When asking for a raise, should you tempt your boss into giving you a counteroffer by presenting a job offer from another firm? This hardball tactic is definitely not for the weak of heart, but a Robert Half UAE recruitment study found that 36 percent of respondents, who were all senior human resources executives, noticed that companies were more likely to give employees counteroffers to incentivize them to stay with the company.
So is it time to fire up the job search, if only for the potential bargaining power?
Not so fast, says Alison Green, author of "Managing to Change the World" and the Ask a Manager blog. She notes that even if this tactic results in a raise, you've "fundamentally changed" your relationship with your boss and the company at large. "You're now the one who was looking to leave," she wrote. "You're no longer part of the inner circle, and you might be at the top of the list if your company needs to make cutbacks in the future."
Green also argues that showing your boss a job offer from another company could permanently hinder your professional advancement with the company, as well as your chances for a future raise. And there's always the risk that your boss could call your bluff and suggest you take the rival firm's offer, forcing you to keep your word.
Have you ever tried this tactic when asking for a raise?
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