How to handle a counter offer
Should you accept a counteroffer? A guide for veterinary professionals
You have interviewed for a new veterinary role, received an offer and decided that it could be the right move. Then your current employer asks you to stay. They may offer a higher salary, a new title, more flexible hours or a promise that things will change.
A counteroffer can feel reassuring. It shows that your employer values your contribution, and staying avoids the uncertainty of starting somewhere new. But before deciding, return to the question that led you to look for another job: what would need to change for you to be happy staying?
Pay may be part of the answer. For many vets, veterinary nurses and practice managers, it is only one part of a wider decision about workload, support, development and life outside work.
Why do employers make counteroffers?
Replacing an experienced member of a veterinary team takes time. A practice may have to cover shifts, rearrange rotas, recruit a replacement and help someone new settle in. Your employer may also genuinely want to keep you because they value your skills and the relationships you have built with colleagues and clients.
Neither reason makes a counteroffer good or bad. What matters is whether the offer solves the problems that prompted your search. A pay rise may help if pay was your main concern. It is less likely to resolve an exhausting rota, limited clinical support or a working environment that has become difficult for you.
That distinction matters over the long term. In a UK survey of 2,000 employees published by Robert Half, 74% of those who accepted a counteroffer had left their employer within a year. The survey covered workers across different sectors, so it cannot predict what will happen in an individual veterinary role. It is a reason to examine the substance of a counteroffer carefully, rather than assume that a higher salary settles the decision.
Give yourself time to think
You do not have to answer the moment a counteroffer is made. Thank your employer, ask them to confirm the details in writing and agree a reasonable time to respond. If another practice is waiting for your answer, be open about when you can give them a firm decision too.
Use that time to compare the roles as they would actually be, rather than comparing the new opportunity with an idealised version of your current job. A promise made during a conversation may be sincere, but you need to know when it will take effect and how it will work in practice.
Look at the full package: salary, hours, on-call duties, weekends, benefits, commute, clinical responsibilities, support and opportunities to develop. Then ask yourself how confident you are that each workplace can deliver what matters most to you.
Remember why you started looking
Try to write down your reasons for exploring another role before you assess the counteroffer. Were you looking for better pay, or had you also become unhappy with other parts of the job?
For example, you may have wanted:
- A more manageable rota or fewer late finishes
- More support with difficult cases or sole-charge work
- Better access to mentoring, CPD or specialist interests
- A clearer route into a senior clinical or management role
- More time with patients and less pressure during consultations
- A different team culture or management approach
- A shorter commute or greater flexibility around family life
Mark which issues the counteroffer addresses, which remain unchanged and which depend on a future promise. Be especially careful with an offer that improves your salary but leaves your day-to-day experience exactly as it was.
If pay really was the main reason you wanted to leave, staying may be a sound choice. But if you had already raised concerns about workload, progression or support without seeing a lasting change, ask what is different now and how the practice will follow through.
Compare the two roles honestly
The new job deserves the same scrutiny as your current one. A higher salary or an appealing interview does not guarantee that another practice will suit you. Ask questions about the rota, staffing, clinical support and expectations before making your decision.
You might compare:
| Consideration | Questions to ask |
|---|---|
| Pay and benefits | What is guaranteed, and when will any change take effect? |
| Working hours | What does a typical week look like, including weekends and on-call duties? |
| Clinical support | Who will be available when you need advice or help with a difficult case? |
| Development | Is there a realistic plan for CPD, mentoring or progression? |
| Team and culture | How are decisions made, concerns handled and busy periods managed? |
| Reliability | Are the proposed changes specific, agreed and within the practice’s control? |
Think about where you want to be in a year or two, not just which option feels easier this week. Staying gives you continuity with a team and patients you know. Moving offers a fresh opportunity, but also requires you to learn how a new practice operates.
Ask for specifics, especially if you want to stay
If you are considering the counteroffer, it is reasonable to discuss the issues behind your resignation directly. You do not need to make demands or criticise colleagues. Explain what has made you consider leaving and ask what the practice can realistically change.
For example, “We can review your rota” is less useful than an agreed pattern of hours, a start date and a plan for how shifts will be covered. “There may be a senior role later” is different from an agreed change in responsibilities, salary and timescale.
Ask for any agreed changes to be confirmed in writing. You can also suggest a date to review how they are working. This gives both you and your employer a clear understanding of what has been promised.
Communicate your decision professionally
If you decide to accept the counteroffer, tell the other practice promptly. Thank them for their time and the offer, and let them know you have decided to remain in your current role. They may be disappointed, but a clear answer allows them to continue their search.
If you decide to move, thank your current employer for the counteroffer and explain that you have considered it carefully. You do not need to provide a lengthy defence of your choice. Agree your notice and handover arrangements, and continue to work professionally throughout your remaining time.
If you are working with a recruiter, let them know your decision as soon as you can. They can help you clarify the details of the new offer, but the decision must be right for you.
Making the right decision for you
A counteroffer is worth considering. It may give you exactly what was missing, particularly if your concerns are specific and your employer has a credible plan to address them. Equally, it may solve the easiest issue to change while leaving the reasons you wanted to move untouched.
The most useful question is not simply “Which offer pays more?” It is “If I stay, will the reasons I wanted to leave still be there six months from now?” Take enough time to answer that honestly. Then choose the role that gives you the better prospect of being satisfied, supported and able to develop over the long term.