Don#8217;t Take the Counteroffer

Don8217t Take the Counteroffer Don8217t Take the Counteroffer Youve had a good, long run at your current job, but youve recently abfluged exploring the job market just to see whats out there. Low and behold, you stumble across a position that is everything youve ever wanted in your career - mora pay, good management, a challenging product line.Now, youre sneaking around, taking long lunches to move the interview process along, and after a lot of thought, youve decided to take the job offer.Its a Friday afternoon when you walk into your bosss office and hand in your resignation. You explain that this is a great opportunity - too good to pass up - and announce your departure date.But you are totally unprepared for what happens next Your manager counteroffers.Confused, you go home, thinking over what your manager said. They want to keep you. They had no idea you were looking. They will offer you more money, a bigger cube, and an extra week of vacation, if youll reconsider.You star t to mull it over. If you stay, you wont have to learn a new companys culture and complexities, you wont have to take unnecessary risks, and you will get more money - for doing exactly what you have been doing all along.Stop.Your decision was made long ago, when you first started looking for a new job. You should not reconsider it emotionally. Something motivated you to entertain the idea of leaving. What was it? Regardless of this counteroffer, that thing still exists. Staying in your current role will only prolong your ever-looming departure.If an employer were sincere about retaining you, they would have taken strides to keep you happy long before you handed in your resignation. Its likely that youve been unhappy for some time, and no one bothered to notice it.Why Employers CounterofferAn employer counteroffers for one reason fear. Fear of having to hire and train your replacement. And after all of that pain (statistically, it takes a minimum of 6-8 weeks to fill a position), th e new hires still may not work out.You are a proven performer. You work well with the team. You are a known quantity. Your employer doesnt want the inconvenience of starting all over again. Out of sheer fear, they will counteroffer.The problem is, they now know that your loyalty is suspect. Like a jilted lover, the employer will say anything you need to hear to get you back. Or, worse, they will keep you around just long enough to find your replacement.The statistics are against you 70-80 percent of people who accept counteroffers leave the company within a year either voluntarily or against their will.Counteroffers Can Harm Your CareerAs a career counselor and recruiter, I discuss counteroffers within the first few minutes of meeting engineers who are seeking new employment opportunities. I want to be clear about what they are looking for in their next job. After all, if I am to represent them and take time out of my day to market them to my clients, I want to understand their lev el of commitment.Too many parties are involved by the time the interview processes gets started, and it doesnt make sense to start with a candidateonly to be halted because they have decided to accept a counteroffer. Clarifying the job seekers intentions upfront saves everyone involved a lot of time and embarrassment myself included.Accepting a counteroffer can be hazardous to your career - and your character. Unfair as it might seem, some might believe that you can be bought, that you are indecisive, and that you are prone to walking out at the most inopportune time. Your reversal, while reasonable enough to you, can send an indelible ripple through your old team.The best way to avoid a counteroffer is to state that, after much deliberation, your decision is final. Thats it. You should incorporate your decision into your letter of resignation, as well as verbalize it to your manager. No need to be unpleasant You can deliver the news and reiterate that you will do whatever it take s to make the transition easy for them. Putting the focus on your managerand away from you will allow them to process your resignation and move forward.You are free to take your talent any place youd like.A version of this article originally appeared onLinkedIn.Elizabeth Lions is an executive career coach. You can learn more atElizabethLions.com.

