So, having received an offer that you're inclined to accept, you will never be swayed by a counteroffer from your current employer? I suppose the logic is sound, especially if you know you aren't hard to replace.
I feel I need to at least go through the motion of entertaining the counteroffer, though. Otherwise they'll think I don't like them or be offended and I'll have maybe burnt a bridge. Of course, for the same reason, I was never looking for another job. That offer came to me on its own.
Dude, sometimes people are in a financial stretch and the increase in compensation is the only reason to search for alternatives.
Especially in big corps there can be a policy of being stingy with the wages unless there is some scenario like a need for counteroffer for a high performing individual contributor.
Now, you can think the company is cheap and does not really earn you contribution.
However, the psychological reality is that people don't work in their companies - they work inside teams within companies, and the duties and the culture of the team can be great even if the company policy (likely sculpted out of feeling of ficudiary duty towards stockholders among other things) feels cheap.
Great teams and great managers are far more important for a great job than "great companies". Yes, the latent company culture affects team as well, but that's only one aspect of the whole.
When HPE hired me on, I know I was about 20% more then the guy who had been doing the job for 20 years. Companies don't value you if you stick around. Your only hurting yourself.
I’m actually sort of in this situation. I just interviewed for another position and it went extremely well. The thing is I’m pretty happy with my current job and role except for one dimension: Salary.
If they would pay me what the market says I’m worth (and I’ve done a ton of market research) then I’d be happy to stay where I am for the foreseeable future. But if another company offers me a job and the work and environment seem comparable but they’re willing to pay more... I’d seriously consider that offer and be prepared to leave. However, if my current employer comes back and says, “Actually we will beat that by x%” then I’d seriously consider staying.
It also helps that someone else in the company did just this and is still with the company a couple years later.
If "not being paid enough" was what made you start job hunting, then a counteroffer would likely change the situation.
Last place I left, I made it exceedingly clear, a year before resignation, 6 months before resignation, and during resignation, that all they needed to do to retain me was to bring me back up to market rate. I would have definitely stayed if they were forthcoming with a counteroffer.
I'm pretty happy where I am right now, but if you give me an offer to an attractive position for 20% more money I'd at the very least entertain the notion.
My point is that an offer like that would seem attractive, but two things:
A) The company didn't value you until it was too late. Their opinion of you hasn't changed, just the pay rate.
B) The company now has painted a target on your back as someone that is "in it for the money" and doesn't have the best interests of the company in mind. It's bullshit, but that's now management thinks. Next time a budget cut or RIF is necessary, guess who is first in line?
In both cases, you need to weigh if that's worth sticking around for.
I feel I need to at least go through the motion of entertaining the counteroffer, though. Otherwise they'll think I don't like them or be offended and I'll have maybe burnt a bridge. Of course, for the same reason, I was never looking for another job. That offer came to me on its own.