How to Handle a Counter Offer

You have given your notice. You are happy and excited about the position at the new company and then unexpectedly your current employer makes a counter offer. While this may be very flattering and your employer may ask you the question “What would it take to make you stay?”

The important fact that you should remember is “Why was I leaving to begin with?” If you stay, in 6 months will you be unhappy and begin looking for another job. Probably even more importantly, the employee that accepts a counter offer is usually gone within 1 year.

The moment you gave your boss notice he felt that he had not done his job. If he was a “good boss” you would not be leaving. Your boss may also realize that you are going to leave a void that may not be easily filled right away. He/she may not have an immediate plan and that will make him/her give you what you want to stay. There will be a ripple affect if you stay.

The problem from this point on is that your loyalty to the company will be in question. His/her knee jerk reaction is to do what has to be done to keep you from leaving until he/she is ready to let you go. He/she will feel like this is a situation that they should have control over. Your boss will begin making a plan in case you leave. He will begin looking at other people to see if they will be able to step into your position. It is more than likely that you will not be considered for a promotion for some time. Your co-workers will resent the fact that you were given extra perks to stay.

It has been said that accepting a counter offer is Career Suicide.

Resigning Your Current Position

You have completed the negotiations with your new perspective employer. You have accepted their offer and now it has come time to let your present employer know that you will be leaving.

It is important that you leave with professionalism and class. You may want to tell your boss “what you really think of him/her" – DON’T.

Give them the proper notice. Most of the time 2 weeks is considered professional and appropriate. Depending on your position, you may need to give more time.

Put your resignation notice in writing.

The letter of resignation should be simple, short and positive. The letter should include information on when you are leaving – not why. The letter should state the fact that you are leaving and date that it will be effective. It should also thank your employer for the opportunity of having worked with them. Brief, Simple & to the Point.

Do not write who your next employer is going to be. If you are going to include anything that indicates why you are leaving, do not mention salary or benefits, simply write that is a “Career Opportunity”.

Sample Letter:

June 16, 2008


Thomas Edison
Electrical Engineering Manager
Volts Electrical
4 Shock Place
High Wire, OK, 42112

Mr. Edison:

The purpose of this letter is to announce my resignation as an Electrical Engineer at Volts Electrical, effective June 30, 2008.

I have enjoyed working for you and being a part of your team. I have accepted a position which will be a very good career opportunity for me.

I wish you and the company all the best.

Sincerely,

Your Signature

Frank Benjamin

Receiving the Job Offer

All your hard work, your skills, your experience and interviewing has paid off. The company wants to offer you the job. Job offers can come in many ways. They can come by phone, the employer may call and ask you to come back to the company and some have actually received the offer in a letter. However you receive a job offer, be enthusiastic. This is important even when what has been offered may not be what you are expecting. There will be a time of negotiations. Make your first reaction a positive one. It is very hard to undo a negative reaction.

It is fine to hear the offer verbally, but do not respond immediately unless you understand every aspect of the offer. If the offer seems to be exactly what you were looking for be sure that you understand all the details. Unless it is a contract position, you should not give them an answer immediately. Make sure that have a good offer before answering. Tell them you will get back to them within a defined time period.

A GOOD Job Offer should include:

• A description of the position


• A good understanding of your responsibilities


• Salary


• Benefits and their cost to you


• Start Date
  

Areas to consider before accepting a job offer:
Most of this is usually done before you receive the actual offer but if the offer were to come very quickly make sure you consider:

• Does the position fit with my career goals or career path that you are looking to follow?


• Will the position offer you enough challenge? If you are not challenged, you will be looking for another job within a relatively short period of time.


• Do you understand the whole scope of your responsibilities?


• If you have to relocate, will they pay relocation or what part?


• If you have to relocate, have you checked out the cost of living and made the appropriate salary conversation?


• Will the salary allow me to keep my current standard of living?


• Is there a yearly bonus? How is it determined?


• What are my promotional opportunities in this position?


• Have you checked out the company and its stability?


• What is the benefits package? What is it going to cost you?
  

Negotiate
Many people feel that the only area to negotiate is salary. That is not true. There are many areas that are potentially negotiable. They can include:

• Salary


• Moving expenses


• Start Date


• Stock Options


• Signing Bonus


• Performance Bonus


• Vacation

Make your decision
Finally, when you are comfortable and ready to accept an offer, contact the employer by phone and let them know of your decision. Let them know that you are excited and would like the entire offer in writing. Let them know as soon as you receive the letter you will send them a signed copy and that you would also like a signed copy.

