• Will your loyalty always be in question?
• If there are future cutbacks, will you be the first to go because of concerns about your loyalty?
• If you accept the counter-offer for more money, are you just giving your employer the time they need to locate and select your replacement?
• Will your career track remain blocked if you accept it?
• Will your responsibilities be expanded?
• Will you have to report to a person you don’t respect?
• Will you receive next year’s raise or bonus early?
• Is the counter-offer a ploy to avoid a short-term inconvenience by your employer?
• What are your realistic chances for promotions now that you have considered leaving?

Counter Offer Statistics

According to national surveys of employees that accept counter-offers, 50-80 percent voluntarily leave their employer within six months of accepting the counter-offer because of unkept promises. The majority of the balance of employees that accept counter-offers involuntarily leave their current employers within twelve months of accepting the counter-offer (terminated, fired, laid off, etc.).

As attractive as counter-offers may appear, they greatly decrease your chances of achieving your career potential.

Your SCB recruiter will help you draft your resignation letter. Then, you will make an appointment with your manager to respectfully explain your decision. Your manager needs to hear that your decision is firm and final and that you are committed to your new employer. Express appreciation for the opportunities that your former employer has given you.

Be careful not to get lured into any discussions other than your resignation, such as how your employer wants to handle your final weeks or the transition of your current responsibilities and projects.

• Arrive 15 minutes early. Tardiness is never excusable.
• Clarify questions. Answer the interviewer’s questions as specifically as possible. Relate your skills and background to the position requirements throughout the interview.
• Give your qualifications. Focus on accomplishments that are most pertinent to the job.
• Be professional. Smile, make eye contact, and maintain good posture.
• Anticipate tough questions. Prepare to turn perceived weaknesses into strengths.
• Dress appropriately. Make your first impression a professional one.
• Ask questions. An interview should be a mutual exchange of information, not a one-sided conversation.
• Listen. Concentrate not only on the interviewer’s words, but also on the tone of voice and body language. Once you understand how the interviewer thinks, pattern your answers accordingly and you will be able to establish a better rapport.

Don’ts

• Don’t answer vague questions. Ask the interviewer to clarify fuzzy questions.
• Don’t interrupt the interviewer. If you don’t listen, the interviewer won’t either.
• Don’t be disrespectful. Don’t smoke, chew gum or place anything on the interviewer’s desk.
• Don’t be overly familiar, even if the interviewer is.
• Don’t wear heavy perfume or cologne. The interviewer may not share your tastes.
• Don’t ramble. Overlong answers may make you sound apologetic or indecisive.
• Don’t lie. Answer questions truthfully.
• Don’t express bitterness. Avoid derogatory remarks about present or former employers.

Closing the Interview

Job candidates often second-guess themselves after interviews. By asking good questions and closing strongly, you can reduce post-interview doubts. If you feel that the interview went well and you want to take the next step, express your interest to the interviewer.

Try an approach like the following: “After learning more about your company, the position and responsibilities, I believe that I have the qualities you are looking for. Are there any issues or concerns that would lead you to believe otherwise?”

This is an effective closing question because it opens the door for the hiring authority to be honest with you about his or her feelings. If concerns do exist, you may be able to create an opportunity to overcome them, and have one final chance to dispel the concerns, sell your strengths and end the interview on a positive note.

A few things to remember during the closing process

• Don’t be discouraged if an offer is not made or a specific salary is not discussed. The interviewer may want to communicate with colleagues or conduct other scheduled interviews before making a decision.
• Make sure that you have thoroughly answered these questions during the interview: “Why are you interested in our company?” and “What can you offer?” Express appreciation for the interviewer’s time and consideration.
• Ask for the interviewer’s business card so you can write a thank you letter as soon as possible.

Follow-up

After your interview, follow-up is critical. When you get in your car, immediately write down key issues uncovered in the interview. Think of the qualifications the employer is looking for and match your strengths to them. A “thank you” letter should be written no later than 24 hours after the interview. Be sure to call your recruiter to discuss your interview and your next steps, as well.

Questions To Ask

After you have studied the company, make a list of questions to ask the employer:

• Why is this position available?
• What training programs are available to the person in this position?
• What are your goals for this position?
• What obstacles must be overcome for the person in this position to succeed?
• How will my performance be evaluated?
• What opportunities are there for growth in the next 12 months?
• Two years? Five years?
• What growth do you anticipate for your firm in the next 12 months?

