Career & RecruiterSenior#58 of 60
Handling a Counter-Offer
The Question
“If your current employer made a compelling counter-offer once you resigned, what would you do?”
STAR Answer Builder
0/4Practice your answer by writing each part of the STAR framework. At least 20 characters counts as complete.
Context
Recruiters ask this to check commitment and to understand whether the move is about money or about a real career reason.
Why Interviewers Ask This
Counter-offer acceptance has a high one-year attrition rate. Hiring teams want to know you've thought about this honestly.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Pretending you'd never consider one
- Saying 'I'd take whatever pays more'
- Being unclear about your real motivations
- Answering before thinking
Answer Framework (STAR)
Acknowledge the scenario honestly, explain the decision criteria you'd apply, and anchor on the career reason that drove the move in the first place.
Sample Answer
Answer hidden. Try responding in the STAR builder first, then reveal to compare.
Key Points
- Answer honestly, not tactically
- Anchor on the non-monetary reason for leaving
- Reference the counter-offer attrition data if it helps
- Reassure the hiring team without being hollow
- Invite them to test your motivations
Follow-up Questions
- What if the counter-offer was significantly larger than our offer?
- Have you told your current employer you're interviewing?
- When would you resign if we made an offer today?
How well did you remember this?