A free worksheet to help you evaluate a counteroffer from your current employer, compare your options, and make a more informed career decision.
You’ve decided to leave your job, accepted another opportunity, or started exploring a career change. Then your current employer makes a counteroffer.
More money, a better title, or the chance to stay somewhere familiar can make the decision unexpectedly difficult.
But a counteroffer isn’t just about compensation. It’s also about the reasons you considered leaving, the opportunities available to you, and whether staying would meaningfully improve your situation.
The Counteroffer Decision Worksheet helps you look beyond the immediate offer and evaluate what each option means for your career.
Download the Free Counteroffer Decision Worksheet
Compare your options, identify what matters most, and approach your decision with greater clarity.
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What’s inside the Counteroffer Decision Worksheet?
This practical resource helps you:
- Revisit your reasons for leaving: identify whether the counteroffer addresses the concerns that originally motivated your job search.
- Compare your opportunities: evaluate your current employer’s offer alongside the external opportunity.
- Look beyond salary: consider career growth, work environment, leadership, flexibility, and long-term goals.
- Identify potential risks: think through what could change, what might remain the same, and which promises need clarification.
- Build a decision matrix: compare the options using the factors that matter most to you.
- Prepare your response: use professional communication examples to approach the next conversation.
The worksheet is designed to help you organize your thinking, not tell you which decision to make.
Who is this worksheet for?
The Counteroffer Decision Worksheet is for professionals who have received a counteroffer and are unsure whether to stay or move forward with another opportunity.
It can also help if you’re anticipating a counteroffer and want to clarify your priorities before discussing your resignation.
Whether the offer includes a salary increase, promotion, new responsibilities, or greater flexibility, the worksheet helps you evaluate the complete picture.
How to use the worksheet
Begin by writing down the reasons you considered leaving your current position.
Next, compare your available options using the worksheet’s evaluation criteria. Consider which factors matter most to you and whether the counteroffer offers meaningful changes beyond immediate compensation.
Use the decision matrix to organize your priorities, then review any remaining questions before making your final choice.
Remember that the worksheet is a decision-support tool. No scoring method can fully capture every personal or professional consideration.
For a deeper look at the factors involved, read our article: Should I Take a Counteroffer From My Current Employer?
About Career Routine
Career Routine is an independent publication focused on practical career advice, professional growth, and everyday workplace challenges.
Our free resources help professionals approach important decisions with clearer information, useful frameworks, and practical next steps.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Counteroffer Decision Worksheet free?
Yes. You can download the worksheet for free and use it to evaluate your options.
Should I always reject a counteroffer from my current employer?
No. A counteroffer can be worth considering if it addresses the reasons you wanted to leave and supports your long-term goals. The worksheet helps you evaluate those factors rather than assume one outcome is always better.
What should I compare besides salary?
Consider career development, leadership, work environment, responsibilities, flexibility, job stability, and the reasons you started looking for a new opportunity.
Can I use the worksheet before receiving a counteroffer?
Yes. Identifying your priorities in advance can help you approach a potential counteroffer more objectively.
Does the decision matrix tell me which option is best?
No. It helps you structure the comparison based on your own priorities. Your final decision should also account for circumstances that cannot be fully represented by a score.