Six essential questions to ask yourself before taking a new job
So, you’ve been offered a new job (or, you’re dreaming about the day you’ll be offered one). First of all, congrats! Second, a word of warning—before you jump in head-first, I’d encourage you to do some soul-searching to ensure it’s the right fit for you. It might also be helpful to talk these questions through with a trusted friend, mentor or spouse to ensure you’re considering everything.
Ask yourself the following:
What is this job and do I actually want to do it?
This question is so basic that you may be tempted to skip over it, but that would be a mistake. You’d be surprised how many people apply for—and take—jobs that they don’t actually want to do.
I once was consulting with an academic medicine department that was looking for a new chief for their largest division (sub-speciality). One candidate was incredibly self-assured and presented a compelling vision for the future clinical direction of the unit. However, on more than one occasion, he made a point of emphasizing how much he hated dealing with “people issues”. Guess what? At least 50% of a division chief’s time is spent on people issues! He clearly misunderstood what was required of the role (and he didn’t get the job).
Job descriptions are often filled with ambiguous language, and it’s common for applicants to project their own interests and desires onto the role when reading about it. One of your goals during the interview process is to figure out what they actually expect you to do. It’s ok if parts of the job are new to you or outside of your comfort zone—just make sure they are things you’re interested in doing. And be honest with yourself. If something’s not a good fit up front, it probably won’t be a good fit long-term.
Do I want this job right now?
When my son was a toddler, I was asked to apply for a new position that seemed, at the time, like my absolute dream job. I was tempted, but there were several indications that the timing was wrong. First, it would have been a big leap in responsibility. This wasn’t necessarily a deal-breaker, but it would have meant a steep learning curve and a lot of time and energy invested in developing new skills.
My bigger concern was that I was about to start infertility treatments. Again, for some people, taking a major promotion while trying to conceive or pregnant would be fine. But I didn’t know how my body would react to the medication or how long the process would take. It seemed risky to start a stressful new job while highly preoccupied. Furthermore, I experienced two miscarriages and had been toying with the idea of reducing to part-time if and when I finally had a second baby. This new job would require many more after-hour commitments, and I couldn’t stomach the thought of doubling down at work at that specific moment.
The adage may seem trite, but it’s so true—timing is everything. Make sure you’re honest with yourself about whether this job makes sense during this specific season of your life.
Is this job a fit for me?
Listen, most promotions require you to step outside your comfort zone, but it’s important for your long-term satisfaction to feel that there’s a match between your skills, strengths, and interests and what the job requires.
I had a client who was offered a C-suite position at a startup. The organization was looking for bold, innovative leadership, but she prided herself on her careful and analytical approach. Though she was certain that her viewpoint would have added value, she was concerned that she would be sidelined and dismissed. Even more telling, she was unenthusiastic about working with people who she felt could be reckless. Ultimately, it wasn’t the right fit.
When you’re meeting with people, listen closely to what they’re telling you about the role and the skills/attributes needed for success. Do you have these skills/attributes? If not, are you interested in putting in the effort to cultivate them?
Is this culture a fit for me?
Please, I beg you, do your due diligence when it comes to sniffing out the organizational culture. The job itself could be ideal, but if there’s a toxic culture, you won’t be happy long-term. As you’re interviewing, pay close attention to how people interact with each other. Do they seem to know each other? How well? Are interactions extremely formal or uncomfortably casual? What are you picking up in terms of nonverbal communication?
In addition to your observations, I always encourage clients to ask questions about culture during their interview process. My favorite question for assessing culture is “Tell me about something that could only happen here.”
Am I taking this job for the right reasons?
Here are some bad reasons to take a job:
To boost your ego
You think you “should”
Other people are telling you to take it.
What are the right reasons? In a nutshell, there has to be value-added for both parties. First, you have to believe that—once you settle in and learn the ropes—you can be of value to them. Put plainly, you have to be able to do the job. And second, the job must help you, by either increasing your ability to make an impact (contribution) or sense of purpose. It would be nice if it also increased your prominence, salary, job title, etc. BUT, in my experience, these external markers are seldom compelling enough to lead to long-term satisfaction without at least one of the two other conditions being met.
What resources are necessary to do the job well, and will I have access to them?
Before accepting a job, make sure that it’s feasible. By that, I mean make sure that you will have the resources you need to get the job done well—and with minimal stress to you. Questions to consider include:
Is the proposed budget sufficient?
Will you have adequate staffing?
Does the physical space meet your/the team’s needs?
Will you have necessary decision-making authority?
What kinds of professional development (coaching, mentorship, conference funds) will you have access to?
If resources are lacking, I strongly encourage you to negotiate. For example, let’s say you think you need three additional hires to execute your vision appropriately, but they only have the budget for one. Before you accept the offer, consider asking for them to add an additional person each of the next two years. If there is no wiggle room and you are looking at serious resource constraints, you need to consider whether the situation is so dire that you’ll be set up for failure.
