If you’ve submitted your resignation or you’re getting ready to do so, it’s important to think about what might come next. Hopefully, you already have another agriculture job lined up so you can seamlessly transition from one source of income to the next. Even if you don’t have another job in mind, you may still decide it’s worth it to leave your current career and search for ag job openings.
If you’re ready to embark on your next adventure, it’s important to understand that your current job may give you a counteroffer to try to get you to stay. To avoid floundering at that moment, consider how you’ll answer. Should you accept a counteroffer or not? This guide aims to help you answer that question for yourself.
Some people never receive a counteroffer after putting in their resignation, but it’s always best to prepare yourself for the possibility so you know in advance what to say. It may not be easy to determine whether you should accept a counteroffer or not. In fact, your answer will depend on a variety of factors, including why you’re leaving your current ag career in the first place.
If your current place of employment tries to get you to stay, you don’t have to make the decision right away. Give yourself time to think about it so you can answer the following questions.
When someone throws a significant raise at you, it can have a temporary blinding effect. You may suddenly forget why you put in your resignation in the first place. But in order to answer the question “Should you accept a counteroffer or not?” you need to contemplate your initial reasons for wanting to leave.
Has your current employer treated you poorly? Do you have unresolvable issues with one or more members of your team? Does your current agricultural job demand more of your time than you’re willing to give? Whatever the reason for your resignation decision may be, consider whether extra money will rectify the problem.
Another thing you should think about before accepting a counteroffer is whether you like the company culture. Do you feel like you fit in there? Is the overall morale positive or negative? Answering these types of questions is essential and will help you decide, “Should you accept a counteroffer?”
If the company culture checks out and you’re enjoying the thought of a raise, consider whether you’re satisfied with your current job responsibilities. Do they bring you a sense of fulfillment and meaning? Would you be content to continue doing the same job for several more years? If you can’t honestly answer affirmatively, you’ll probably end up leaving in a few weeks or months even if you accept the counteroffer now.
Finally, when answering the question “Should you accept a counteroffer?” you need to consider the possibility that the ag company you work for may treat you differently. Even if you decide to stay, your manager may see you as a ticking time bomb. You might become an easy scapegoat when things go wrong because you’re viewed as disloyal.
In short, once you show an employer you’re willing and ready to leave, you will likely lose some degree of trust. This could impact everything about your job going forward. You should also be aware that your employer may give you a counteroffer knowing full well that they’ll replace you as soon as they can find someone qualified to fill your position.
There is no single right or wrong answer to whether you should accept a counteroffer, but you need to be careful when making a decision. If you have another agriculture job lined up that you think will be a good fit for you, it’s probably a good idea to take that new job. At the very least, you should answer the above questions before deciding to accept a counteroffer.
So, should you accept a counteroffer or not? That’s up to you. If you’re tempted to accept such an offer because you’re worried about finding another ag job opening, AgHires may be able to relieve your worries. We help job seekers find careers in the agriculture, food production, and horticulture industries. Sign up now for free to take advantage of our 10,000+ ag job postings on our website.