Congratulations, you got the job! Now what? You need to resign from your current employer. The thing is, it is not as easy as it sounds.  Employers have been given specialized, top flight training to handle these occasions.  Here are four stages to keep in mind so you can handle what lies ahead...

Stage I: Day One: "We have such great plans for you!"

"I can't believe you're leaving!  We're shocked!  We had such great plans for you!

Stage II: Days Two and Three: "The Cold Shoulder"

Your management team totally ignores you! It's like you're invisible.  This tactic is intended to get you to question why they are not treating you with the approval and appreciation as day one.  They want to make you want them!

Stage III: Day Four: "Meeting With The Big Boss"

Your boss says you are so important to the company; his boss's boss wants to see you for a special meeting before you do anything else.

Stage IV: Day Five: "We Have A Deal You Can't Refuse"

You meet with the big boss and your other managers to discuss what they have "in store" for you IF you stay.  Promises of 20% raises, trips to Cancun, promotions and other special perks are common.

In Closing...

Just say NO! Remember the real reasons you wanted to leave this company in the first place.  Nothing has changed.  This counter-offer deal is one-sided: they need to keep you so they can spare themselves the expense associated with hiring a new manager and because they are most likely struggling with retention anyway.

Don't fool yourself into thinking that this resignation thing was just the leverage you needed tog et your boss to finally come around.  In ten years of staffing, I have heard back from countless people who took counter-offers only to realize that it was a self-serving ploy.

Opportunity is a perishable commodity.  Don't let it slip away.