{"id":12243,"date":"2026-11-04T22:26:49","date_gmt":"2026-11-04T22:26:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/?p=12243"},"modified":"2026-11-04T22:26:49","modified_gmt":"2026-11-04T22:26:49","slug":"counter-offers-why-accepting-one-might-not-be-the-best-career-move","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/counter-offers-why-accepting-one-might-not-be-the-best-career-move\/","title":{"rendered":"Counter Offers: Why Accepting One Might Not Be the Best Career Move"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n

Counter Offers: Why Accepting One Might Not Be the Best Career Move<\/strong><\/p>\n

You’ve made the decision to leave, handed in your resignation and are preparing for your next opportunity. Then, just as you think everything is settled, your current employer comes back with a counter offer. A salary increase, a promotion, more flexibility or promises of change. Suddenly, the decision doesn’t feel quite so straightforward.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Receiving a counter offer can be flattering. It can make you feel valued, appreciated and perhaps even question whether leaving was the right decision in the first place.<\/p>\n

However, before accepting an offer to stay, it’s worth taking a step back and considering why you wanted to leave originally, whether anything has genuinely changed and what accepting that counter offer could mean for your longer-term career.<\/p>\n

While every situation is different, there are several reasons why accepting a counter offer isn’t always the best decision.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Remember why you started looking in the first place<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    One of the most important things to consider is what prompted you to explore other opportunities.<\/p>\n

    Was it purely financial, or were there other factors involved? Perhaps you felt there was limited room for career progression, wanted more challenging work, weren’t enjoying the workplace culture or felt your contribution wasn’t being recognised.<\/p>\n

    It’s easy to become distracted by a higher salary or a new title, particularly when these are things you’ve wanted for some time.<\/p>\n

    However, if the reasons behind your decision to leave haven’t changed, it’s worth asking yourself whether accepting a counter offer will genuinely improve your working experience.<\/p>\n

    A salary increase might make staying more attractive in the short term, but it won’t necessarily resolve frustrations that have been building over months or even years.<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Why did it take a resignation to recognise your value?<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      It’s worth considering why your current employer is only offering these changes now.<\/p>\n

      If you’ve been asking for a salary review, greater responsibility or opportunities to progress, but nothing has happened until you’ve handed in your resignation, it’s reasonable to question why.<\/p>\n

      While some employers may genuinely need an external offer to recognise that an employee’s remuneration is below market value, it can also highlight a lack of proactive communication and recognition.<\/p>\n

      You should feel valued throughout your employment, not just when another business expresses an interest in you.<\/p>\n

        \n
      1. A counter offer doesn’t guarantee long-term change<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Counter offers often come with promises of change. This might include a future promotion, additional responsibilities, more flexibility or improvements to the working environment.<\/p>\n

        While these commitments may be genuine, it’s important to understand exactly what is being offered.<\/p>\n

        Are the changes confirmed, or are they simply possibilities? Is there a clear timeframe for progression? Will the additional flexibility or responsibilities actually eventuate?<\/p>\n

        If you’re considering staying, make sure you have a clear understanding of what will change and when. Verbal assurances can be difficult to measure, so it’s important to have meaningful commitments rather than relying on promises made during a resignation conversation.<\/p>\n

          \n
        1. Consider what you’re potentially giving up<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

          When a counter offer arrives, it’s easy to focus on what you’re being offered to stay. However, it’s equally important to consider what you’re walking away from.<\/p>\n

          You’ve likely spent time interviewing, meeting a new team, researching the business and considering how the opportunity aligns with your career goals.<\/p>\n

          The new role may offer exposure to different clients, industries, projects or areas of specialisation. It could provide a better management structure, professional development opportunities or a clearer pathway towards your longer-term ambitions.<\/p>\n

          These benefits can be difficult to put a dollar value on, but they can have a significant impact on your career over time.<\/p>\n

          Try not to let the immediate financial incentive overshadow the broader opportunities available to you.<\/p>\n

            \n
          1. Don’t make an emotional decision under pressure<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

            Receiving a counter offer can create a lot of uncertainty, particularly when you’re already navigating the excitement and nerves of starting somewhere new.<\/p>\n

