Recently a great friend of mine called me for some career advice. He was weighing his options on wether or not to take a new job or stay with his current employer. When the new company offered him more money than he was currently making, his old company matched it in an effort to keep him. He was on the fence and too close to the situation and needed an outside opinion to help process everything.
It's amazing how that happens. You work at a place for years and suddenly, when someone else shows interest in you, you finally get offered the amount of money you wanted or you feel you should have gotten prior to another company showing interest in you. It's like dating more than one person and both suiters have to one up each other in an effort to be the "favorite". Regardless, it's one of the few times in life where we truly feel liberated and in the drivers seat of our career. Its also very stressful. If you ever find yourself in one of these situations-take it all in and enjoy it. At the same time, don't let it go to your head.
I have heard horror stories about people handling these situations poorly. Once the new company offers them more money than the current company, they begin to treat their current employers as if they were terrible people. As if they were a slave that was finally freed by the hands of someone with a bigger budget. Unless you are truly consumed with burning a bridge, that's not the smartest way to deal with this situation. You accepted that job for what they were paying. Just because another company values the new offered position more than your current position at your current company-that shouldn't give you the green light to treat your company with disrespect. If for some reason you stay and do not take the bigger paycheck from the new company, don't let that consume you either. Be absolute in your decision and don't allow the turned down offer change you or your work ethic.
I have never made my decisions based on money. Money has certainly been a tiebreaker, but happiness and growth (for me they come hand in hand) have always been my focus. It's not about chasing a few extra dollars, it's about you being able to accomplish, or get closer to accomplishing, your goals in life. I have been blessed by companies willing to double my salary, but have stayed true to my chosen path and politely turned down those offers. I don't look back and think too hard about the "what ifs". My career choices are my own and you should do what you feel is best for you.
As you know, you should write down all the pros and cons of the two positions and weigh out all the options. Often, the shiny new job with all the "grass is greener" possibilities, doesn't end up being the right decision. The new company has to work hard to get you to leave and they will paint you a picture with rainbows and happiness. Don't get blinded by the pie in the sky stuff and be able to step back and see it for what it's really worth. Then make the right decision for you. Unless money is the most important thing in the world to you-don't make it about the money. Yes, money CAN buy happiness, just know that you might not get to experience that happiness till after 5pm. Because between the hours of 9am and 5pm, your life might be hell.
My friend took the new job. He starts in 2 weeks.
#money #happiness #jobchange