Background Checks for Employment

hintergrund Checks for EmploymentBackground Checks for EmploymentSurveys show that up to 95% of employers require employees to undergo some type of hintergrund check sometimes including a credit check during the hiring process. Why do employers want this information? It could be for several reasons. For instance, if government security clearances are required for the job you are interviewing for, an employment background check may be required. For positions involving accounting or financial responsibilities, credit reports can provide insight into how financially dependable you are. Before you agree to allow an employer to run a background check during the hiring process, find out what kind of information they can discover and what your rights are. What is a Background Check? A background check is a review of a persons commercial, criminal, and (occasionally) financial records. Typically, an employer will contract with an outside vendor who specializes in background checks. Th e background check company will review your records to determine if you are who you say you are and whether there are any red flags in your personal or professional history. Depending on restrictions imposed by state law, unterstellung records might include criminal history, employment record, credit history, driving record, and even medical history. However, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) cautions employers against using medical history or genetic information in hiring decisions. Why Employers Conduct Background Checks There are many reasons why background checks are commonly used in hiring. The employer may want to make sure you are telling the truth. Its estimated that over 40% of resumes can contain false or tweaked information, so employers want to ensure that you can do what claim. (Once they hire you, an employer may tout your qualifications to clients - if it is revealed that these qualifications are false, it reflects poorly on the employer.) The em ployer may perform a background check to find out whether you actually graduated from the college you said you did or to confirm that you worked at your previous employer(s) during the time stated on your resume or your job application. These checks can also be used to protect employers from liability issues - if employees behave poorly, employers can sometimes be held responsible for negligence, or failing to do the research required. For example, if a bus company hires someone with a poor driving record, they can be held responsible if the driver gets into a crash the expectation is that a bus company should check the driving records of any candidate before hiring. Employers Must Ask Before Doing a Background Check Before doing a background or credit check, employers must request and receive written permission from you. If anything in the reports leads to the company deciding against hiring you, they are required to inform you and give you a copy of the report. These rules ar e regulated by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and are meant to protect you. For instance, perhaps something that turns up in your background check is incorrect- having access to the report will allow you to get in touch with the necessary organizations and agencies to correct the error. While some information on your background check may be of legitimate concern to employers, these checks cannot be used as an excuse to discriminate. Employers must request background checks of all applicants equally- for example, it would be illegal to check the criminal records of male job candidates but not female. And, employers cannot use background information to discriminate. Contact the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) if you suspect the background check was used in a discriminatory way. It is discrimination to make a hiring decision based on race, national origin, sex, religion, disability, genetic information, and age (for candidates 40 or older). Employment Background C heck Timing Many employers conduct background and reference checks during the hiring process, prior to offering a candidate the job. However, in some cases, a job offer may be contingent upon the results of the background check. That means the offer could be withdrawn if the organization finds negative information. If the checks arent finished before your start date, you could lose your job. Reference checking firm Allison and Taylor reports that many employment agreements and contracts include a stipulation that says the employer can hire you with a 90-day probation period. During this time, they will not only evaluate your job wertmiger zuwachs but, in some instances, will do background and reference checks. During this time, if the results are unsatisfactory, they have the legal right to fire you. Information Included in a Background Check Whats included in an employee background check? The Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) sets the standards for screening for employment. The FCRA defines a background check as a consumer report. Before an employer can get a consumer report or run a credit check for employment purposes, they must notify you in writing and get your written authorization. In some states, there are limits on what employers can check. Employment History VerificationYour employment history includes all the companies you have worked for, your job titles, and the dates of employment and salary earned at each of your jobs. An employment history verification is conducted by an employer to confirm that the employment information included on your resume and/or job application is accurate. What Other Information Will Employers Seek? Employment background checks are being conducted by employers more frequently than in the past. Thats for several reasons, including concerns over negligent hiring lawsuits. However, background checks dont provide all the information many employers seek. If youre interviewing for a new job, you can expect to encounter so me of these requests for information Job Applicant Credit ChecksIts becoming more common for companies to run credit checks on job applicants as well as employees being considered for promotion. Find out what information companies are allowed to check, how to handle a credit check, and how it might impact hiring. Whats in your credit report and why is it relevant to employment? Information available from your credit report can hamper your job search and can be grounds for knocking you out of contention for a job. Especially when it comes to jobs where money and financial information is involved, badeanstalt credit can be an issue. Drug and Alcohol TestsThere are several types of drugs and alcohol tests that candidates for employment may be asked to take. Hiring can be contingent upon passing pre-employment drug tests and screenings. Review information on the types of tests used to screen for drug use, what shows up in the tests, and how employment drug screening can impact hiring de cisions. Criminal Records and Background ChecksLaws vary on checking criminal history depending on your state of residence. Some states dont allow questions about arrests or convictions beyond a certain point in the past. Others only allow consideration of criminal history for certain positions. Employment VerificationWhen hired for a new job, employees are required to prove that they are legally entitled to work in the United States. Employers are required to verify the identity and eligibility to work for all new employees. An Employment Eligibility Verification form (I-9 Form) must be completed and kept on file by the employer. One of the questions job seekers frequently ask is What can an employer say about former employees? Some job seekers presume that companies can only legally release dates of employment, salary, and your job title. However, thats not the case. While most companies will refrain from badmouthing a former employee to a prospective employer, they are legally al lowed to do so. Be aware of what a former employer might say before you begin the job interview process. The information contained in this article is not legal advice and is not a substitute for such advice. State and federal laws change frequently, and the information in this article may not reflect your own states laws or the most recent changes to the law.

