Devoted to recruiting, finding top recruits, and hiring tips and advice

Can you tell that I've found a treasure-trove of great stuff over at Electronic Recruiting Exchange today?

Jerry Land chimes in with an insightful piece about keeping your newly recruited recruit just that--your recruit.

One of the biggest parts of helping defend against the counteroffer is what happens when the candidate gives notice. The way that I see it, if you can discourage an employer from even giving the candidate a counter, there's no way the candidate will accept one.

I agree. 

If your candidate knows what to expect, they will be more prepared for it.  It is surely flattering and very tempting for someone to accept a counteroffer--especially if they are friends with the boss (or the boss's boss).

What's unfortunate is, the boss (or a team of people) persuade a person to stay on board, only to really save themselves from grief or anguish--not because the person themselves was so valuable.

Once you give notice, you are essentially breaking a trust that you had with your employer. If you are countered and stay, your company may feel that it owns you. You will be known as the one who caused your employer grief by threatening to quit. You'll no longer be known as a loyal employee. Will this cause your boss to pass you over on the next possible promotion?

Many candidates never think of that one!

The only thing I will add to this advice is to ask a candidate right up-front: "If we get to the point where an offer is made, would you accept a counteroffer?"

Then, if the candidate says "yes", then you have the chance to educate them on the spot.  I recommend the candidate go to their boss immediately and ask for a raise.  "If money really is the only reason you'd make a move, it's much easier to work that out with your current employer", I tell them. 

Then, if the boss laughs in their face, the counteroffer will seem all the more rediculous when it comes, and the candidate will be less-likely to entertain it.