A friend of mine recently received a job offer that required her to relocate to another state, take on job duties that she’d never held before, and all within the timeframe of three weeks.
Torn over turning down a job with such a wonderful company, she tried to convince herself it was the right move despite the ensuing stress it would surely bring. After our discussion a new option emerged. Here’s a company that clearly wanted to hire her, I explained. I proposed that she tell the company that the role was what she wanted, but the timing was just too quick, and the idea of taking on this move now seemed too overwhelming. Would it be possible, I advised her to ask, to maintain open communication with them to see about similar opportunities in six months to a year down the road? From their vantage point, here’s a vetted new hire ready to go and from what she was telling me, they were opening up similar roles throughout the U.S.
Buying some time would also allow my friend to go back to her current employer and press them to provide similar new role opportunities. In other words, it’s easier to be honest with your current employer about what you want when you have a back-up plan. My friend went from feeling trapped, to empowered.
The company offered a delayed start date and other incentives, but my friend realized she was happier where she was. They left things on a friendly note, leaving the door open for future discussions.
So when you feel that none of your options are ideal, think through all the possibilities and don’t be afraid to ask the bold questions.
