Counter-Offer Calculator

Should you stay or should you go?

80%
Who accept counter-offers leave within 6 months
90%
Leave within 12 months
50%
Get passed over for next promotion

Your Current Situation

The New Offer

The Counter-Offer (from current employer)

Ask Chester AI

Let Chester craft a personalized counter-offer strategy using the numbers above. Fill in the form fields first, then add context below.

Why Did You Start Looking?

Select all that apply - these are the ROOT causes a counter-offer rarely fixes

👔
Bad manager/leadership
Counter-offers don't change your boss
📈
No growth path
A sudden "promotion" in a counter is often a bandaid
🏢
Company culture issues
Culture doesn't change because you got a raise
⚖️
Work-life balance problems
More money doesn't buy back your time
🎯
Bored with the work
Same job, more money = still bored
💰
Underpaid for too long
They knew. They only care now because you're leaving.
🚫
Values misalignment
Money can't fix a values mismatch
🌍
Want remote/location change
They might promise this then retract it

Reasons to Maybe Stay

Select factors that genuinely make staying attractive

👥
Great team you'd miss
Real relationships are hard to replace
🎓
Still learning valuable skills
Growth opportunity matters more than money
📊
Major project about to complete
Completing it adds to your resume
💎
Significant unvested equity
If it's substantial, factor it in
🏠
Stability/low-risk environment
Sometimes stability has real value

How to Handle a Counter-Offer

Buy Time

Never accept or reject on the spot. "I appreciate this. Let me review the details and get back to you."

Get It In Writing

Verbal promises mean nothing. "Can you put the full offer in writing, including the timeline for [promotion/changes]?"

Ask Hard Questions

See scripts below for what to ask.

Decide Based on Root Cause

Does this counter actually fix WHY you started looking?

Script: Declining the Counter-Offer

Thank you for the counter-offer. I genuinely appreciate that you value my contributions enough to make this offer.

After careful consideration, I've decided to move forward with the new opportunity. This decision isn't about the money—it's about [career growth/new challenges/better alignment with my goals].

I'm committed to ensuring a smooth transition. I'll document my projects and help train whoever takes over.

Thank you for the opportunities I've had here. I hope we can stay in touch.

Script: Questions to Ask Before Accepting

Before I make a decision, I'd like to understand a few things:

1. "If I'm worth $X now, why wasn't I worth it last month? What's changed?"

2. "Is this coming out of the annual raise budget? Will this affect my next review?"

3. "This raise fixes compensation, but what about [the actual issue]?"

4. "Can I get the promotion/title change/responsibilities in writing with a timeline?"

5. "How do you see my career path here over the next 2-3 years?"

6. "What happens in the next round of layoffs? Am I now seen as a flight risk?"

Script: Accepting the Counter (If You Must)

I've decided to stay, and I want to be transparent about my expectations.

The issues that led me to look were: [specific issues].

I'm staying because [specific commitments they made]. I'd like to get these in writing:
- [Salary increase and effective date]
- [New title/role and start date]
- [Specific change they promised]

I'm committed to this team and want to make this work. But I also want us both to be clear on what success looks like.

Can we schedule a 90-day check-in to ensure we're both on track?

Script: Telling the New Company You're Staying

Thank you so much for the offer. This was a difficult decision.

After deep reflection, I've decided to stay with my current employer. They've made significant commitments to address the concerns that led me to look.

I want to be respectful of your time and process. I truly enjoyed meeting the team and learning about [specific thing].

I hope our paths cross again in the future. Please don't hesitate to reach out if circumstances change.

The Statistics Don't Lie

Why Counter-Offers Usually Fail

  • You're marked: You've shown you're willing to leave. In the next layoff, guess who's first?
  • Trust is broken: Both sides. They wonder if you're still looking. You wonder if they're replacing you.
  • The root cause remains: More money doesn't fix bad management, boring work, or culture problems.
  • It was reactive: They didn't value you until you forced their hand. That pattern will repeat.
  • Your raise came from somewhere: Often from your future raise budget. Next year's increase? Smaller.

When a Counter MIGHT Make Sense

  • You were genuinely only leaving for money, and nothing else
  • The counter includes real structural changes (new role, new team, new projects)
  • You have massive unvested equity that would be painful to leave
  • The new job has red flags you discovered late in the process
  • Life circumstances make stability more valuable than growth right now

What Recruiters Won't Tell You

Industry insiders on counter-offers:

"When someone accepts a counter, I note it in my CRM. In 6 months, they'll call me back. They always do."
— Tech Recruiter, 15 years
"The company isn't giving you a counter because they love you. They're doing the math on replacement cost. It's cheaper to overpay you for 6 months while they find your replacement on their timeline."
— Former HR Director
"I've seen it a hundred times. Person stays, gets the raise, then mysteriously gets 'managed out' within a year. The relationship is never the same."
— Executive Coach

The Real Question

If they could give you this raise/promotion/change now, why didn't they do it before you had one foot out the door?

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