            You might feel guilty about leaving your current team, worry about disappointing your manager or feel obligated to reconsider because your employer has gone out of their way to retain you.<\/p>\n

            It’s important to remember that making a career move is a personal decision. You don’t need to feel guilty for pursuing an opportunity that aligns with your professional and personal goals.<\/p>\n

            Take the time to weigh up both options objectively. Consider the reasons you decided to leave, what each opportunity offers and where you see yourself in the next few years.<\/p>\n

            Don’t let the pressure of making an immediate decision influence something that could have a significant impact on your career.<\/p>\n

            Questions to ask yourself before accepting a counter offer<\/strong><\/p>\n

            If you’ve received a counter offer and aren’t sure what to do, consider the following:<\/p>\n

              \n
            • Why was I looking to leave?<\/strong> Have those reasons genuinely been addressed?<\/li>\n
            • Would I have received this offer without resigning?<\/strong> Does this change how I view my current employer?<\/li>\n
            • Is this a long-term solution?<\/strong> Will the changes being offered improve my overall job satisfaction?<\/li>\n
            • What does the new opportunity offer?<\/strong> Am I giving up career progression, experience or development by staying?<\/li>\n
            • Where do I see myself in two to three years?<\/strong> Which opportunity better supports my longer-term ambitions?<\/li>\n
            • Am I staying for the right reasons?<\/strong> Is it genuine excitement about my current role, or is the financial incentive making the decision difficult?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              Making the right decision for your career<\/strong><\/p>\n

              There isn’t a universal answer when it comes to counter offers. In some circumstances, an increase in remuneration or a genuine change in responsibilities may address the reasons someone was considering leaving.<\/p>\n

              However, it’s important not to lose sight of the bigger picture.<\/p>\n

              A career move should be about more than salary alone. The right opportunity should align with your ambitions, provide room for development and offer an environment where you feel supported and valued.<\/p>\n

              At Fluid Recruitment, our consultants work closely with candidates throughout the recruitment process, helping them understand their options, assess opportunities and make informed decisions about their next career move.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

              Counter Offers: Why Accepting One Might Not Be the Best Career Move You’ve made the decision to leave, handed in your resignation and are preparing for your next opportunity. Then, just as you think everything is settled, your current employer comes back with a counter offer. A salary increase, a promotion, more flexibility or promises…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":17,"featured_media":12244,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_seopress_titles_title":"Counter Offers: Why Accepting One Might Not Be the Best Career Move","_seopress_titles_desc":"Receiving a counter offer can be flattering. It can make you feel valued, appreciated and perhaps even question whether leaving was the right decision in the first place. However, before accepting an offer to stay, it's worth taking a step back and considering why you wanted to leave originally, whether anything has genuinely changed and what accepting that counter offer could mean for your longer-term career.","_seopress_robots_index":"","_seopress_robots_follow":"","_seopress_robots_imageindex":"","_seopress_robots_snippet":"","_seopress_robots_primary_cat":"","_seopress_robots_breadcrumbs":"","_seopress_robots_freeze_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_custom_modified_date":"","_seopress_robots_canonical":"","_seopress_social_fb_title":"","_seopress_social_fb_desc":"","_seopress_social_fb_img":"","_seopress_social_fb_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_fb_img_height":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_title":"","_seopress_social_twitter_desc":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img":"","_seopress_social_twitter_img_attachment_id":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_width":0,"_seopress_social_twitter_img_height":0,"_seopress_redirections_value":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled":"","_seopress_redirections_enabled_regex":"","_seopress_redirections_logged_status":"","_seopress_redirections_param":"","_seopress_redirections_type":0,"_seopress_analysis_target_kw":"HIRING PROCESS,INTERVIEW PROCESS,SALARY INCREASE","_seopress_news_disabled":"","_seopress_video_disabled":"","_seopress_video":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas_manual":[],"_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable_all":"","_seopress_pro_rich_snippets_disable":[],"_seopress_pro_schemas":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[42,43],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-12243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-candidates","category-clients"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12243","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/users\/17"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=12243"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12243\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":12245,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12243\/revisions\/12245"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media\/12244"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=12243"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=12243"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.fluidrecruitment.co.nz\/af-api\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=12243"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}