Never accept a counter offer
Having been the owner of a successful Search and Selection and Career Guidance company for more than 20 years I have met many guided many high-powered individuals into taking that step forward to a better career that has allowed them to unlock potential and become even more successful.
One of the most important bits of advice that I gave was at the start of our relationship when the individual was asked “what is it you are really looking for?” depending upon the reply I decided whether or not to help them or to politely put them to one side; until they understood the implications of their actions.
Once we agreed to help them my next question was always “Are you serious about moving on, and will you continue with the process without turning back?” because once they have shown their hand their current employer will no longer trust them.
With the process well under way and an opportunity has been identified and an offer made we came to the most dangerous part of the recruitment process. How to resign and walk away maintaining good relations and doing so in a professional way.
The opportunity looks good, the new company offers what you want so what is the problem? The problem is the counter offer or the threats. You tell your current employer you are going and they do everything to stop you leaving, they offer you more money, promotion plus other benefits; as these fail they start to threaten you with “what ifs”.
Should you now decide to change your mind and remain then what can you expect? Any improvement in salary will be clawed back over the next couple of years, promotion will be stopped as you are no longer trustworthy, you will no longer be at the top table as you are no longer reliable also they know they can walk all over you and you will come running begging for scraps; any respect in you has now gone.
Basically, once you decide to leave and tell your employer you are going then the best thing to do is get out of there as fast as possible.
It is exactly the same for the UK and the Brexit vote. No matter how you voted the result was for leaving the EU, we have told the Commission that we are leaving so now we must leave. There can be no turning back and no negotiations to keep parts of the old agreement. Any agreement to continue paying into the EU so that we can keep parts of an agreement will leave the UK at the mercy of the vengeful self-centred EU elite.
It is high time that those in power that wished to remain stopped their negativity and use their talents to ensure that the UK moves forward to better and greater things.
The press, especially the BBC, is very negative in its reporting; just a word here and there changes the entire meaning of a report. Listen carefully to their word if the news on the economy is good then they say “despite Brexit manufacturing is up” if the news is not good then “manufacturing is down because of Brexit”. A subtle but very pointed way of portraying a negative stance to Brexit.
I have no doubt that there are good reasons to remain in the EU, but the majority of people who voted wanted to leave. Personally, I think because the Commission behaves worse than the Tsars of Russia or the French Royal family in their attitude to the people who pay their salaries. I believe the people of the world are getting fed up with big remote government and the riots in Catalonia will become more frequent across other small states of Europe and the world as people want more say in how they are governed.
Any deal that means we have to pay will cripple the UK economy for years to come as the payment figure will go up every year with very little benefit for us.
The EU does not want a deal and will do everything possible to ensure that we continue paying but no longer have any influence; therefore, as in resigning form a company we must just walk away. European manufacturers will soon come banging on our door for a trade deal.
Never withdraw your resignation once it has been handed in; you will regret it in the future.
Richard Fuggle
Now retired.
