Help: Resigning from my job!

tryrrthg

So I got a new job offer last week, and it's a great opportunity, with better pay. So I verbally accepted the offer last week. I'm supposed to start on the 28th, so I need to resign from my current job ASAP. I'm having a REALLY hard time with this. My current company is great. The pay might not be the best but the benefits, people and atmosphere are great. It has been my first job out of college so it's hard to say if I should stay there or not, because I've never experienced anything else. But at the same time it's hard to leave because it is a nice place to work. The down side of staying is I've kinda dug myself a comfortable little hole. I don't learn a whole lot and I'm not really going anywhere, yeah, part of that is my fault but some falls on the company (too much to explain).

Anyway, I guess my real question is should I consider a counter-offer if they bring one to the table? My recruiter is telling me it's the worst thing you can do to your career (of course he's going to say that though, he doesn't get paid if I don't leave). So what is everyone's opinion on counter-offers to stay at your current job?

Also any tips for resigning (as far as meeting with my boss)?

Demiurge

I'd be surprised if you got a counter offer (and you may be the best employee they have). It's clear you don't want to be there to the owner. If they give you a counter offer and you stay, the business owner knows the only reason you're staying is for money. Doesn't say much for loyalty should a better offer hit your plate again in the future. I wouldn't want someone around who doesn't want to be there other than to collect a paycheck so I wouldn't make a counter offer to begin with.

You've got to look out for your own best interests, so if you're leaving for more money, what you feel will be a better job, and are confident you'll be comfortable there -- go!

I'd also advise against taking a counter offer even if it's offered. You're just setting yourself up for a disaster down the road.

My suggestion? Ask them for a raise that would keep you, and if you don't get one -- leave.

PolkThug

I more or less received a counter offer when I left my last job (also my first out of college), but it didn't matter to me because I didn't leave for more money, I left for a better environment and opportunity.

aaharvel

Quick fix. Just tell your boss that you quit, and leave him two weeks notice.

If that doesn't work, then you shouldn't have started another job while still employed with someone else unless you can juggle both.

Anyway, congrats. The new job obviously is a step up or else you wouldn't have taken it. I just don't understand why you let yourself be put in that position to start with. I honestly don't see how anyone from an online audio forum can be of much help.

Good luck though.

brettw22

Definitely go with the new job. You wouldn't be out looking if you weren't missing something at place number one.

dorokusai

You should leave a small jar of open herring or snails in an enclosed, screwdriver needed space before you leave.

Move on up to the East Side.

tryrrthg

aaharvel wrote:

Quick fix. Just tell your boss that you quit, and leave him two weeks notice.

If that doesn't work, then you shouldn't have started another job while still employed with someone else unless you can juggle both.

Anyway, congrats. The new job obviously is a step up or else you wouldn't have taken it. I just don't understand why you let yourself be put in that position to start with. I honestly don't see how anyone from an online audio forum can be of much help.

Good luck though.

I'm not working both jobs... I just got an offer to go to another job.

brettw22 wrote:

Definitely go with the new job. You wouldn't be out looking if you weren't missing something at place number one.

I wasn't really looking, I get calls from recruiters all the time. This one just kinda fell in my lap... The only thing that is really missing from my current job is someone to mentor or learn from. My profession is pretty specialized (I'm an actuary). And I don't work for any actuaries. I work for business type people. The new job I would be working for high level actuaries, so I might actually learn something...

Sami

Be polite and explain the situation to your boss. If he is professional he and the company will understand. I know the guys are joking about doing something stupid because that's the worst thing you could do, burn bridges behind you. Most likely your boss is going to tell you to call him if things don't work out with the new company. If he tells you to eff off after the news then it makes the decision to move on much easier, you wouldn't want to work for someone like that.

ahorvitz

I am a recruiter. I work with people changing jobs all the time. Recruited or not, you were open to interviewing for a new opportunity and so impressed by the new company, job, and compensation package that you've accepted. I doubt it was strictly compensation that opened you up to ideas outside your current position. That's rarely the sole motivator. Accepting a counteroffer is accepting all that you weren't in love with in your current role, with a raise. Are you willing to "suck it up" for a few more bucks? Unless you feel you've made a rash decision by accepting the new position, resign and don't look back. You've made the professional decision, a hard one at that, to move for personal and professional gain. That's why we work.

