The ‘All of the Best’ Series: Counter-offer Considerations

(This is the fifth in a series of blogs that examines the parts of the direct-hire placement process that differ from contract placement and how contracting can be simpler, easier, and less stressful.) 4—Counter-offer considerationsDirect-hire placement—Ah, yes, counter-offers. Even though recruiters coach candidates religiously about the dangers of accepting counter-offers, some accept them, anyway. A candidate accepting a counter-offer is tantamount to a fall-off. It feels like one, anyway, and the amount of money you receive for both is definitely the same. The very nature of the perm world demands that counter-offers exist. After all, if a company is going to take an excruciating amount of time making a decision to hire somebody, they’ll probably try to keep that somebody if they attempt to leave. They have to protect their investment, after all.Contract placement—Chances are good that the candidate is between contract jobs or finishing one contract job and lining up their next assignment. If the candidate is currently in a contract position, once that contract is up, they’ll be free to start a new one. Candidates who work on a contract basis tend to stick to contract positions. They don’t intersperse them with direct-hire positions, so the possibility of a counter-offer in a contract placement situation is slim, at best. Imagine... a world with no counter-offers.