Brother and Sister hunters....I call upon your wisdom. I find myself in a difficult situation. In economic times we are in where jobs are so hard to find I feel unworthy for this problem. I have worked for the same corporation for 5 yrs and dont really have any complaints. They have been good to me and I enjoy what I do. In recent months I have been approached by another company. This company doesnt have the corporate taste and is really involved in the community and is financially stable as well. They made me an offer and I again explained I was happy where I was so I counter offered and it was excepted. Now the problem... My current company matched their offer. The problem being... I like the feel I get at the 2nd company with the feel of a community style company. Yet I respect and enjoy working with the corporate company. This was unexpected as usually they dont negotiate with someone attempting to resign... I dont know what to do. If no advice just please send up some kneemail as I got to finish this tommorrow.....Thanks

Dear Current Company:

I greatly appreciate your counter offer, and would like to let you know up front that I was truly intending on resigning. I do not find it proper to bargain one company against another, and was informing you of my intentions. I have made my decision based on careful thought and consideration for my family and me, and feel that a smaller, private organization is where I am needed.

I am grateful for the opportunity you have given me in the past 5 years, and hope that you were as pleased with me as I was to work here. Please understand that I am not leaving you with any sense of frustration, ill will, or resentment. I have been truly happy working here, and the opportunity I was recently offered was one I could not pass up.

Thank you again for your opportunity, and I will offer a 4-week notice so as to allow for a smooth of a transition as possible.