Questions You May Be Asked

Your recruiter should be able to give you a good idea of the hiring authority’s personality, his or her typical interview demeanor, and a few important questions that the employer is likely to ask:

• Tell me about yourself.
  Keep your answer in the professional realm only. Review your past positions, education and other strengths.
• Why are you interested in this position?
  Relate how you feel your qualifications match the job requirements. Also, express your desire to work for the employer.
• What are the most significant accomplishments in your career?
  Identify recent accomplishments that relate to the position and its requirements.
• Describe a situation in which your work was criticized.
  Focus on how you resolved the situation and became a better person because of the experience.
• What do you know about our organization?
• How would you describe your personality?
• How do you perform under pressure?
• What have you done to improve yourself over the past year?
• What did you like least about your last position?
• Are you leaving (did you leave) your present (last) company?
• What is your ideal working environment?
• How would your co-workers describe you?
• What do you think of your boss?
• Have you ever fired anyone?
• What was the situation and how did you handle it?
• Are you creative?
• What are your goals in your career?
• Where do you see yourself in two years?
• Why should we hire you?
• What kind of salary are you looking for?
• What other types of jobs/companies are you considering?

Contact information. Include phone, mail and email contact information. In addition, make sure your voicemail message is professional. A message that is too casual can create a negative impression.

Career objective. You may choose to list or not list your career objective. If your objective doesn’t match the recruiter’s needs, you may miss out on a golden opportunity. However, a clearly stated career objective can help your recruiter find your ideal career match.

Summary statement. Your summary should be brief.

1. Include your title and years of experience.
2. List pertinent skills.
3. Discuss your character traits or work style.

Example: “Financial Accountant with over 10 years’ experience with two Fortune 500 companies. Technical skills include P&L, budgeting, forecasting and variance reporting. Bilingual in Spanish and English. Self-starter who approaches every project in a detailed, analytical manner.”

Professional experience. List each position held in reverse chronological order, dating back at least ten years. If you held multiple positions within the same company, list them all to show advancement and growth. The body of each position description should describe your responsibilities and accomplishments.

Other components. Include education, professional training, affiliations/appointments, licenses, technical skills and languages.

Personal information. Do not include personal information such as marital status.

12 Accomplishments Employers Want To See

• Increased revenues
• Saved money
• Increased efficiencies
• Cut overhead
• Increased sales
• Improved workplace safety
• Purchasing accomplishments
• New products/new lines
• Improved record keeping process
• Increased productivity
• Successful advertising campaign
• Effective budgeting

1. Why are you in the field in which you are currently working?
2. Are your talents and personality traits being fully utilized?
3. Are continuing education and training high priorities where you work?

After you have answered these questions, take the following next steps:

Career management. Take control of your life by taking positive steps to achieve your objectives.

Support. Be sure that your family endorses your choices. You’ll be able to move faster when an offer is tendered.

Networking. Your career network should include friends, current and former colleagues, vendors, industry contacts, recruiters, teachers and classmates.

Skills. Today’s economic environment is constantly changing. Make sure your skills are up-to-date.

How We Work

Confidentiality. Your resume is always treated confidentially. We will not forward it to anyone without first discussing the opportunity with you.

Fees. We are engaged by the employer. There is no cost to you for our services.

Getting Started. Getting started with us is as simple as submitting your profile.

Career Planning Services

We offer the following assistance to help you maximize your career potential:

Career Planning. We help you achieve both your personal and professional goals.

Protecting Your Privacy. Our secure database is accessible only to our professional career consultants.

Resume Tips. Create a winning resume. What to put in, what to leave out.

Interviewing. Preparing for the interview—what to ask, what you may be asked.

Interviewing Do’s and Don’ts. A checklist to help you succeed in the interview.

Resigning Gracefully. Resign from your current job without burning bridges.

Counter-offer. Counter-offers can be flattering, but are they in your best interest?

Review and Improvement. We review your hiring process—how you interview and package and extend employment offers. We see what does and doesn’t work and then make recommendations to improve your system.

Profile Development. A SCB Project Manager develops a profile that identifies your strategic goals, your ideal candidate, the number of openings and other details. This information is then delivered to our project team.

Proposal. Next, we prepare a proposal that outlines time frames, goals, metrics, compensation, changes in your recruitment process and additional staffing solutions.

Implementation. We utilize our powerful network to find the right candidates and quickly fulfill your assignment. We are search and recruitment professionals who are dedicated to finding and securing the best candidates in your industry.

Follow-up. Throughout all phases of the process, your Client Services Project Manager keeps you apprised of deadlines, goals and progress and helps you fine-tune your hiring process.

SCB Client Services—Your Outsourcing Partner

By outsourcing major staffing assignments to our Client Services, you can concentrate on your core competencies, while our recruiting professionals deliver the staffing results you business requires.

• Needs analysis and strategic recruiting plan development;
• Position profile development and compatibility assessment;
• In-depth candidate research, screening and interviewing;
• Interview planning and qualified candidate presentation;
• Hiring manager interviewing skills training;
• Client and candidate interview debriefs;
• Confidential reference checks;
• Counter-offer consulting;
• Offer preparation and closing; and
• Client and new hire follow-up