You ran a great process, found the right engineer, and made a strong offer — then their current employer came back with a counteroffer. In today's market, this is the norm, not the exception. The good news: counteroffers are beatable when you prepare for them early.
Start closing before you offer
The best time to handle a counteroffer is before it happens. Throughout the process we surface what's really driving a candidate — growth, scope, leadership, compensation, stability — so the final offer speaks to motivation, not just money.
Make the offer compelling and fast
- Move quickly — drawn-out approvals lose momentum and signal indecision
- Lead with the role's scope and trajectory, not only the base salary
- Put the full package in writing clearly: base, bonus, benefits, PTO
Prepare the candidate for the counter
We coach candidates through the resignation conversation and the inevitable counteroffer, reminding them why they started looking. Studies consistently show most people who accept a counteroffer leave within 12 months anyway.
Why work with a specialist
A specialist engineering recruiter manages this stage actively on your behalf — so the candidate you chose actually starts. Every Dame Recruitment placement is also backed by a 90-day replacement guarantee.