When the Counter Arrives Fast

A counteroffer within 24 hours of your resignation usually means the company was already willing to pay more — they just waited for you to force the issue.

A slower counter, built through back-and-forth with human resources (HR) and your skip-level, tends to be sturdier. People who can actually authorize change have weighed in, so the commitment is more likely to hold.

Ask who approved it. A promise your manager alone is holding is worth less than one signed off by HR and a skip-level.