Hiring guide
Counter-offers: when to walk away from a finalist
5 min read
Revisit the reasons for moving before changing the numbers.
Revisit the reasons for moving before changing the numbers.
Return to the reason for moving.
A counter-offer can change the economics without changing the conditions that prompted the search. Ask the finalist what they want to be different in their next role, and which parts of that change the current employer is now able to provide.
Keep the decision clear.
Give the candidate time to make a considered choice. Avoid bidding against a proposition that keeps changing. If their commitment to the role remains uncertain, discuss that openly and be prepared to return to the shortlist.
A practical next step
Before starting your next appointment, agree the outcomes, the evidence you will assess and the support the new leader will need. Bring those decisions into the first conversation with your search partner.
WRITTEN BY
Maya Okafor
Maya spent eleven years in finance leadership before she ever ran a search.
Further reading
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We asked 62 chairs what changed in the last three years. The answers say a lot about who gets the job now.
Hiring guide
How to write a search brief that attracts the right people
5 min read
A useful brief makes the hard choices before the first candidate conversation.
Talk to the partner who’d run your search.
Tell us the role in a few lines. A partner calls you back within one working day.
Brief a search →