If you decide to decline an offer, contact the employer by phone. It is always a good idea not to burn any bridges in the event you choose to join that company at a later time.

The Interview Follow-up Letter

A follow-up letter after having an interview should be thought of as more than just a thank-you letter. It is another opportunity to sell yourself. It is important to thank the interviewer for the time that they spent with you. But you also need to reiterate your interest in the job.

The follow-up letter is also good time to let them know that you feel your skills and experience will make you a good fit for the position that you interviewed for. If thought about something that you should have said during the interview but forgot, you can include it in the letter.

Do NOT make the follow-up letter too long.


The general format of the letter should be;

· Address the letter to the person that interviewed you (if more than one person, send a separate letter to each).
· State your appreciation
· Express your interest in the position that you were interviewed for
· Briefly state why you would be a good fit for the position
· Provide any pertinent information that you forgot during the interview.
· Let them know you are looking forward to hearing from them soon
· Thanks them again

Sample Letter:

April 11, 2008

Mr. Charlie Horse

Domain Accessories Inc.
110 New Way Ave
Broken Bow, MN 50021

To Mr. Charlie Horse

I'd like to thank you for the time you spent talking with me about the Web Developer position at Domain Accessories Inc. I am very excited about this position and convinced that my Web Development skills and experience would make me a strong member of your team.

I realized after the interview that I did not mention that I actually started in the Information Technology field by doing JAVA programming before switching over to the .Net technologies.

If you need any further information, please feel free to contact me.

Again thank you for taking the time to meet with me. I will be looking forward to hearing from you.

Tony Allthere
222.555.1211 home
222.553.2211 cell


Do I have to send a Follow-up Letter?
No, but it may make the difference in you getting the position. If you and another candidate are both under consideration for the position and you send the letter and the other candidate does not, the letter may be the thing that sways the employer in your direction.

Should I send the letter US Mail or Email?
I know that some seasoned staffing people still feel that a handwritten letter is more impressive and shows more thought and that is okay. I personally believe that an email is quicker and more efficient. It will get there quickly, it will not get lost in the company mail. I especially feel that if the position is in the Technology area that an email is more in effective.

The Interview

Your resume and cover letter has gotten the interest of the prospective employer. They have requested an interview with you. Here are some Interview Tips that will help to be successful through this process.


Preparation Checklist

Have a summary of your background prepared and rehearsed.
Have your resume with you. If you have updated it recently be sure the interviewer has the updated version.
Have notes about the opportunity that you are being interviewed for.
Visit the company website.
Bring a calendar with you so you can to make any necessary appointments.
Have a note pad and 2 working pens.
Have any certifications, references or reference letters ready in case you are asked.


DO…
If English is your 2nd language, remember to speak up, speak slowly and pause briefly after each sentence.
Know what the company does (products, services, market).
Know what position they are calling about.
Use formal names until told otherwise.
Be positive and enthusiastic.
Have a note pad on the seat of your car and take a minute after the interview to write down any questions that you may have or any points you forgot to make.

DON’T…
Don’t ramble on or give life history.
Don’t ask questions about money, benefits, holidays, etc.; avoid the “What’s in it for me?” on the first interview unless the interviewer brings it up.
Don’t be negative about past employers, experiences, and the economy of your current situation. If you smoke, use a breath mint before the interview.
Don’t chew gum during the interview.
Don’t leave conversations open-ended.


If it is a PHONE Interview


If possible, avoid (static) cell phones.
If you are being called by the interviewer, rework your answering machine tape to avoid cutesy, humorous or offensive messages.
Disengage total phone before the call.
Avoid distractions – find a quiet location to take the call (no Radio, TV, children or pets in background).
Don't use a speaker phone

Arrange for a face-to-face interview! Ask for a date and time! Ask for a contact person.
Remember no one gets hired over the phone!

GOOD QUESTIONS…
Tell me about a typical day.
Tell me about your department.
How many people in the department? Who do they interface with? How long has the average employee been there?
What is your background?
How long have you been there?
How does my background compare to what you are looking for?
What aspects of my background are most interesting to you?
What kind of career path is there?
What’s our next step in the process?


REMEMBER: If you are interested TELL THEM!

Your Cover Letter

The cover letter is probably the least thought out aspect of people looking for a job BUT it really is one of the most important parts of getting the interview that will lead to a job.

The cover letter tells the employer things about you that a resume can not. The resume is a brief summary of your skills and experience while your cover letter should reflect your personality and your written communication skills. The cover letter is a brief overview of why you are interested in the company and position that you are sending the resume to. This often means a little bit of research about the company. This will show the company that you have spent some time and are interested in them and what they do. Let them know why you would be a good fit for the company and the position.

