You know what it is like. You joined a company, received a modest salary offer (because you were told you had to prove yourself first, which seemed reasonable at the time), and accepted it—even though it was less than your true worth. You’ve been excelling in your role, and your boss acknowledges your performance, but somehow, your salary remains stagnant. You’ve dropped hints to your boss about a potential raise, but nothing materialized.

One day, your patience reaches its limit, and you think, “Enough is enough!” Frustrated and desperate for change, you decide to take a bold step: submitting your resignation.

But… Deep down, you don’t actually want to leave. You genuinely enjoy your job, appreciate the company culture, and even find your boss quite ok. All you desire is fair compensation.

Now you’re face-to-face with your boss, the resignation letter sitting between you. The question lingers: Will he make a counteroffer? How do I tell him that I don’t want to part ways but simply need better pay?

Let’s analyze this situation objectively. Using resignation as leverage to secure a salary increase is a risky game. Once you submit your resignation letter, you set yourself on the path out, and reversing it requires consent from your company. However, the likelihood of them making a counteroffer and agreeing to the retraction of your resignation may be slimmer than you realize.

Effective managers anticipate team members resigning or leaving for various reasons. They maintain a variety of backup solutions as a part of their responsibility to keep the business running smoothly. Interestingly, statistics show that approximately 90% of employees who accept counteroffers end up leaving within a year anyway. Therefore, many companies have adopted a strict no-counteroffer policy, recognizing that such offers often prove useless.

Yet, there have been many employees who have successfully secured a salary increase using this tactic. I will tell you how you can be the next one.

If you want to play this scenario like a pro, you have to do the following:

• Check inconspicuously if your company has a no-counteroffer policy. If yes, you can’t use this technique.
• Start your job search and make sure you have at least one acceptable offer on the table as a backup before you resign.
• Once your boss learns about your resignation, he/she should have a conversation with you immediately. During the meeting, you should hint that you are happy with the job and the company, and your resignation was triggered purely by financial reasons. Explain how you and your family are struggling financially and why money is so important to you now.
• Wait for the company to come up with a counteroffer.
• If you accept the counteroffer, make sure everything is documented in writing, retract your resignation formally, and have the employer formally confirm their consent with the retraction.

If your boss doesn’t hold a meeting with you immediately following your resignation or doesn’t come up with a counteroffer shortly, it means that they have activated their ‘plan B’ and are preparing to do without you. In any case, once you resign, be prepared for the likelihood that you may end up leaving the company in the end.

Even if you get a counteroffer, be aware of its potential downsides. Employees who take this route may feel stigmatized. The fact that they resigned could impact perceived loyalty, and they might acquire the label of a “renegade.” Colleagues may become envious if you achieve an extraordinary salary increase while others don’t. This could lead to diminished trust and a compromised reputation within the company.

In the end, use your judgment wisely and make the best decision for yourself!

Good luck!

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