THE BEGINNING OF THE END

August 11, 2010 I'M Applying, Interviewing, Job Search, Recruiting

Dear Rock Star Job Applicant,

I want to thank you for giving me the opportunity to be your coach at this particular point in your professional life.

Yes, I know that you were not actively looking to change employers when I called you, but we bonded and started on a journey together.  And now it is time for us to go our separate ways.

I must admit that based on our collaboration, you were superb.  You nailed every aspect of the interview process to win the job offer.
With the exception of the very last step, and unfortunately, the one that mattered the most-resigning from your present employer.

I am not sure if it was professional negligence on my part or if it was by your design, but the ball was fumbled and as a result, the integrity of a transparent decision making process was compromised.

And based on that event, you decided to choose the safer path, which is what most in-demand job applicants have done at some point in their careers.

The truth of the matter is that you were at a “fork in the road” of your career and you had to make the right decision.
And interestingly, that decision was between two good situations where you would be successful in either one, given your skills and abilities.

I am sure you will agree that by accepting a counter-offer to remain with your present employer, you have chosen a challenge that you can do with your eyes closed or one arm tied behind your back.

And that safer path probably will also be less stressful than the real challenge of leveraging your skills working with a new team, in a new environment and in a new culture.

However, what you will realize very shortly is that work will become less fun.  And when you are not having fun at work, it can lead to a very un-inspiring career.

At the end of the day my friend, it won’t be the comforts of working with the same team, or the familiarity of the culture that you know, or the increased salary that you will be paid.

It will be the challenge of finding the passion within you that will make work fun, again.

What you will also realize is that it is not a lack of opportunity that has prevented most of your peers from having a great careers; it most likely was a good career that they ended up settling for.
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