Our blog Navigating Job Offers and Counteroffers, which we posted at the start of 2025, sparked a lot of conversations and is our most-read blog to date, so we wanted to go a step further.
Whether you're a Brand Manager exploring your next big move or a Digital Marketer juggling multiple offers, there's one truth that remains: no two offers are the same, and how you handle this stage can have a lasting impact on your career trajectory.
So what should marketers be thinking about when an offer, or counteroffer, lands in your inbox?
1. Look Beyond the Headline Salary
Sure, a pay bump is tempting, but marketers know better than anyone that value isn’t always in the obvious numbers. Look at the full package.
Think:
Are there clear KPIs and expectations tied to that new salary?
What’s the learning and development support like?
Are you joining a team that values creativity, experimentation, and autonomy?
Sometimes, a smaller salary increase at a new company with better mentorship or wider strategic exposure can do more for your long-term growth than a flashy counteroffer from your current employer.
2.Get Specific About Growth
Ask both your prospective employer and your current one (if they’re counteroffering):
What does the next 6, 12, and 18 months look like for someone in this role?
In the fast-evolving world of marketing, where tools, platforms, and algorithms constantly shift, static roles are risky. If the growth plan isn’t clear or feels too vague, it’s worth rethinking.
3. Culture Check: Go Beyond the Buzzwords
Marketing teams often talk the talk, collaboration, creativity and agility, but do they walk it?
If culture or values were part of the reason you started job hunting, don’t gloss over this now. Use interviews and your own network to dig deeper:
Are marketing voices heard at leadership level?
Is there support for testing new ideas or are campaigns stuck in the “we’ve always done it this way” cycle?
Are they measuring success in a way that aligns with your own values and working style?
4. Counteroffers: Temporary Solution or Long-Term Fix?
It’s worth remembering: a counteroffer is often a short-term solution for a company, not necessarily a long-term investment in you.
Research shows many candidates who accept counteroffers end up back on the market within 6-12 months. Why? Because the underlying reasons they wanted to leave...lack of challenge, poor leadership, unclear progression, haven’t truly changed.
Before accepting one, ask yourself:
If I accept this, what will actually be different 3 months from now?
Have I been promised change before, and seen nothing happen?
5.Gut Check: Does It Feel Right?
Sometimes, despite all the logic and spreadsheets, you just know.
Does the new role energise you when you think about starting?
Does the team feel like a place where your ideas will thrive?
Are you being hired for your potential, not just your past?
Listen to that inner voice, it’s often right.
In short? Don’t just accept an offer. Assess it. Question it. Compare it to your own values and goals as a marketer. Your career is more than your current role, it’s the sum of the people, projects, and opportunities you choose to be part of.
If you’re weighing up an offer (or two) and need a sounding board, we’re always happy to talk it through. We work closely with marketers at every stage of their careers, and we’re here to help you move with confidence, whatever you decide.
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