To Stay or Not to Stay, That is the Question: How to Handle a New Career Opportunity

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To Stay or Not to Stay, That is the Question: How to Handle a New Career Opportunity [By Dan Coughlin] Shakespeare did not have to deal with this, and my father’s generation rarely did either. During my father’s working days, employees basically had one option: stay. Much like Major League Baseball players used to be, employees in the 50s, 60, 70s, and 80s rarely left one organization to go to another. Today that concept seems antiquated.

Assuming you’re going to face a career-

and ways he could add more value to

Values are beliefs that determine behaviors.

changing decision within the next six months,

customers. He was exhilarated, and he was

This is a very straightforward concept. If

here are seven things to consider.

promoted twice within 18 months.

integrity is one of your values, then you will

Seven Career-Changing Considerations

2. Will you make more money or have the

each day. If honesty is one of your values,

realistic capacity to make more money?

then you will tell the truth. As I said, pretty

do what you think is the right thing to do

1. Will you grow?

simple stuff. “No money, no mission.” Here’s the hard part.

Work is a transfer of value. You contribute value to an organization, and in return you

I actually learned that phrase from an

receive value. Part of the value you receive is

executive at a not-for-profit organization.

You’ve been offered a job with a great salary,

the degree to which you will grow while doing

Every organization and individual needs

great benefits, and exciting challenges. You

that work.

a flow of dollars in order to continue to

tell a few key family members and friends

contribute value. As you consider this new

about the job. Now more people are excited.

Will you develop your leadership and

career opportunity, find out as much as you

And then you start to spend some time with

communication skills?

can about what you will earn in the next 12

the employees, and you realize their normal

months and how much you can realistically

behaviors do not fit with your values. What

Will you learn about the latest

earn in the next five years. Don’t be shy

are you going to do?

technologies and how to use them?

about finding out about this. It doesn’t have

Will you learn to be more effective at

to be a dveal breaker, but you need to know

For what it’s worth, here’s my suggestion.

what is realistic.

Explore some more, and see if you uncover the same pattern of behaviors among other

strategy or planning or execution? •

In other words, will you be

3. Will you work with people you want to be

employees. If you do, walk away from the job.

around?

I know that sounds harsh, but once you let go of your values, you lose yourself. And that is

challenged? The vast majority of your day will be spent

a very expensive and painful journey to go on.

Mark had been a successful employee within

with coworkers. Before you take a new job,

a major hotel chain for more than 15 years.

spend a few days with the new group. See

5. Will you be allowed to use your strengths

By the time I met him, he felt he was no

them in action, and watch how they treat

and passions the vast majority of the time?

longer challenged. He had an opportunity

one another. Ask a variety of the employees

to take a job with a supplier for a number of

what it’s like to work there. Do this in private

You can achieve greatness when you

hotel chains. In this new position, he would

conversations, and see if any common

deploy your strengths and your passions

be traveling more while receiving only a

themes emerge. Are these people you really

into meaningful work that matters to your

small increase in salary. However, his desire

want to be with every day for at least the next

organization and to your customers.

for growth and challenges was so great that

five years? That could go into a Chinese fortune cookie,

he took the new position. And he flourished. He told me that he was constantly learning

4. Will you be expected to behave in ways

more about himself, his skills, his strengths,

that are congruent with your values?

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