How I Beat a Counter Offer Using ChatGPT

Most counter offers fail. Here is a better way to help candidates decide without pressure, spin, or bias.

In this issue: A paid post as to how I used chatgpt to save a deal from a counter offer.

Counter Offers Are a Mess. But Nobody Believes Us.

Ask any experienced recruiter how they feel about counter offers and you will hear a version of the same thing.

“They usually do not work out.”

But if you are a job seeker, hearing that from someone who only gets paid when you start a new job, you might be skeptical. And you would not be wrong to question it. Of course recruiters say that. They have a financial stake in your decision. And everyone knows it.

That is what makes counter offers so tricky.

Recruiters spend hours building trust. We source. We screen. We prep. We negotiate. Then, just when the finish line is in sight, an unexpected email lands from the candidate's boss. Suddenly, everything is in jeopardy.

We know how to respond. We have the talking points ready.

“They are just trying to buy time.”

“Nothing will change except your salary.”

“You were ready to leave for a reason.”

Most of the time, we are right. But that does not make it convincing. To a candidate, it still sounds like we are trying to close a deal.

A few weeks ago, I was in that exact situation.

My candidate received a strong counter offer. He liked our role and trusted me. But he was hesitant. And I understood where he was coming from.

So instead of applying pressure, I tried something different.

I brought in an objective third party.

I opened up ChatGPT.

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Why Most Counter Offers Do Not Work

Let us start with the data.

According to several studies in the staffing industry:

• 50% of people who accept a counter offer leave within six months

• 80% leave within one year

These numbers do not exist by accident. There is a clear reason behind them.

Most people do not start looking for a new job because of compensation alone.

They are burned out. They feel undervalued. They are stuck under poor leadership. They want new challenges, flexibility, ownership, or clarity. Money might help ease the pain, but it rarely fixes the root cause.

And when someone accepts a counter offer, those root causes usually stay in place.

Here is what often happens after someone accepts:

• Trust between you and leadership is damaged. They know you were ready to leave.

• Growth opportunities begin to shrink. You are no longer seen as fully committed.

• Motivation drops. The problems that led you to explore new roles have not gone away.

• Within a few months, you are job searching again. Quietly, and with even more frustration.

This is not just anecdotal. Harvard Business Review wrote that accepting a counter offer is often a short-term fix that delays the inevitable.

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When a Counter Offer Might Actually Work

There are exceptions. Sometimes, staying is the right move.

Here are a few of those edge cases:

• You were not actively looking. A recruiter found you, the offer came out of nowhere, and after reflection, your current role still fits your long-term goals.

• The only real issue was compensation. Your employer genuinely did not realize you were underpaid and has made a clear, lasting correction.

• Your manager had no idea you were unhappy and immediately commits to structural changes that go beyond salary. Then follows through.

These cases are rare. But they do exist. When they do, staying might be the right call.

For most people, though, the counter offer is a temporary bandage that does not heal the wound.

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The Story: How I Used ChatGPT to Win a Counter Offer

Now let me tell you how I handled a counter offer that came in late and almost cost me the placement.

The candidate was a SWE. Let us call him Alex. He had clear goals from the start.

He wanted:

• More impact in his work

• Better leadership and team culture

• Direct exposure to decision makers

I presented him with an opportunity that checked all of those boxes. The hiring manager was strong. The team was sharp. The interview process was smooth. Compensation was competitive.

He liked it. A lot.

Then, right after the offer came through, his current company stepped in.