Counteroffers generally lead up to a more difficult separation in the end. Every day following your acceptance of a counteroffer, you'll be thinking about what could have been. Your employer will either view you as disloyal (you've cheated on them) and/or they'll be shopping for your replacement. Think about it... you resign and there's an opening that they are not immediately prepared to fill. Offering you $20K more to stay buys them 3 months to find that person at a cost of $5K. It's a cheap band-aid approach offered by many employers. Think of the tension between you and your boss who feels like he/she's been held up for a raise. Odds are, you won't be there beyond a year anyway, so leave now on the best possible terms- yours.

Almost no one spends their entire career at one company these days, but if you're working in the same / similar field, odds are that you may encounter a former peer, manager, or subordinate down the line. They change jobs as well. Moving on professionally assures you future opportunity within your field.

But don't take my word for it. I don't know all the details...

http://jobsearchtech.about.com/cs/resignationletter/a/counteroffer.htm
http://www.careerjournal.com/salaryhiring/negotiate/19981007-voros.html

ahorvitz

Oh, and tips for the meeting...

Deliver your letter of resignation and final date of employment notification. Thank your boss for the opportunity and experience.
That's it!

Don't let the conversation continue that day. It will only lead to offers of quick fixes and over-promises. It's an emotional meeting for both parties, so keep it short and sweet. If you execute this properly, there will be plenty of time to rehash your experiences at a later date.

...and I don't get paid on your placement. Your recruiter is right. Maybe he hasn't offered you the appropriate reasons for why he's right, or you just don't like or trust him.

Drumingman

Grow a set and march in there and be manly.

kn505

Actuarial profession might be (a little) different from other professions. We receive phone calls from recruiters almost every day, especially if you have some experience and/or are a credential actuary.

I am also an actuary. I had a similar situation likes your. I had a job offer with much more money and was willing to take it. I went to talk to my boss (an actuary) about my offer (without disclosing the details such as the new company or the amount) and how I felt about my current salary (as being low) and how much I enjoy my works and my desires for personal and professional growth. The boss gave me a counter offer and I stayed (for another 2 years). There were no hard feeling during those 2 years. I finally moved on and I am currently the only actuary with the new company.

There are factors you might want to consider, such as the relationship between you and your boss, the professional growth for you at the two companies, your current and new coworkers, your exam progress, etc.

Congratuation with the new job offer and good luck with your (current or new) job.

tryrrthg

Thanks everyone for the help. Keep it coming if you have anymore insights!

I really don't know how my superiors will react. I think everyone will be a little shocked, by now they probably thought I was a "lifer"

pearsall001

Jump ship, spread your wings & fly!!! You'll always be second guessing yourself if you don't. As the owner of a small business I can tell you first hand that counter offers do not generally work out for both parties. It sounds like you're quite young? Take the shot and grow in the business world. There's plenty of time to settle down in that cushion job when you get older. Good luck to you!!!

danger boy

You've already given your new employeer a verbal agreement to go work for him. if you back out and try to get a counter offer from your current employer.. you may end up without a job period. and the unemployment line is not a fun place to be... after loosing your current job which you like, and the new job you could have had.

danger boy

if i were a manager i would never get into a bidding war over any employee. IF the employee seeked out other employment.. then he obviously wasn't happy here.

If someone told me they were thinking of going to work across town.. I would be hard **** and kick them to the curb ASAP.

Ern Dog

Take the plunge! Don't worry so much about what your current employer will think about you if you quit. They may feel some dissapointment and loss- trust me they will get over it. You gotta make your needs and your future more important to you than your employer's thoughts or feelings.

cfrizz

The only thing I can add, is that you did accept the offer so you should go. You realize you are probably stuck which is why you interviewed in the first place.

I do understand how hard it is to leave since as of today I have been with my company for 25 years.

audiobliss

Good luck to you, whichever route you take!

Dennis Gardner

An actuary worth a **** would have already done the probabilty study on exactly what is going to happen in both scenarios.

Where is that f***ing crystal ball when you need it?:D


Having just left my job of over 30 years without a safety net, I can only tell you to trust your heart and realize that your heart left your current job awhile back.;)

Good luck!!

sucks2beme

Be carefull with counter offers. Your current boss will never trust you again.
Also I just ran into several people who did this, and two weeks after taking the counter offer were laid off. Just long enough so the other employer could fill the position with someone else. There must be a bad boss seminar out there somewhere. That two week number seems to be the standard "screw the guy" number that comes up. Don't let the last minute jitters scare you
out of taking the better long term path. Take the money and learn all you can.

MrBuhl

I have both taken, and not taken the counter offer at different times.

The time I didn't I regretted it because the change was to a situation where I was not as comfortable.

