Should You Take That Job - When I Grow Up

Should You Take That Job - When I Grow Up I was recently introduced to a project  TheLadders  is doing where they are asking for advice for recent college grads.  As I thought about it and started drafting the article in my head, I realized that what I wanted to say applied to a broader question: Should I take that job? We can ask our parents and friends, but were just not sure if they can take their own biases out of the equation. We can  make a Pro + Con list and make a decision based on which column is longer, but that  wont tell the whole story. We can make a decision based on fear or desperation, but thats  usually when we end up exactly where we dont wanna be. I think you should take the job if its for a company you believe in.  I find that  where  my clients work is just as (or more!) important than  what they do.  When you do your dream job at a place you can care less about, it feels like anything but a dream. youll be working with people you know will inspire, encourage, and challenge you (in a friendly way!).  Ditto what I just said, but re: the people youd be working with. you feel that youre being fairly compensated.    My husband and I just had a conversation about how  all of the freelance gigs he agreed to  for below  his usual rate were gigs that didnt work out very well. Just like my  hero Judge Judy, I dont believe in coincidences and thats one common denominator that I cant overlook. Not much good can come in not feeling valued. your job responsibilities align with the type of stuff you find meaningful enjoyable to work on.  When I work with my clients on finding their transferable skills, I throw out anything theyre good at doing that they dont enjoy. Sure, we can leave em on your resume and LinkedIn profile, but what you wanna bring to the surface are the things youre good at or wanna learn more about that fulfills you. you see the trajectory of your career (at the company or elsewhere) from that position, and you like what you see.  If youre anything like me and 99% of the peeps I work and speak with, youre someone who wants variety at work. The thought of doing the same job for the next 20 or 2! years usually leaves us groaning.  A great question to ask in the interview is where peeps whove started in your position have gone in the company, and internally decide if that appeals to you. your gut tells you so.  Our heads usually tell us all the reasons why something  wont work out, but if you feel in your gut that this will be a good next step for you, then take it seriously. Being  equally nervous and excited  is a great sign, as is feeling like the job is a 9 out of 10. I think you should decline the job if the main reason youre taking it is because you believe that nothing better will come along.  Stop buying into the you should be lucky to have any offer in this economy! noise and read these stories  to get a different perspective. youre doing it solely for the opportunity or because you think itll be good for your resume.  Ive learned this lesson the hard way, both as an actor and in my business. If the main/only reason youre saying Yes is because youve convinced yourself that it could be a good opportunity, then say No instead. I promise you that it never feels worthwhile. you have any sort of sense that  the job/company/management will take a toll on you physically and emotionally.  I know this is really hard to gage in the interview, but the best thing to try to look at is the culture. Does the management style seem really corporate, when you do best not being so micro-managed? Does it seem like youre expected to be on call 24/7 for work, even though you know you need to have dedicated time to work on your passion project/side hustle? Really pay attention to what youre asked about in the interview youll be surprised how much is disclosed there without being said. Case in point: At my last job interview (to be an Executive Assistant at a finance company), I got asked how Ive dealt with difficult managers. Know why? Because I was being interviewed to support a difficult manager (to put it mildly)! I ended up taking the job anyway, but at least I knew what I was getting into. and for the opposite of all the reasons above: if you dont care about the company or industry, if you dont think youd like working with the people whore there, if you dont think youll be valued, if youre not getting your needs met in terms of money and benefits, if your job responsibilities arent in the intersection of what you do well and what you enjoy doing, you wouldnt be able to advance (or wouldnt want to!), or if you have The Uh-Oh Feeling. Never, ever ignore The Uh-Oh Feeling. Not too thrilled with where your career is going?  Yearning for a career transition, but unsure what it would look like and how you could pull it off? I still have some open consultation call spots over the next couple of weeks to  talk about working together one-on-one!