Employee gets offered a job by biggest client with a 35% raise but doesn’t know how to proceed to avoid problems: ‘Do I keep this completely to myself until there is an actual offer?’

Author image for María Cetra
María Cetra • Writer
Oct 12, 2026 6:00 PM EDT

A career path isn't a straight line.

We face a lot of changes during our lives; from childhood to adulthood, we change into different people with different interests, problems, and priorities. That is just how life works. That doesn't mean that it is good or bad; it's just what happens. Change in our lives isn't distributed equally: most of the blow we get is when we turn 18: we have a million responsibilities and zero knowledge about how to handle any of them. But the rest of our adult life is also full of big changes. When getting married, having kids, changing jobs, all of that is equally stressful and terrifying. They are big changes for which we are never fully prepared. It's normal than when those times come we still feel like a liittle kid trying to make adult desitions. We don't know exactly what to do; it's like we are 18 again, making that first big change. We have evolved, but so did our problems. 

Changing jobs may be hard; you don't know what to prioritize. It could be more important: the salary, the working hours, the industry, the company. Everything weighs in when making a decision, and it's hard to know if there is really a good choice. It feels like everything has pros and cons. Too much to figure out, and we don't even know when to start other than our instincts. I can't guide this employee through her decision; that is something only they are truly able to decode. It's 100% a decision for them; it's their thing to figure out, nobody else's. It may be good to change; it may be good to stay in what you know. That is something that they are in charge of figuring out. Seeking help is valuable and can be really helpful, but, in the end, they are the ones in charge of making the final decision, as they are the ones that will have to put up with the results of it. I just hope they thinking through and whatever decision they choose feels like the right one; in the end, they will be the only ones to know that. 

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  • 01
    I manage one of our larger client accounts and have been working with the same people there for almost 2 years. Last week my boss was supposed to join a call with me and their director but had something come up, so I handled it alone. After we finished talking business, the director stayed on and asked if I had ever considered working for them directly. I laughed at first because I thought he was just
    via Technical-Visual794
  • 02
    Two people in an office meeting. Image shown for illustrative purposes; person depicted is a model.
    via Headway

    Two people in an office meeting. 

    Image shown for illustrative purposes; person depicted is a model. 

  • 03
    complimenting me, but he got pretty specific. He said they have a role opening soon, it would be a senior title, and the salary range he mentioned is around 35% more than what I make now. Then he told me not to apply when it gets posted and to email him directly instead. Nothing is in writing and I havent agreed to anything. The weird part is this client is important
    via Technical-Visual794
  • 04
    enough to my company that me leaving for them would definitely be noticed. I'm also the person who knows most of their account history. I like my current job and have some money saved, so I'm not desperate to jump just because of the raise. But I would absolutely hear them out. Do I keep this completely to myself until there is an actual
    via Technical-Visual794
  • 05
    offer, or is interviewing with one of my company's biggest clients the kind of thing I should tell my boss about beforehand?
    via Technical-Visual794
  • 06
    Two people holding hands to show they made a deal. Individual pictured is a model used for illustrative purposes.
    via Cytonn Photography

    Two people holding hands to show they made a deal. 

    Individual pictured is a model used for illustrative purposes. 

  • 07
    Ask10101 Absolutely do not tell your current boss or company about this offer. Your boss will either get ped at you or at your customer. The ball is in your court. If you're interested apply, if not then politely decline the customer director. Either way you don't mention it to your current company.
    via Ask10101
  • 08
    _WillCAD DO NOT SAY ONE D IN WORD TO ANYONE! This happened to me once. I even got an offer - but it wasn't in writing. Employer got wind of it, called the company making the offer and raised h I, and I a) lost my current job, and b) the employer rescinded the offer (it wasn't in writing so it wasn't official).
    via _WillCAD
  • 09
    Never, ever tell your employer that you're considering leaving for any reason, or that you've gotten any interest from another employer. The first time an employer should hear that you're leaving is when you put in your notice, which you only ever do when you've got an offer in writing from a new employer. You're in especially hot water with this one, since it's one of your clients that's trying to poach you. That is garandamnteed to start a shitfight
    via _WillCAD
  • 10
    between the employer and the client, because poaching employees from a company that works for you is an obvious prelude to developing your way out of needed that company at all, which means lost business for them. Additionally, losing an employee to poaching will hurt the company's ability to get sh done, which is even worse than losing a client. All of that brings up all kinds of emotions for everyone.
    via _WillCAD
  • 11
    There is also a possibility, however remote, that the client is full of sh.. and just trying to stir things up. There may not even be a position available, or something could derail it. It's way too nebulous to risk your cordial relationship with your employer, or perhaps even your employment itself, on a maybe possibility of a future could-be position that's coming "soon". Keep your din mouth shut and do your job. If this position does
    via _WillCAD
  • 12
    materialize, do the standard research, interview, geta firm offer including specifics on requirements, salary, and benefits, and only after you officially accept the offer should you mention a single word about this to your current employer.
    via _WillCAD
  • 13
    Narrowlyadverted If you decide to leave D.O. N.O.T. tell your current employer where you are going, at all, not once, not after notice, not during notice, not on your last day. They can ask, but they are not required to know AND you are not required to tell them. Don't tell your buddies, don't tell the cute guy/girl, don't tell your most trusted confidant at the company. Let them find out after the fact. In fact, do everything you can to keep them
    via Narrowlyadverted
  • 14
    from finding out even afterwards. The longer you can keep them from knowing where you went the better off you will be. ANYTHING you say before could sabotage your future employment both at existing and potential employer.
    via Narrowlyadverted
  • 15
    Active Highlight6001 I think some of the concern here is exaggerated. This does happen often and is expected. As an HR Professional, I would just ask that you review any restrictive covenant language you may have signed regarding non-competes, confidentiality, etc. - just to make sure the move is legally kosher.
    via Active Highlight6001
  • 16
    Other than that handle it as you would any other job change - leave on a good note, give a proper notice, finish strong, keep the relationship intact. Take the high road even if your current employer doesn't. They have more to lose with the client you would be leaving too.
    via Active Highlight6001
  • 17
    AnythingSilent7005 absolutely keep it to yourself, and if you accept tell them with a straightface they are not losing an employee but gaining an ally at their most important client.
    via AnythingSilent7005

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employee job career advice client offer
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