Have to Resign to Get a Pay Rise? You’re Probably Working for the Wrong Company.
It’s one of the most common conversations we have with candidates.
“I’ve just resigned and suddenly they’ve offered me another $20K.”
“Now they’re happy for me to work from home two days a week.”
“They’ve matched the offer, thrown in a bonus and asked me to stay.”
Sound familiar?
The real question isn’t whether you should accept the counteroffer. It’s this:
Why did it take your resignation for your employer to recognise your value?
If you’ve already asked for a pay rise, greater flexibility, or more career development, and been told “not yet”, only for those same requests to be approved the moment you resign, it’s worth asking yourself what that says about your workplace.
Great employers don’t wait until they’re about to lose their best people before investing in them.
The reality is that most people don’t resign over money alone.
They leave because they feel overlooked, under-appreciated or stuck. A bigger salary might soften the blow temporarily, but it rarely fixes the reason they wanted to leave in the first place.
That’s why counteroffers often don’t work.
Once you’ve made the decision to resign, you’ve usually spent weeks—or even months—weighing up your options. You’ve mentally checked out, started imagining what’s next and accepted that it’s time for a change.
A last-minute pay rise can’t rebuild trust overnight.
In fact, many employees who accept a counteroffer find themselves looking for another role within six months. The frustration that led them to resign hasn’t disappeared—it has simply been delayed.
There’s also another question to consider:
If your employer suddenly found the budget to increase your salary or offer greater flexibility, why wasn’t that available when you first raised it?
The best organisations have regular conversations about career progression, remuneration and work-life balance. They don’t wait for a resignation letter to start listening.
If you’re considering your next move, take the time to think beyond the salary figure. Ask yourself whether the new opportunity offers better leadership, stronger career progression, more meaningful work and a culture where you’ll feel valued from day one.
Sometimes the best career decision isn’t accepting the bigger counteroffer.
It’s backing yourself and moving forward.
Because if it takes resigning for your employer to recognise your worth, chances are they’ve recognised it a little too late.
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