The Midlands Engine

This quarter has seen a surge in activity for our Birmingham office, based in the heart of the Midlands Engine, more clients, more candidates and as a result of this, more roles to be filled - not that we are complaining!

One thing we have noticed during this surge is the amount of counter offers employees are presenting in an attempt to retain staff. There are a number of things to consider as a candidate when you are presented with a challenging situation such as a counter offer.

It is a costly irritation for employers to recruit a replacement and often they will do everything they can to keep you in the business. This may be a very attractive pay rise, extra benefits, a nicely glossed change in job title and endless promises around progression within the business. 

In this situation, you need to stay loyal to your reasons behind leaving; accepting a counter offer rarely changes the factors that drove you to look for a new job in the first place. Well researched statistics prove that 90% of people who accept a counter offer have continued to leave the business within six months and this is mainly because their initial reasons have not gone away.

I encourage candidates at all levels to remain loyal to their initial reasons for leaving, accepting a new role and making that change can often be a daunting step, but more often than not, it’s a step in the right direction to further your career.