all the fancy perks, but having said that, the work environment is challenging but casual and flexible without the corporate red-tape and BS. So when a staff-member comes to me and says "I have received a better offer elsewhere" it tells me that I either have progressed them far enough that they are on to new challenges or that I could not give them a better salary (which would be related to company constraints and not the actual performance of the staff).

For me as a manager it would be too late to fix something (especially considering that we have a very transparent work-relationship). We had cases were people had financial difficulties due to personal circumstances changing and there we help with company loans, salary advances or other means to bridge that gap.

BTW: When it comes to salary: When you jump from 7K to 20-30K it will make a big difference to your life. When you jump from 30K to 40-50K your life-style will not necessarily change as dramatically. I compare this to the "pancake"-principle: The first pancake you eat is awesome, the 2nd is great, the 3rd is good --- by the time you hit that 5th pancake, it is actually not that great anymore.

There is a lot of truth in the salary comment, one gets to a stage where more money (unless it is significantly more) does not really change your lifestyle that much.

 

[Sinbad]

. I compare this to the "pancake"-principle: The first pancake you eat is awesome, the 2nd is great, the 3rd is good --- by the time you hit that 5th pancake, it is actually not that great anymore.

No such thing as too many pancakes!

 

[^^vampire^^]

Don't forget, a 3 month stint on your cv never looks good.
I've interviewed a few people with stints shorter than a year, some times 3 stints in a 2 year period. Our interview panel eyes those candidates with suspicion - usually job hoppers just after quick money.

Could be justified in some cases as the company didn't work out as the expectation and reality were 2 separate things. I worked with a guy that left a cushy corporate job to try something different, got a job where this happened and was on to the next job within a month.

I do however agree that in most cases it would be hopping for more cash and I know I am someone who is "guilty" (I feel nothing) of this, however, I plan to reach my salary ceiling asap and then move into a career perspective rather than having a job. I don't want to be getting 6-8% increases yearly while my salary doesn't allow me to live comfortable. I would rather be comfortable and then coast.

 

[jansdejager]

Start your own company and ask your father-in-law for money for that house

 

[cguy]

BTW: When it comes to salary: When you jump from 7K to 20-30K it will make a big difference to your life. When you jump from 30K to 40-50K your life-style will not necessarily change as dramatically. I compare this to the "pancake"-principle: The first pancake you eat is awesome, the 2nd is great, the 3rd is good --- by the time you hit that 5th pancake, it is actually not that great anymore.

There is a lot of truth in the salary comment, one gets to a stage where more money (unless it is significantly more) does not really change your lifestyle that much.

a.k.a., The Marginal Utility of Money. One point that the article makes is that at some point, you can start buying pancakes for others.

 

[ice_cubes]

Take company B you know you want the moola

 

[Maverick Jester]

I know people who have accepted counter-offers and gone on to be very successful in the company, so you can't generalize.

I wasn't generalising, just stating my opinion on them i.e. why I would not offer or accept a counter offer. I do understand that some people may use the counter offer to simply go further in the company, but the point was that if an employee has received an offer from elsewhere and has either accepted / is close to accepting the offer, they've made the decision to leave. Not saying it's an irreversible decision, but it's not ideal.

Counter-offers are becoming more common as companies are starting to compete for good staff.

The fact that you need to counter an offer made for an employee indicates that the company does not value said employee enough come appraisal time, which is why they looked / considered another offer.

Personally I think it is a question of honour. I don't play games. I hand in my resignation once I have a signed contract which means I have made a deal. I am a man of my word so I won't go back on an agreement, even though I am legally entitled to do so and most people I deal with won't show the same courtesy.

I agree with this. If I've made up my mind to leave, it would be dishonourable to backtrack on that decision.

 

[Maverick Jester]

Don't forget, a 3 month stint on your cv never looks good.
I've interviewed a few people with stints shorter than a year, some times 3 stints in a 2 year period. Our interview panel eyes those candidates with suspicion - usually job hoppers just after quick money.

If it's such a concern, why are these people even on the interview list? Seriously. I've never understand this criticism, when people are continually enabled to move from company to company.

 

[hellfire]

Present offer B to Company A.. get them to match, whilst going to Company C for an interview.

Tell Company C that you have an an offer of the table of X amount, and that they need to move fast if they want you.

Agree with this, but be sure to do this in a nice way.
If you ask A for a counteroffer and they say no, you will look like an idiot if you stay. So be prepared to leave for B when asking for the counteroffer.

As for interview C, be careful with how you pitch your situation. You've only been at A for 3 months, and you're already (even though it's not proactive on your side) looking at other jobs. C may perceive this as unreliability.

 

[ice_cubes]

Take Offer B

When you go for an interview at company C, just tell them this: that you have always wanted to work for them (and have always applied for various positions within their company over the years) ever since you became aware of their existance. Unfortunately, this opportunity came just as you had signed with Company b. If they dont take you now you completely understand. However, you will keep applying for their advertised positions (as you have done in the past) until they eventually appoint you - whether its for this year or any other year going forward.

I always use this line at interviews & it always throws the *nay sayers* off-guard.