8
rickh
5y

I had mentioned before I got offered a new role, with 50% increase.

I wasn’t expecting my current employer to counter, but they suddenly shat themselves and basically matched the salary, and offered promotion to software developer (sans junior). They acknowledge my role within the company is only increasing in responsibility and so far I have exceeded expectations. Its a nice response to have from them, although I do wonder how long it might have taken without the panic.

The new company have counter-countered, promising to raise salary by a further 20% of total, within the first 6 months, provided I learn React reasonably quickly (about a month), integrate with the team and start to take on my roles within the Agile set relatively independently (3-6 months). They also don’t bother with the junior role title at these pay bandings.

I currently get about half an hour a week with my lead dev on sticking issues. In this new team, I would be one of ten javascripters, working towards best practices, TDD etc. This is absolutely the realm I want to specialise in, at the first stage of my career.

I said I would stay with my current employer, before the counter counter move. Now I am full of doubt.

Has anyone landed in teams like this, only to find they didn’t offer increased learning at all? If that was a high risk for me, I wouldnt take it, despite the offer of more cash. I’d sooner get more skilled in the stuff I have been working in at my current role.

Pretty amazing how much amazing life experiences can cause anxiety. Never been in the middle of a bidding war before...

Comments
  • 1
    Go, where you wanna go
  • 4
    Never accept counter offer. Switch
  • 1
  • 4
    Never. Your employer sees you as a potential threat. If you have decided to quit you now, you can decide to quit again, anytime. Just do a simple search why you should never accept a counter offer, and you'll see tons of articles explaining why
  • 0
    @codepoet this is sound advice.

    It may be tough sometimes, but remember that beyond the work that they pay you for you don’t owe your current employer much of anything.

    If they only notice you when you’re quitting then don’t keep working there.
  • 0
    I understand your reasoning. It makes some sense; I told them the truth, which was that I went to the interview to see if it gave me leverage at my upcoming pay review, not because I didn’t like the job or company. As far as I can tell, they believed me, and initially said they were to sorry to see me go but just couldn’t afford to match it.

    Now this new deal with a trading partner has been cut, more or less the same night I handed in my notice, they can afford it and so have put the money on the table. Perhaps I’m just impressionable and gullible, but they made me feel that they really did want me on the team, and not just because I have proven my abilities. Cultural fits, relationships with team members, sensible management would know the worth of this stuff, I would hope.

    My recruiter said the trust would be trashed from their side, even if they liked me as an employee. He thinks they have panicked about their bottom line, and weighed it against the costs and difficulties...
  • 0
    ...of replacement. I would like to believe there is more to the world than just numbers, that teams can and do hang together, that loyalty is rewarded in some way shape or form...but you are right, I hear of many people being shafted as soon as the company is in a position to legally shaft.
  • 1
    @rickh for what it’s worth the world isn’t just about numbers. The people you worked with may have really enjoyed working with you and at many companies loyalty is rewarded.

    The trick is figuring out which companies value what you value. And knowing what you’re worth
  • 2
    Everyone in the organization can be replaced. I bet they have already started looking for your replacement the moment you gave notice. They can't afford to lose you right now. But once your replacement catches up, you are no longer an asset. Things could be totally different in your case. But generally, this is what happens.
  • 1
    @benbot I understand. I think the other real trick here, in this particular case, is if the particulars of the situation (my more or less passive job hunt - getting approached), interview more out of financial curiosity, and total surprise at their offer, and the speed at which I accepted their counter offer, means I am less of a black mark in their books. I would rather not be one of them for anyone, let alone people I see every day...

    To be honest, if that is largely blown, I am definitely out there. Start again in a new company.
  • 1
    @codepoet My working relationship with the lead dev is good enough that he is starting to bring me onboard into his freelancing projects, away from the eyes of the workplace.

    If he says he has my back, but is now looking for my eventual replacement....well man I will just be damned. Its possible management could pressure him to do that even if he personally wants me on the team long term despite all this.

    Its all unnamed global variables now. And no reliable debugger. Sweet.
  • 3
    Risky move with the counter-counter-offer, but well played. And it does show that the new company really, really values you.

    I wouldn't have known what to do in your situation either. The comments here helped a lot. So thanks to the commenters as well.
  • 0
    @VaderNT well, I didn’t ask them to do that; that certainly would be sheer testosterone (or whatever your predominant hormone)
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