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New exciting job but counter offer dilemma

15 replies

MissChristie · 08/06/2022 07:43

Been employed in my current job for 12 years. Walk to work, job has fitted around the children, now 15 and 18. Always enjoyed my job until last year. Redundancies during the pandemic, remaining staff have had to cover in other departments. Felt very stretched for a year and have covered two departments (fine in quiet months but now becoming stressful). No opportunity for career progression, (small company).

New job will involve a daily half hour commute (drive). Lovely location, large organisation, a place I would feel proud to work at. The job offered is a return to the department I prefer to work in and where my experience lies. Fully staffed so no requirement to be filling in and covering other departments as in existing job.

Pay will be the same once I deduct petrol.

Was very excited about prospect of new job but been thrown a loop as existing job have made a counter offer. I haven’t accepted this but am told they may offer more. Everything I’ve read online advises against accepting counter offers. I’m not sure I’d have it in me to decline the new job (have verbally accepted but nothing signed as yet). I feel it’d be wrong to let them down.

I’m separated but exH lives locally, very supportive and involved. It shouldn’t be about the money but I have to do the right thing for my children and with the cost of living increases and the kids futures I feel a huge responsibility to earn as much as I can.

Hope this is enough information for you to help me with the dilemma.

OP posts:
littlese · 08/06/2022 07:45

Take the new job
Nearly everyone I've seen accept a counter offer end up leaving within 6 months so it's not worth it

IAmSantaOhYesIAm · 08/06/2022 07:47

Go with the second job! That commute is not very long at all and your children are older and need you in a different way as they did when you had to do school drop off and pick ups etc.
Also - is it time for a change? A new challenge and the potential to earn more in the long run?

Headshothelp · 08/06/2022 07:49

New job absolutely. Your dissatisfaction with your old job won't disappear with more money. Most people who accept counter offers leave the job within 12months anyway, because money isn't their main reason wanting to leave their current company

Williamshatnershorses · 08/06/2022 07:49

I think you have to consider what is your prime motivation for moving from your current place to the new job? It reads to me like it’s a combination of the set-up and lack of potential progression at your current place. Does their counter-offer change/move both of those to where you want them to be? Can they ever be changed?

(Doesn’t sound like it to me)

Ilikewinter · 08/06/2022 07:50

Congratulations OP!

I can only tell you about my similar dilemma, worked for 20 years for previous employer, had applied for 2 other jobs and got offered job 1 in a completely different sector, resigned and was suddenly offered a salary match.....after much deliberation I decided to accept the offer....... against the general opinion on here!.
Roll on a month or so and I massively regretted it, the increase in salary was nice but the job was still the same shit job ... anyway I luckily got offered job 2 and immediately accepted it.
5 months on and I have absolutely no regrets, my advice would be to take the new job, its something your excited about.

hamstersarse · 08/06/2022 07:54

Take the new job.

The counter offer is nice….but they could have proactively paid you what was fair to retain you so you weren’t even out looking for a job! i.e. Don’t be too flattered, it’s actually just bad management.

Good luck and enjoy the new job

WeAreTheHeroes · 08/06/2022 07:56

Take the new job for all the reasons you and pps have mentioned.

tribpot · 08/06/2022 08:00

The counter offer is just more money for the same job, being overstretched and without progression? You aren't moving for more money in any case, as you point out the new salary nets out to the same as the old one when you take petrol costs into account. I can't see why you wouldn't take the new job and ignore the counter offer. The new place can offer you progression and therefore is financially a better bet in the long term as well.

ThreeonaHill · 08/06/2022 08:01

Take the new job. With DC 15 and 18 this is absolutely the time to have some work that makes yiu feel excited and not worry about them so much.

Plus maybe the old company will learn a lesson...

MustBeDueSomeBetterFeet · 08/06/2022 08:09

New job for sure - your children aren't really children anymore and the new role will offer much more longer term.

JuneJubilee · 08/06/2022 08:14

Shame we can't vote!! 100% NEW job.

For all the reasons already stated!!

old job could have been paying you what you were worth. They are offering more now, but the new job sounds like there's much more scope to earn more long term

more money won't change the stretched & stressed aspect

supportive ExDH will hopefully be able to help with the teenagers if they need lifts to exams etc. (on my mind as currently running around fir GCSE's & A levels, live too far from school & no PT)

Perfect time if life for a new job, new challenge, fresh faces etc!

the only thing I'd miss would be the walk to work/home, but if it's a nice location as you say I'd go in early for a walk before work!

I actually miss my commute on days off as I love listening to LBC in the car! I do listen at home, but it's not the same!!

it's a no brainer!!

MissChristie · 08/06/2022 08:33

Thank you so much everyone!
You've all helped clear my head!
New job it is! 😀

OP posts:
Ilikewinter · 08/06/2022 08:43

Yippeee !!! 👍🍾 ..... good choice !

Whitehorsegirl · 08/06/2022 08:51

Take the new job!

You don't want to stay with a company that made redundancies and then did not support the remaining staff who ended up with unreasonable workloads.

Not to mention that they seem to only recognise your value now and are offering you more money because you told them you were leaving....It does not look like they have a good track record in term of internal progression/recognition.

It is more often than not a bad idea to accept a counter offer. The company knows you wanted to leave and that might count against you in the long run and you will always wonder if you should have taken the other role.

12 years in a company is a long time and it sounds like you are ready for a change.

user124578 · 08/06/2022 10:41

MissChristie · 08/06/2022 08:33

Thank you so much everyone!
You've all helped clear my head!
New job it is! 😀

Good call! I know people who have either accepted counter offers or returned to their old employer, and all have ended up just resigning again. Nothing has changed, and a higher salary won't change it.

Even if you do end up not enjoying your new job, no regrets as it is far better than staying somewhere where you know things aren't great. There are many jobs out there, good luck!

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