[Porsche-O-Phile]

Generally speaking I agree with the above - you're at a disadvantaged position because you show your hand and that you're a free agent for whom money trumps loyalty. That said I've taken counter offers in the past and it has worked out quite well. As long as you're okay with the company knowing you view them as just a paycheck and expect to be treated as expendable labor, I don't see the downside.

The reality is being employed is kind of like dating - right from Day #1 you're covertly sizing each other up and in a bit of a game to see who's going to dump the other first... That's how it usually ends up - either the employee jumps ship when something better comes along or the company lays you off when it becomes inconvenient to keep you around. You always want to try and be the dumpER and not the dumpEE... This calls for occasionally bluffing and paying attention to what reads you get from management, etc. Speaking from personal experience I've hinted to employees that they might want to start looking elsewhere... I'd they're too dumb to pick up on it, well...

The counterpoint to the above is that if your company has kept you around after a round or two of layoffs it's obvious you're valued - reinforced by their countering at all. You're right in trying to capitalize on that and turn it into income. Best of luck.