The dilemma of taking a job you don’t want

Receiving a job offer is usually a joyous occasion: you’ve aced the interviews, and some team is eager to have you to join their firm. But even in a tough economy, there are times when the call instead triggers a sinking feeling, anxiety or worse, because it is not the job you hoped for when you started your search. Only you can know if the economic tradeoff is worth the motivational challenge of taking a job that you are not happy about starting. However, even for the unemployed, before saying “yes” automatically, you should consider these six questions:
&#8226 What do I not like? Making your reservations crystal clear can help determine what is fixed and what is potentially negotiable. Not many people like a long commute, but how much will that affect your quality of life? If you would be taking a salary cut, are there any payoffs on the other side (larger bonus, less commuting time, a culture you like better)? You had a “negative vibe” about the manager – what caused it exactly?
Companies usually behave like better versions of themselves during recruiting, so pay attention – you may learn more than is made explicit. For example, one candidate recently described a 20-interview process to get her offer, definitely a signal that the culture is consensus-driven, and that she would be answering to a lot of masters in the matrix-reporting structure.
&#8226 Can I be successful? It is worth weighing first whether you can succeed in the role, or whether this is the reason you have misgivings. If you cannot succeed (not enough resources, no training, wrong reporting structure, manager who has a terrible reputation or a personality that immediately aggravated you), then you should think twice before accepting.
While you may be able to improve your reporting relationship or increase the available resources through negotiation, especially at the director level or above, you are not likely to be able to affect the manager’s personality/style. A client recently turned down a position because his title would not have put him on par with his internal customers, and he knew that without being seen as a colleague he would not have access or credibility, and would have to bring his boss into every customer discussion. You definitely want to avoid finding yourself in a year trying to market yourself again with bad/no references, having been fired, or laid off with minimal severance. &#8226 Am I running from the frying pan into the fire? People are rarely successful in roles they don’t like. If you have a position, and would be grabbing this one just to escape a negative environment, it may be best to wait and keep trying to find one you would enjoy more or that is a better fit for your skills.
&#8226 Could this job lead to something better? On the other hand, if the issue is that the job doesn’t make your heart sing, but feels “OK,” also consider whether there might be some advantages in the position. Could a couple of years there (not six months) add something important to your resume – a new skill or industry background? A higher title? Can you talk with current/former employees to test whether your understanding of the culture or management is correct? What kinds of customers/clients might the role expose you to that would widen your network?
&#8226 Can I change any of the things I don’t like? If you will be a supervisor or manager, can you change the team, the climate in your area, or the structure? If an individual contributor, can you work some from home, flex your hours, or take on additional projects? If the base salary is a lot less than your prior position, and they have made a final offer, could you negotiate either a salary review at six months, or a signing bonus (sometimes contingent upon your performance in the first 90 days) to help make you whole? You don’t know until you ask. If you do ask, make sure you lead with how interested you are in the position, and want to make it work. &#8226 Could leaving this job quickly affect my resume? Short-term moves are often seen in a negative light unless you have worked in startup ventures. However, much of how future employers may view a short-term position depends upon your track record – do you have multiple short stays, which is a higher risk, or is this the first? Can you explain the move rationally, based on the experience you hoped you would gain, the industry you got experience in, or the difficulty of the job market at the time in your geography? Your confidence in explaining why you are interested in a new opportunity so soon at their firm may help the new employer hear it in a positive light.
This also brings up the common issue of what happens if your No. 2 job preference offers you a position before your job No. 1, and there will not be time to land the better company offer before you need to respond to the other company. While people do accept and then decline before starting, or even resign right afterwards in these cases, it is a small world, and you need to consider that your reputation follows you.
Whatever you decide, look forward and step back into the search or into the new role, not backwards into what could have/should have been. Approaching your next phase with interest and a positive spirit will help you succeed in whichever alternative you choose, and you will proceed knowing you made a thoughtful decision. &#8226


Pennell Locey is vice president of Keystone Associates, a career-management and transition-services consulting firm with an office in Providence.

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