Taking on a new role encourages people to look ahead — planning the next months and years of their lives. So with a new job offer in hand, it's not surprising that some people put little time or effort into making sure they resign from their previous job on a good note.

Here are our tips.

• You have now made your employer aware that you are unhappy. From this day on, your loyalty will always be in question.
• When promotion time comes around, your employer will remember who is loyal and who is not.
• When times get tough, your employer will begin cutbacks with you.
• Accepting a counteroffer is an insult to your intelligence and a blow to your personal pride: you were bought.
• Where is the money for the counteroffer coming from? All companies have wage and salary guidelines which must be followed. Is it your next raise early?
• Your company will immediately start looking at a new person at a cheaper price.
• The same circumstances that now cause you to consider a change will repeat themselves in the future, even if you accept a counteroffer.
• Statistics show that if you accept a counteroffer, the probability of voluntarily leaving in six months or being let go in one year is extremely high.
• Once the word gets out, the relationship that you enjoy with your co-workers will never be the same. You will lose the personal satisfaction of peer group acceptance.
• What type of company do you work for if you have to threaten to resign before they give you what you are worth?