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Here is the feedback I gave her.
- Most new job opportunities are found within your network just like you have contacted me so begin by identifying all of your immediate network and prepare to contact them if and only when you are ready to "pull the trigger".
- I would never leave a company prematurely. If your company just got bought, the larger company may offer much more opportunity in the long run, even if today it appears that there may be less based on the changes that are being made. The fact that you have so much experience with your operation could be a big positive for you, even when you don't expect it.
- Senior managers look for team players who maintain positive attitudes even when the going gets rough. We all look for those individuals who can make things happen without breaking lots of glass and who are positive influences with the staff. Positive attitude will get you much further in many situations than skill so don't discount how much having a positive attitude can do for your career, especially during change.
- Be sure to focus mostly on what you like to do (i.e., what is the type of work you like doing), not necessarily a position like CIO, etc. At the end of the day, enjoying your work will be very gratifying and mean more to you. Life is too short to not like the work we do since we spend so much time at work.
- Be sure to carefully and objectively evaluate your personal career drivers. In other words, what is most important to you in terms such as compensation, title, stability, flexibility, job security, location of where you work, commute, and all the factors that contribute to making a job with a particular company in an industry satisfying for you personally. To me, compensation, flexibility, and being able to help others is my driving force. Title, job security, etc. are very low on my personal needs list; but everyone is different. Being in an environment where you like the people and can do certain type of work may be very high for someone. There is a lot to be said in being able to go to work every day and love what you do and who you work with and for.
- Be careful in that the next company may not be any better and could be a lot worse than where you are now. The grass on the other side of the fence is not always greener, you know. Once you leave a company, it is often very difficult to go back. Our egos get in the way sometimes; better to take an ego hit and be happier over the long term than to leave because of an issue you don't agree with. These type of "differences" will pass but you may never find an environment like the one you are in so be objective as to whether it's really worth leaving and if the issues causing you to want to leave are really important.
- Are you willing to relocate? That's a big issue and may open up a lot more opportunity.
- Are you pursuing the right career or is it time to look at something very different? For about 10 or 15 years, I had this entrepreneur thing going on in my head (still do), but it wasn't until I was 50 years old that I decided to start my own company to do what I do now. If you are at a crossroads of sorts, now is the time to slow down a bit and reflect about what it is in life that you really want and whether you are on the right path to get you there. Again, taking an introspective look at the type of work that makes you want to "jump out of bed each morning to get to work" because you love the work so much is a very good thing to think about anytime you are in a potential transition.
- There are lots of Internet sources for job opportunities, but I don't run into many people who have landed a new job through them. Like I said earlier, most new jobs are found through your network or through your immediate network's network. If you are committed to stay in your current city/area, your network is going to be the most valuable resource to you.
- You should think about targeting specific companies you want to work for. Let's say you want to work for the ABC Company in your city. Develop a strategy and a plan on how to go after a job in the company that will position and lead you to the role you want to pursue long term in that company. The first step is simply to get in so you may have to take a lesser role to get in the door, but once you are in you can begin performing and working your way to where you want to be. You may also discover that the role you think you want in ABC Company turns out to be different and not the ultimate role you really want after getting there.
A friend of mine ended up moving to Atlanta from Florida to work for Coca Cola because he wanted to manage people and projects at Coca Cola. His initial job responsibility at Coca Cola was less than what he had been doing, but over time he did quite well there and it helped develop his skills and experiences for a very successful career well beyond Coca Cola. To get in, he made it his mission to find a way in and he made it happen, but the key point is that he was prepared to take a step down to make it happen for what he thought would be a better long term career. In his case, he was right.
The key to that next opportunity is to network and let people know you are ready for a bigger challenge. Be careful, though. As soon as your current company learns of your desire, you may have a short stay.
When and if you do leave, be fair to your company. Help them get a replacement started and up to speed if possible and give them enough lead time to adjust to you leaving. Document as much as you can in order to help the new manager assume the role and become productive quickly. You owe that to your company.
Manager B has different career issues.
In this case, a senior IT Director has a situation that's not so good. In other words, he doesn't particularly like the environment he is in and has a very difficult manager to work for, one who micromanages and doesn't seem to be interested in anyone's ideas and opinions except his own.
In Manager B's case, he is sitting on three possible company management options and wanted to know how I would look at the situation and how I would go about picking the "right" option. The good news is that he has options; the dilemma is which one do you take that will mean the most for your career and for personal happiness. It's a difficult choice.
Here is what I told him:
I believe you are correct in that there are no "right decisions", , , at least to an extent. The right decision is the one that makes you and your family the happiest. Being happy has a lot to do with who we associate with, the work we do, where we live, and many other factors. A real key to being happy is working on things that we have passion about.
As for work, I would focus on the job that makes me the happiest and rewards me well to do it. There are many factors that you need to consider in the job. Ask yourself, "What do I need in my ideal job or responsibility?" To some, that means lots of money, but to others it turns out to be being able to work with good people and to enjoy what you do. In my case, my job focus requires that I make good money and have opportunity to make a real difference in the company. I also have a key need to trust those that I work with and know that they trust me. I hate politics so when this is prevalent in an organization and you have situations where it's more important to look like you are doing a good job or who you know, I don't work well in these environments.
As we all know, things change in every environment. Even if you have a tough situation now, perseverance and positive forces can gradually make a worthwhile change in your situation. For example, that bad manager you work for may not be here this time next year. However, you have to ask yourself whether it is worth the effort that you must go through. In my last corporate organization, I asked myself that question and the answer wasn't a good one. That's when I decided to break out and to start my own company.
If it's unclear or if you just want to go through a thought process, create a matrix that allows you to evaluate the pros and cons of each alternative option. Click here to download the Company Option Matrix I created for Manager B.
Ultimately, focus on what is going to make you happiest. Being happy with work sets you up to be happy at home, something that's very important for most of us.
You have to look at yourself and determine what is important for you and for your family. All of us have different criteria for what helps us enjoy our work and career. Because we spend so much time at work, it's vital that we find opportunities that feed our personal and professional criteria needs.
The answers are within each of us. I believe that things tend to work out for the best so go with your instinct on what will make you feel fulfilled in career and in life. Both are important and must be balanced. Be strategic and evaluate each situation for what it is that you want to accomplish in life as well as to be content and happy today.
Summary
Manager A and Manager B are at different points in their career and they have entirely different circumstances. Nonetheless, both are at a career crossroad. Whether you are looking for a change because you want something more or whether you have multiple companies making you offers to work with them, career crossroads can be difficult.
Step back and take a close introspective look at what you are doing, where you are headed, and ask yourself what you want in life. Anytime I have come to a crossroad in my career, I try to take a long term look at the situation and weigh the pros and cons of what I'm considering. I also ask myself, "Am I doing what I want to do for the foreseeable future?"
My last crossroad led me to a great career opportunity in being able to work with thousands of IT managers around the world. Many of the decisions I made over the course of 30 years led me to where I live today and what I do for a living now. Some would call it destiny; others might call it luck. I tend to look at it as calculated decisions that ultimately led to what I have passion for and what fulfills me as a professional and as a family man.
Ultimately, there are probably no right or wrong answers. It's all about what we make of the opportunities that are presented to us and how we handle the challenges that we face.
Best of success.
Mike Sisco
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