The mythical right fit isnt just possible, but necessary

The mythical right fit isnt just possible, but necessaryThe mythical right fit isnt just possible, but necessaryThe mythical right fit isnt just possible, but necessaryIve often wondered, How do we make mora perfect matches between candidates and employers? Its a question thats plagued recruiters and staffing professionals for decades, but in the interest of timeand ever-expanding workloadsmost have given up the right fit for right now needs.While culture fit has become a strong focus in recent years, it entails a lot mora than finding someone who simply blends into and feeds a companys existing culture. Due to a variety of factors, including pressure to meet financial targets, we tend to try to fill a role as quickly as possible, sacrificing other intangibles. But we should be holding out for finding a long-term fitsomeone who is the right person for the role and the company, and who also feels that the company and job are right for them.After all, Deloitte estimates that losing an employee can cost a company up to two times that persons annual salary. With more than 15 million people cycling through staffing companies over the course of a year, according to Staffing Industry Analysts, recruiters are at the epicenter of a very expensivebut potentially lucrativeendeavor.The real benefitsfinancial and otherwiseonly come with the right fit whos in it for the long haul.Recruitings Next TransformationAs Ive discussed before, the recruiting industry has sometimes relied too heavily on technology, sapping its work of the menschengerecht touch that candidates so desperately need (and often demand). While working to rectify that, we at have identified another gap in the industrys thinking right fit.A quarter century ago, finding a job was complicated and frustrating. Job seekers scoured newspaper classifieds, surveyed their friend networks, and wrote lettersor even showed up in personto businesses to find out about possible openings. The number of opportunities availab le was the direct result of an absurd level of investigating. People settled for what they could find.Twenty-five years ago, was born. By compiling everything in one place, we gave people the power. And yet, traditional job boards havent been capable of helping candidates and employers find the right fit. Job boards supply the information, job descriptions, and rsums needed to start the search for those perfect matches, but a human still has to sift through it all. Conversations and face-to-face meetings are required to find out whether theres any spark or possibility for a long-term commitment between candidate and company.As the industry and job boards evolved, candidates became a commodity. Algorithms took the place of thoughtful connections, and people began to feel that submitting their rsum was nearly the same thing as sending it into a black hole. Employers werent happy, either They were underwhelmed by the quality of the applications they received. They blamed recruiting and staffing professionals for the unqualified placements they dealt with.The right fit is a deeply personal definition. Its specific to the role, the person, and the company at hand. One person may be looking for a flexible environment with lots of autonomy and opportunities to work on passion projects another person may want a big-picture role that pulls on varied skill sets and features a short commute. The right opportunity will look very different to each of these people, and for companies, the right employee for will, too. An algorithm cant pinpoint that.Investing in the Right FitSo many staffing agencies and recruiters have built their reputations on filling openings quicker than anyone else. The right hire, however, saves clients from the headaches of high turnover. Investing in a more comprehensive vetting process using the right solutions can help candidates and employers truly see each other.is investing in different tools that will make that process more meaningful and effe ctual for both employers and candidates. The goal is to create tangible solutions to some of the more theoretical problems recruiters face, injecting a human touch with technologys help.The first is Studios, a mobile app that empowers recruiters to quickly and cost-effectively record professional-looking videos that showcase a company, a role, and a team. Seeing and hearing the people a candidate will work with can make an opportunity feel more authentic and compelling. Forrester Research found that a minutes worth of video is worth 1.8 million words.Thats accompanied by SearchMonster, which meets consumers expectation that they can refine their search in certain ways. The tool combines precision-search technology with direct messaging, pulling data from different platforms to provide a fuller picture of each candidate.Our new fit meter works alongside these two. Displaying on the candidates side, this tool helps candidates quickly scan the job opportunities presented to them and im mediately identify which ones might be most relevant for them. Striving for a strong fit, the meter looks beyond the application phase to determine possible opportunities through skills, interests, experience, and personal priorities.Perfections not possible. The pressure to produce the perfect candidate or the perfect role may lead recruiters to avoid considering fit as the desired result altogether. But a perfect matchthe right fitis entirely possible and absolutely necessary. The right fit is how recruiters, candidates, and companies find long-term success and stop focusing on short-term needs.How are you refining your ability to find the right fit? If youre attending Staffing Industry Analysts Executive Forum, Id love to talk to you about how we can join the people and companies who were meant to work together. I also encourage you to attend the Ideas in Action BreakfastThe Next Evolution of Online Job Search Finding the Right Fitto hear more from our Chief Product Officer, Chri s Cho, and Chief Marketing Officer, Jonathan Beamer, on Tuesday, February 26, at 730am in 201-202.