Trust: One of the biggest concerns for many is the break in the trust relationship between you and your employer. If you were planning to resign to only accept a counter offer it will cast some doubt over your loyalty to the company. Employers will always remember your attempt to resign in the future and you will now be labelled ‘un-officially’ a risk especially when it comes to promotions.
Time: The unfortunate truth is that many companies might just be playing for time when the make a counter offer. If you accept the offer, it gives them the time to start looking for a replacement and to make the necessary contingency plans to ensure when you do resign it has minimum impact on them. Recruiters will tell you that 70 to 80 percent of people who accepted a counter offer either leaves or are let go within a year.
No Change: This is the key consideration and most important to consider with a counter offer. What are the exact reasons you decided to leave in the first place? You are frustrated in your job, don’t get along with your manager, don’t get to work on bigger projects? If you decide to stay, will any of these problems disappear? Unless you’re able to negotiate a new assignment or some changes to your current job, you will still have to deal with the same negatives.
Burning bridges: Declining an offer could damage your professional reputation. The new company went through the interview process and invested considerable time to get you on board, only to be rejected at the end. They will now have to go through the whole process again, putting you in their bad books for future opportunities.
Whatever you decide to do, accept a counter offer or stand firm and move to a new opportunity be respectful and tactful in how you deal with both your current manager and the one who is offering you a job.