The time I did take it - I stayed for less money but a better environment. Go with the better environment wherever it may be (new or old). The grass always looks greener, but sometimes it's just full of fertilizer...

In the end it doesn't matter if you accepted another job - you are the ONLY person who looks out for you. So have at it - look out for yourself and damn the torpedos!

my two cents anyway.

steveinaz

Demiurge wrote:

I'd be surprised if you got a counter offer (and you may be the best employee they have).

Ed Zachry...if you like where you're at, put some pressure on them--you're in the drivers seat.

HBombToo

If this is your first an only experience with the workforce then you need to step out and explore. A new job with new responsibilities is good for the soul. Don't be content with your career... it needs nurtured and grown.

HBomb

wodom1

When I changed jobs one month ago, I talked to my former boss and then sent him an email stating that I was grateful for the opportunity to have worked with the company, but that other opportunities have arisen that can't be passed up. It wasn't a big deal, and I'm extremely happy with my decision to leave.

madmax

Don't stay in the same job forever as you will become taken for granted and at some point stop moving and growing. That is what I did and it sucks. After almost 20 years at my first job I am the only one who can do a lot of stuff and no one gives a ****. Hindsite tells me I should have moved every 5 years or so. On your decision I have no clue. Do what will be the most exciting for you right now which I'm guessing would be to move on. If it were me I would offer to consult to the new person if necessary and would make the leave positive all the way around with no burnt bridges. If you need a job in the future your boss will know that you will more than likely come back with more experience than you left with if that were to ever happen.
Good luck!
madmax

tryrrthg

Dennis Gardner wrote:

An actuary worth a **** would have already done the probabilty study on exactly what is going to happen in both scenarios.

Where is that f***ing crystal ball when you need it?:D

That's good!

Thanks for all the advice guys. I'm still struggling with my decision. I've got until about 8:00 Monday morning to make up my mind. I guess I better go stress about it some more.

I-SIG

Dennis Gardner wrote:

An actuary worth a **** would have already done the probabilty study on exactly what is going to happen in both scenarios.

Where is that f***ing crystal ball when you need it?:D
QUOTE]

Actually, an actuary worth a **** would be playing professional poker these days! :eek:

Wes

riglehart

I've been on both ends of this. I have only counter offered an employee once, and it was because I knew them well enough to know they really wanted to stay, plus he was underpaid in the first place. All the rest need to live and learn. I've taken people back who have jumped ship and found out they made a bad move (at the same old salary and loosing some seniority, vacation, vesting, etc...). Every situation has it's differences, so there is no blanket right/wrong answer on counter offers, except that more often than not they are a waste of time for everyone.

If this is your first job, you definately should not be apprehensive about leaving. In my opinion, the sooner you do it in life the better. When I was at Rockwell International, everyone knew the best way to get a raise was to jump ship to Honeywell, then Boeing, then come back and be making double what you did before in the same job, plus have experiences you would never have had if you'd stayed. But you had to be willing to drag your family all over the country/world for work, though.

When you leave, make sure you don't offend your current employer. Just tell them it's not about the money (even if it is), and it's not that you don't like it here. Just say I am young and need to do this and that maybe some day you'll regret it, but you're young and gotta take chances while you can still afford to. Life is about experiences.

I could easily still be sitting back at Rockwell. People used to get gold watches all the time for years of service. But you gotta be a certain type of person to do that. For me leaving was the best move I ever made (I'm an engineer). Since then I've had several jobs and each one has provided me with valuable wisdom. Now I'm a VP in a mid sized company, have an MBA, and spend time doing things I could never have imagined I'd be doing with my small mind when I was 23 years old at Rockwell.

Strong Bad

Make your resignation letter short and sweet. Thank them for the opportunity and priviledge to work for them. DON'T burn your bridges! Go out professionally! Give them 2 weeks in a letter and deliver it face to face.

Take the next step and think long term. Don't accept any counteroffers because it seems like it would only prolong the inevitable...you leaving.

I left a company last October due to a fantastic offer, not only money wise but career wise. Best thing I ever did. They tried to counteroffer, but I told them what I was getting. The HR Director just looked at me with that OMG look. She quickly said there was no way they could match that. They couldn't. They don't work with certain kinds of Gov't agencies like my current company does.

Don't get stuck in a "comfortable" position and kill your future.

wallstreet

everything that John Strong said except telling them what your new job is paying. None of their damn business really. Your leaving for an exceptional opportunity, period. And that opportunity wasn't happening at your current position.