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Antiwork

Why tell people to refuse counter offers from their current company instead of negotiating a raise w/ a severance package?

Everyone on the internet has read the phase “Never accept a counter on your way out the door!” It’s extremely common and generally pretty good advice. But I’m wondering why we don’t encourage more people to say “yes!… but, I’ll need a severance package”. If you like your current job but get an offer somewhere else with a big raise you’d be willing to accept, why not let your current company counter. Just make sure you have protection if you do. If you are in a position where you’re able to get a good offer somewhere else, and use it to convince your company to give you a raise + severance, you’ll probably be able to get another in the time allotted by the severance if they do turn around and fire you. Food for thought for anyone considering using offers to negotiate.


Everyone on the internet has read the phase “Never accept a counter on your way out the door!” It’s extremely common and generally pretty good advice. But I’m wondering why we don’t encourage more people to say “yes!… but, I’ll need a severance package”.

If you like your current job but get an offer somewhere else with a big raise you’d be willing to accept, why not let your current company counter. Just make sure you have protection if you do. If you are in a position where you’re able to get a good offer somewhere else, and use it to convince your company to give you a raise + severance, you’ll probably be able to get another in the time allotted by the severance if they do turn around and fire you.

Food for thought for anyone considering using offers to negotiate.

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