Job offer I'm not sure I should take

18 Comments

1. AnonymousMay 29,2022 at 2:18PM UTC

   What are your priorities? If you do not have someone to depend on to help share the bills, then that should take priority. Start thinking about your options. Yes there is a 50% chance you might not like your boss, but that doesnt mean you cant laterally move into another position at the same company outside of her perview. Just bc you take the job does not mean you have to stop applying elsewhere. The fact that you would be actively working at another job may cause your application package to be attractive to other employers. So don't see it as a dead end, see it as an opportunity to open doors you did not have before. There are very few people in this world that will claim to have loved EVERY job they had. So just power through for the sake of getting you in a better place financially and continue to build from there. This does not have to be your final destination.

2. AnonymousMay 29,2022 at 8:16PM UTC

   Yes, but it's not a good look to have just started a job and be looking elsewhere within weeks/a couple of months.

3. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 12:40AM UTC

   You would be the only one that knows you are looking.
   Most people that start looking for jobs can take anywhere from 8 months to a year to land their area of interest. An employer would only see a flip flopper as a problem candidate if that is their pattern… changing jobs every year for three years. If that is not the case, the person should put themselves first and position themselves to transition out of a toxic environment if possible.

   Also things happen there could have been a job that the poster originally applied for but didn’t get the notification until after starting the current job.. that can be the posters excuse when asked before leaving. It’s not a strange phenomenon. She just needs to be diplomatic about it and say I’m sorry but this other job is more closely aligned with my skillset and career apath I would like to pursue.

4. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 1:47AM UTC

   No, if she takes the job and she clearly works at an executive level, it will not look good that she's reaching out to employers while being there in her first 1-3 months. You want her to lie and say she's not working?

5. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 2:31AM UTC

   im sorry i missed the part where she said it’s an exec job….

   Since she did not distinctly state that. I would not assume. She did not even say it was a leadership role. If it is I would hope she would be sensible to state that for context. I stand by what I wrote she needs to put herself first. Most companies have their first three candidates lined up for instances where someone might bow out early on.

6. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 1:47PM UTC

   Hi! I'm the poster. Yes, this is an EVP role. I have thought about taking it and to keep looking, but that will also be difficult. It will be a very time consuming role. It's also a small team that comprises executive leadership so I'm stuck with the boss. It would be suspect if I didn't update my linkedin with the role after a month or so. I would not be able to put it on my resume and keep interviewing. It would look pretty bad to potential employers that I'm an EVP who just took a role and still looking. But thank you for sharing your thoughts. I do appreciate everyone's suggestions!

7. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 2:51PM UTC

   Thanks for clarifying. If it is for an exec position you almost have to do a deep psychologist analysis to make the best decision for yourself. If the future boss was negative towards you it might not have anything to do with you, it is possible that the person had a negative experience with a previous exec and you may be reading his or her projected fears. In any exec role you are spending the first 6 months to a year proving your value to your boss no matter what exec role you take. That doesn’t necessarily mean they will always start off negative or nasty, just some bosses has different ways of dealing with stress. It could be a sign that the boss really needs your help and expertise and will be leaning on you heavily. How was the attitude of the other staff? I would imagine the interview was a panel or at some point you would have had a chance to meet the other staff. Was their attitudes welcoming? Did they mirror the same negative attitude of your boss. Did they cower in fear every time they interacted with your future boss. These are all key indicators I would use to factor into your decision. If you still are undecided. See if you can do weekly check ins with her before the start date. Does her demeanor change when you converse her depending on the time of day of the conversation? If she still has a cold vibe, that might be a key indicator. Did you get a chance to exchange info with the other execs? Pick their brain covertly to find out what they like about the work environment, sometimes the non verbal ques will tell you everything you need to no. If you still feel like it’s a no go, gotta go with your instinct. But just make sure you do the detective work since it is an unknown whether you will get sn opportunity like that again

8. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 7:46PM UTC

   Thank you for your thoughtful response. It is a lot to think through.

9. AnonymousMay 29,2022 at 2:23PM UTC

   what are the priorities as mentioned below but also the key is your mental health is a huge factor to put in.

10. Shanita Taylor BSIS, BSc (Psyc), M.A.E.LMay 30,2022 at 2:35AM UTC

    It could be like that with any job. Many people have never had a career where there did get along with or like everybody on their job. Follow your right mind. You will be there to do a job and not necessarily be besties.

11. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 3:14AM UTC

    My suggestion would be to take role and continue interviewing. This way you now have the title you deserve, and can put it on your resume.

12. HannahMay 30,2022 at 5:34AM UTC

    My dear friend, according to your story, you've received a job offer, which means, you've gone through the interview process and your instincts are telling you that, it won't go well, please follow your instinct. Since you believe that you won't get along well with some important personalities like your manager etc, Please don't force yourself to be there. Remember, it isn't every work which comes along that is good for you.

    And when you are unemployed it doesn't mean you should accept anything that comes along. Go with the flow, give other companies the chance and interview with them, you'll never know.

    PS, when looking for a job, search for jobs that gives you inner peace, joy and happiness, after the interview and the offer. Money isn't all that you need.

13. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 9:43AM UTC

    Since financially you can afford to wait, I would think waiting to find a better fit would be, in the long run, a better strategy. At the end of the day you don't want to be right back at your your job search in 6 months because of a bad fit. It's not worth the stress.

14. AnonymousMay 30,2022 at 12:19PM UTC

    I just went through this. I had a very negative gut feeling about my supervisor during the Zoom interview. I turned down the job offer twice. They kept coming after me. Decided to try it. It was the worst experience. Everything I thought would be an issue was true and then some. I knew the first week I had made a huge mistake. I just sent my resignation notice after 2 months. Follow your intuition.

15. Anna MorozMay 31,2022 at 10:34AM UTC

    I think that the best decision is to trust your intuition. It never lies, especially if you have a lot of doubts.

16. SamanthaMay 31,2022 at 1:13PM UTC

    If you will be okay financially for a while, I would say trust your gut and turn this offer down. If it's a good offer, you now know your worth and can better negotiate for other offers at better companies. I completely understand the fear of turning down the only offer you have at the moment. But I know from experience that if you are already seeing red flags, I think it will only be worse once you actually work there.

17. Erin BeemerMay 31,2022 at 1:42PM UTC

    Sometimes we have gut feelings and while they can be right, sometimes we can limit ourselves by picking out the things that might not work. If the money and role are appropriate for you, what do you have to lose? If you are financially stable, you have the freedom to walk away if it doesn't work. But perhaps it will be great! I'd dig a little deeper into why you feel you might not be happy and make sure there are valid reasons and not just assumptions.

18. Olivia WoolmanJune 1,2022 at 4:06AM UTC

    Trust your instincts and don’t settle. You got this!