Something to doChanging jobs
Weigh a counteroffer against why you looked
A short worksheet to check whether a counteroffer would change what sent you looking, not just the pay
Why it’s worth your time
A counteroffer answers the problem your employer can see, and when you resign that's usually pay. The reasons people start looking are often wider: a manager, the work, room to grow, the commute. Checking the offer against your own reasons shows whether you'd be staying in a better job or the same one with a bigger number.
How to decide on a counteroffer from your employer
You’ll come away with your reasons for looking, each marked as changed or not, and an answer you can stand behind.
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
- Write down why you started looking.
Every reason, including pay if it's there. Do it before you reply to anyone.
Stays in this browser only. Nobody else sees it.
Tip: Write it as you'd have told a friend six months ago, not as you'd put it in an exit interview.
- Mark which reasons the counteroffer actually changes.
Be strict. A promise to look at something next quarter isn't the same as a change.
- Ask about the reasons it doesn't touch.
Say what they are and ask what would be different, and when. Listen to how specific the answer is.
You“I really appreciate this. Before I decide, can I ask what would be different beyond the pay? The main reasons I started looking were my scope and where my role is heading. What would change, and when?” - Think about what's already changed.
People now know you were ready to leave. In many workplaces that's fine; in some it shifts how you're seen. You know yours better than anyone.
- Decide, and tell both sides promptly and kindly.
Someone at the new company has planned around you too. A quick, honest answer is the kind thing either way.
Good moments for this: when your employer counters your resignationbefore you accept a retention offerwhen you're tempted to resign just to get a raise
We’ll turn this into a checklist you can tick off.
Keep going with Truest
Small actions add up. Truest helps you find the next thing worth doing, make the space to do it, and keep a record of your progress. It’s a private place to work on your career, and it’s yours, not your employer’s.
- It actually happensDo it now, and you’ve invested in your career today.
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Anything else we can help you with this week?
Making it work for you
Every workplace is different. Here’s what to think about before you start, and what might get in the way.
Things to think about
Replacing someone is usually slow and costly, so keeping you can be the cheaper choice. That doesn't make it insincere, and it doesn't prove you were undervalued all along.
What might make this harder
Take a breath and go back to your list. If the reasons that weren't pay are still there, a bigger number won't make them go away.
Questions people ask
Should I accept a counteroffer from my current employer?
It depends on why you started looking. If pay was the main reason and the counteroffer fixes it, staying can work well. If the other reasons are untouched, they tend to come back.
Why do companies make counteroffers?
Replacing someone is usually slow and expensive, so keeping you can be the cheaper option. It's a business decision, which doesn't make it insincere.
Is it bad to accept a counteroffer?
Not necessarily. It can work out well when it changes what you were unhappy about. It's worth thinking about whether knowing you nearly left would change how you're seen where you work.
How do I turn down a counteroffer politely?
Thank them sincerely, say you've thought it through, and be clear that your decision stands. You don't need to list every reason; a warm, short answer protects the relationship.
Why this works, and where it comes from
Counteroffers have a mixed reputation, and for a reason. Some people accept one and are glad for years. Others find themselves looking again before long, because what drove them out was never really the money. The difference is usually whether the counteroffer changed what they were actually unhappy about.
Companies decide for companies. A counteroffer reflects what it would cost to lose you right now: the hiring, the ramp-up, the gap in the work. It isn't a verdict on your worth in either direction, and it isn't a trick. Seeing it as a business decision takes some of the heat out of it, and makes it easier to ask the questions that matter.
It's also worth being honest with yourself about the reasons you never said out loud. Many people leave over things they never told their manager. If that's you, a counteroffer can be a real opening, the first time they've known what you need. It can also simply be too late, and that's all right too.
This is Truest's version of a familiar idea, a decision checklist, pointed at one specific moment. The list is the whole method. With your own reasons in front of you, a bigger number becomes one fact among several instead of the only thing in the room.
Other simple things to consider
More in Changing jobs
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An exercise written by Truest, based on our experience. Last updated September 25, 2026. We sell a career membership; where that’s relevant above, we say so.