Yes, you may have a template for your cover letters but you should really send a different cover letter for each position you are applying for.

The cover letter should also talk about what you are looking for, where you are looking geographically; it may include your salary history and salary expectations.

The cover letter should be written in a paragraph format. It should be in a formal conversational tone. The first paragraph should tell how you found out about the position and your general qualifications for the job.

The next paragraph(s) should give more details about your qualifications. Remember, you are sending this with your resume so it is not necessary to write every detail. You can point to the resume for specific details.

The final paragraph should request an interview (or some other response, as appropriate). You should also include your availability to do a phone or face to face interview. Let them know the best phone number to reach you at during the day and the evening. Let them know that they can also contact you if they need more information. The close by thanking them for their time and let them know that you will be waiting to hear from them.

Example:

Dear HR Director:

I saw your job posting on Monster.com for software engineers in the Broken Arrow, OK. I am very interested in both software design and development.

I have worked with .Net technology in developing real-time web systems and I also have substantial experience in the design of multi-tiered customer application systems. With my skills and experience, I believe that I can make an immediate contribution to Broken Arrow Online Travel.

I have enclosed a copy of my resume, which details my qualifications. I would like the opportunity to meet with you to discuss your open positions for software engineers. If you wish to arrange an interview, I can be reached at 515. 255-9999 during the day or at my home phone number of 515.555.8888 during the evenings. I am available for a phone interview with 1 days notice and a face to face interview with 2 days notice.

Thank you for your time and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,
Anthony Smithe
================================

Remember, you have one chance at making a first impression, your cover letter needs to give them a good first impression.

Your Resume

Your Resume

Your resume is your calling card. The purpose of your resume is to create enough interest in you and your skills that a Company will want to interview you. A resume is not designed to try to tell everything about you. A good resume will open the doors for you and a poorly written resume will keep the door shut.

Your resume should be a synopsis of your skills, experience, accomplishments, and education.

It may be necessary to have several different versions of your resume that focus on different facets of your skills and experience. Example: You may be a very Sr. JAVA Developer and you also have Project Management experience. It would make sense to have 2 resumes, one that emphasizes your JAVA skill and another for your Project Management skills.

There are common elements for all Resumes:

Identify Yourself

Here is the recommended format:

Full Name
Address - it is acceptable to just put City and State.
Phone Numbers - Be sure to specify if they are home, cell or work.
Email Address – This should not be too crazy. I received a resume a number of years ago and the email address was something like – joethepotsmoker@excite.com. I received another one that was – ChicagoStud@msn.com. While you friends make think these are cool, employers will probably not feel the same way. There are enough companies that offer free email addresses, that you can get one that looks professional.

Career Objective
This area should briefly tell the type of position you are looking for and what would be the benefit to a company if they hired you. Example: Strong JAVA Developer looking for a Direct Hire position in the Financial Industry. Looking to add my Object Oriented experience to a company’s development team.

DO NOT make this area a list of your wants.

Your Employment History
This area should start with you’re my recent positions and work backwards.

For each position you should list, Company Name, Location, Dates of Employment, Your Final Title

You can write on sentence about what the company does. Then write the work that you preformed emphasizing the most important responsibilities and achievements first. You can do this in a bullet format which makes it quick and easy for the Employer to read. You can say you were part of a specific team but do not write about what the team did. Companies want to know what YOU did.

If it is a technical position, your technical knowledge and skills are important to include. Be specific with hardware, software, operating systems, and protocols you can use professionally.

It is usually sufficient to go back 10 years in your employment history. If there are large gaps in your employment, you may be asked to explain why. If the gap was for education, you can include that in your employment history.

Education
List educational achievements, including degree, major, institution name. If your grade point average was 3.2 or higher you can include that. Include any Certifications that you have.

Military Experience
If you have military experience that is older than 10 years, list the branch and your position.

References
I usually advise to just put “Available Upon Request”. You do not want people calling your references without you knowing about it. Also, listing reference information can also lead to Staffing companies cold calling them to get job leads.

DO NOT list personal information such as your marital status, number of children or your age.

If you are not comfortable writing your own resume, there are companies and individuals who will professionally write one for you. It can be a worthwhile investment!

Introduction

The days of simply faxing your 1 page resume to the Human Resource Department of companies are long gone.

There are many things that you can do to increase your chance of getting the job that you want. I will go through the different areas that you need to pay attention to. These areas include, your resume, cover letters, interviewing, post-interview, salary negotiations and giving notice to your current employer.

We hope to publish helpful information a couple times a week.

Any comments from readers will be greatly appreciated.

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