Why You Shouldn’t Be Tempted by a Law Firm Counteroffer
If you’ve announced to your law firm that you are moving to a new job, you may get a counteroffer in an attempt to entice you to stay.
Don’t do it. “Once you have accepted a counteroffer, an employer has the option of finding your replacement and terminating you on its own timetable,” according to an article in Law.com.
Legal search consultants Valerie Fontaine and Roberta Kass write in the article that your employer may be making a counteroffer to buy time since it doesn’t want to be caught short-handed.
“While it is flattering to think you are so valuable that your current employer will do almost anything to keep you, you must remember that counteroffers come with built-in pitfalls,” the story says. “Because such an offer was prompted by a threat to leave, your loyalty to the employer has been called into question. When it comes time for career advancement, or—especially in a down economy—cutbacks, residual doubt may remain in your employer’s mind.”
The article notes that many of the work conditions that may have prompted your job search—such as poor advancement opportunities, personal conflicts and long work hours—won’t change if you stay behind.
