We, at 99Hunters, help a number of companies that seek to hire professionals through a quality process, in a collaborative and humanized way, from “entry-level” to “C-Level”. We live the most intensely diverse recruitment challenges, alongside companies with different cultures, histories, business maturity, and needs.
The challenges of no other position compare to what we experience when looking for “Tech professionals”: CTOs, Devs, Big Data, UIs, UXs, POs, QAs, etc.
We know that a large part of the challenge is a result of the global scarcity (!) of these profiles (the supply of candidates does not meet the demand of companies) and that one of the main consequences is the increase in the average salary of these teams.
Companies that face the challenge of hiring “Tech professionals” often end up, in a “loop”, contributing to a progressive increase in remuneration. This is because, in order to retain the disputed professional, they end up making increasingly larger financial counteroffers.
But some actions will help our ecosystem and will directly contribute to improving this scenario. In this sense, we will talk a little more about how to prepare a good job counteroffer:
Imagine the following scenario: someone you consider essential on your Tech team (for example) receives a better proposal from another company. How would you handle this issue?
For a better decision, it is necessary to evaluate several variables and, thus, have a consistent basis that allows for performing the best procedure.
Many immediately think about making a counteroffer, but is this really the best solution? Or is it better to start (as soon as possible) a selection process to replace this person?
To help you answer these questions, we have separated some fundamental tips.
A financial counteroffer is not always the best way; what concerns us is precisely the provisional nature of this action.
The professional may or may not accept the proposal and, if accepted, it will not be a long-term solution. The desire to advance your career beyond the financial aspect can generate new offers and you will probably have to go through this situation again.
Objectively, you should investigate the real reasons that led this professional to accept, aspects other than the financial, in order to understand if a counterproposal can be an alternative that will not only be palliative.
For example, your Developer (Dev.) receives a better financial proposal from another company. If they accept your counteroffer, their other Dev., of the same seniority level, maybe annoyed at receiving a lower salary than their colleague.
This is a logic that must be placed above the emotional elements that aim “only” not to lose a key person on your team to another company.
First, the team's good relationship is essential for production to continue the rise, thus preventing conflicts from harming various aspects of the company's daily life.
We don't live in a fairy tale! It is clear that a better salary fills the eyes, at first, of most professionals, however, it is important to understand if they are looking for recognition that goes beyond that.
The moment of the counteroffer is certainly your last opportunity to identify the points to be improved in this relationship. And these points can be as or more important than simply offering greater financial gains.
Returning to the example: if Dev. you know you can get better offers in the market, will increasing your salary keep your level of commitment and engagement with current challenges?
Before the counteroffer, think about whether that person was already dissatisfied. Also, increasing your pay will most likely not get you out of that state. Thus, one should avoid paying more for someone who is producing less than they could.
This analysis must be done both in relation to the financial part and in relation to the company's production needs at that time.
Assessing how irreplaceable this person is and whether the company's budget allows for an increase in compensation are factors that must be taken into account in solving this equation in a positive way for everyone.
And, it's worth remembering that the more data and information you have on the table, the greater the chances of making the right decision!
*This text reflects the author's opinion and not necessarily of 99Hunters.