By Sunny Simon
During my initial meeting with Stephen it took me about seven minutes to drill down on the problem. My new client suffered from what I call the “Show me the money,” syndrome. Three months ago Stephen started a new job. After a brief honeymoon period, reality set in. His new employer required a road-warrior mentality. Racking up miles meant being away from his family four nights a week. Not only does Stephen miss family time, his wife experiences extra stress as she single-handedly deals with their six-month old baby boy and four year old twins.
Granted, there are times when you have no other choice than to take the first job offer. If your mortgage is due and your car is about to be repossessed, I get it, necessity rules.
Stephen planned his career move carefully launching his job search when there was no undue financial pressure. He had a stellar resume and was well networked. During his ten week search, my client was pursued by three different companies. Everything was working according to plan until he made the fatal mistake of accepting an offer solely based on the attractive compensation package.
Signing on the dotted line in return for a fat paycheck is tempting. Before you accept any job offer, take a step back and review the total landscape. A laundry list of multiple factors should be considered. For some individuals, having a great deal of autonomy is high on the list of “must haves.” In that case, careful consideration of a manager’s leadership style becomes a major factor. Add to the list job visibility, company culture and the respectability level of the company’s product or service. Taking a high paying job in a C level company with no advancement opportunities may not be a prudent move.
Think about the corporate environment and the commute. Are you okay working in a bull pit with noise filtering in from all sides, or do you crave a quite cubicle or walled office? Want to drive over an hour in bumper-to-bumper rush hour, or be able to ride your bike to work? How about quality of life considerations? Need on-site daycare or flex time versus additional taxable income?
Don’t make a “show me the money,” mistake like Stephen. Devise a list of all the pros and cons before you accept an offer and review it thoroughly. You may find out the highest bidder isn’t the best bet. Sunny Simon is the owner of Raise the Bar High Life and Career Coaching and the author of the blog www.lifeonthesunnyside.net
