You are currently employed, but dissatisfied with the slow pace of your career. So you decide to quietly investigate other job opportunities, to see if anything good pops up.

You manage to find a prospective employer who appreciates your job experience, your personality, your training. And, you seem to be the solution they've been seeking for their job opening at hand. The interviews go well, you like the work environment, the job is just what you were used to doing, the benefits are good, and while the pay isn't as grand as you'd like, it's respectable and you have assurances of pay increases. And then, you get the job offer in hand, and you accept, and you even set a start date, some three weeks hence. Gee it's a great world sometimes. Now, all you have to do is resign from your old job.

But sometimes it's not easy. When you go to your current employer, the one who was slow to give raises and even slower to show appreciation for all your hard work -- and inform them that you've accepted another job with a different firm and you are giving notice -- he doesn't accept it. In fact, he reminds you that you've been there long enough to become an important member of the team, one he doesn't want to lose. He tells you that you've always been appreciated, and he apologizes for not telling you often enough, and says you are one of the best employees there -- reliable. He also reminds you that what you've been working for all these years is just about in your grasp. Maybe what you want is a certain title, or certain duties, or certain promotion, or just more money, or better benefits. Doesn't matter what it is you wanted, your current employer reminds you that you are just to the point of obtaining that goal. Don't be surprised if other co-workers also buddy up to you and try to convince you that you shouldn't leave. Finally, your employer offers you more money, or better hours, or an immediate change in title, whatever they can offer to keep you in place. And you, because of the strong show of support, consideration and confidence poured out on you by your manager and co-workers during this important "resignation" part of your job search process, you decide that, all things considered, you'd be smart to be consistant, reliable, and to stay with your current job and enjoy the new respect to your employment, and maintain the long tenure you have created for yourself.

You just accepted a "counter offer."

For some people, it works out just fine. But for the majority of workers who accept a job counter offer, it's a slow decent into frustration. Why? Because usually nothing really changes. The issues that led you to consider another job rarely change. There are human resources reports that suggest as many as 80% of the people who accept a counter offer end up working at a different job within 24 months of accepting a counter offer.

Often, employers attempt to keep good employees with a counter offer because it's cheaper than hiring and training someone new. But once an established employee shows their hand in considering other employment, the employer sometimes recognizes that they cannot trust that employee to stay in place. The manager has no choice but to consider a contingent plan.

The best way to resign your job is to use a written resignation. Make your intentions clear. Don't accept any job unless you intend to show up and work. And think it through carefully before accepting a counter offer from a current employer after offering them your resignation.

Good Luck With Your Job Search