In the accounting/finance field, it’s common for companies to present employees with counter offers when they resign. But if you’re one of those employees, should you accept one?

It can be tempting to take what seems like the best offer on the table, especially when it comes from the company you are already employed with. Whether you’re seeking higher compensation, better benefits, or a more flexible work-life balance, it might seem to make the most sense to stay where you are already comfortable if you can attain those goals there. However, doing so can create numerous issues down the road for future job prospects and your career as a whole.

“It’s important to remember that there’s a reason you chose to leave your current company to begin with,” says Managing Director of Accounting/Finance at The Execu|Search Group, Elisa Dammacco, CPA. “In fact, it’s not usually just one reason. Just because you get that extra bonus doesn’t mean there won’t be other things you’re unhappy with in the future. Choosing to re-enter the job market, interview, and secure a new offer isn’t an easy process, so make sure you know why you decided to do it before returning to your original employer.”

If you had already approached your company with your goals and were refused, only to be given what you asked for in a counter offer, ask yourself: why did it take the threat of losing me for them to be flexible? Will this be a continuing problem in the future? Then consider the following effects accepting a counter offer can have on your career:

1. It may not really be the best offer. Say, for example, you’re looking for better compensation. If your company gives you a counter offer of an added bonus or a better yearly salary, there’s no guarantee that won’t affect other areas of your pay. The bonus may just be one-time, or if your yearly salary increases, you may lose bonuses altogether. “Many employees find themselves back at square one when accepting a counter offer,” says Elisa. “Their employer will often offer an incentive to return along with a promise for even more benefits in the future—more bonuses, better pay, etc. But if there’s only a verbal promise and no clear agreement written down on paper, will that offer still be there down the line?”
2. It can harm your reputation. Even in the best-case scenario in which you attain all your goals in an agreement with your current employer, you still run another great risk: tarnishing your reputation in your field. Accounting/finance sectors are small worlds, and it’s easy for the employer who took the time to make you an offer to feel insulted and pass on the word when you return to your old company.  Likewise, you’re also tarnishing your reputation with your current company—even though your employer has recognized your talents and clearly wants to retain them, they may now see you as disloyal and quick to jump into the job market, even if that’s not the case.
3. It can put you on the front lines for a layoff. Because your employer may now have this opinion of you, you can likely become one of the first in line for a layoff. No company dispatches their most loyal and dedicated talent when it comes time for downsizing, so if you’ve given the impression that you’re willing to move on to something else, your employer may be inclined to choose you first.
4. It can close future doors. Should you find yourself in the job market again (which, according to the Wall Street Journal, 93% of those who accept counter offers do), the employer you turned down a position with will be less likely to make you another offer. If you turned down their offer once, they may expect you to do it again, and will probably rather avoid wasting valuable hiring time on a candidate who may not know what he or she wants.

So what’s the best way to approach a counter offer situation? According to Elisa, it’s to thoroughly ensure your current employer is incapable of giving you what you need up-front. Then, when you know that’s the case, move on to a different position. “If you do all you can to obtain your goals at your current company and there isn’t room for improvement, then you have to make the decision to move on,” she says. “Knowing for sure that you tried your best before seeking elsewhere will help you avoid taking any counter offers and setting yourself back in the future.”