Are you really ready for a career move? The travel industry is recruiting in abundance, and therefore it is important when considering a career move you take the time to really understand your own motivations.
Is it for career development, more money or do you crave wider industry experience? And what if your existing company makes you a counter-offer?
Here, Jayne Peirce, managing director of Jayne Peirce Recruitment Solutions has some tips for those thinking of changing jobs.
Why change job?
Before you embark on a career move, you should ask yourself some simple questions:
• Do I enjoy my job and working environment?
• Am I being developed? Do I have career path?
• If not, have I discussed this with my present employer?
• What are the company’s objectives, and can I see a future with me in it?
If you conclude that your future lies elsewhere, ensure you are committed to the interview process and apply for roles that fulfil your aspirations.
How to deal with the counter offer
So you’ve been offered a new job and resign from your current role. Your company then makes a counter offer, with phrases like “we’ve got exciting plans for you”.
The counter offer is always very flattering and probably reassures you that you are a valued member of the business. But it is important to recall why you were looking to move in the first place.
Your employer could give you all the lines like “we couldn’t share this with you before because it’s sensitive” or “we have exciting plans that include you”.
So many companies like to choose this moment to dangle the carrot by telling you these sort of things. But why weren’t you trusted before?
The saying ‘money is a short term motivator’ is so true, yet more often than not your real reasons for leaving are more likely to be linked to the work environment and desire to gain new experience.
Did you know that more than 60% of people leave their company within six months after a counter offer and more than 90% within 18 months?
What if you say ‘yes’?
If you consider accepting a counter-offer, here are some things to be mindful of:
• Will you be trusted? Your employer will always wonder when you may leave in future.
• Your manager will be challenged to keep you; a common form of attack is to slate your prospects with a future employer.
• You will lose credibility; your company will gain control of your career, not you.
• And if your company throws vast sums of money at you, you could potentially price yourself out of the market, making your next move a tricky one.
It’s human nature to consider staying: better the devil you know, perhaps? Your reasons for wanting to leave are still there and won’t go away, but in the short term they are just suppressed.
Good companies don’t make counter offers; they would have ensured they fulfilled your aspirations.
Stick with your decision
The resignation and surprise counter offer can be a stressful process, leaving you feeling like you’re going through a divorce. Leave the emotion at the door. While there are exceptions about why you might stay, whatever you decide, be confident and stick with it.