Your pretty good at a job and have built a certain niche and comfort level in your position. What you do, you have done rather well, but its taken a few years to get established. Your boss rewards you with a new raise and job security for the now and and the next few years as long as your performance stays the status quo. Now comes Johnny Headhunter. He notices that you have the leadership potential to do good things for his company, but the company is currently in a sad state of affairs. But he offers you money, a lot more than your earning now, and you know in your heart that your capable of righting the ship in this company if you do what you know how to do. The only thing is it involves a move and starting basically from scratch. What do you do?

I would probably take the new job if there is a long-term upside, even if it means giving up short-term security. If you can right the ship, you will be set.

Stax said:

Thats an interesting perspective. The only thing is on this ship has been adrift for well over a decade, do you still take the leap?

karmatornado said:

If I thought I could change things, yes. If it looked like a lost cause, no.

You have a track record for delivering solid work. So solid, in fact, that a headhunter has reached out to you.

Your rep is solid, then. If you leap for something new, in the interests of doing something different and rescuing a foundering company, it's a win-win situation. (I say this as someone who has made a leap or two, on a much smaller scale.)

I say give it a shot. Your description of your present situation wasn't so impassioned. Just make sure the new gig puts your golden parachute in writing. But, I'm sure you know that already.

Stax said:

The hypothetical situation involves going to a place with a storied past, but do to other business opening up in the area, some talented workers have left. But the economic support and staff support are there, the only problem is due to there history they would like to see a complete turnaround in the next 2 years. The first year is a free pass. The problem is you know that you can only take so many co workers with you and you may be working with less talent.

karmatornado said:

Will you need a wordsmith? A marketing type? A pharmaceutical rep? An administrator?

ThreadBare said:

A golden parachute is something that has not of yet been negotiated. This involves lots of prayer and a leap of faith. Something I'm sure you know lots about.

ThreadBare said:

Part of a winning company is not being afraid to hire people who know more than you that you know you can depend on. These people are comfortable in their situations. Some will take the leap with you while others cannot afford to take the leap do to life situations, and the fact that if you take off they will have opportunity to rise and fill your gap.

karmatornado said:

Leaders do more with less.

karmatornado said:

I know. I was asking for my out-of-work (but talented) friends. OK, OK, and for me, too...

Stax said:

Excellent point. The only thing that scares the leader is he is rather young, and will have the "old guard" of company investors breathing hard down his neck because he is not part of the old boys network.

karmatornado said:

Success rarely comes easy.

Stax said:

As a person who I know has had experience with moving to different companies, what sound advice would you give? So far the advice given has made sense. Care to add anything else? Oh and moving from family plays a small part.

karmatornado said:

Moving away from family is a tough one. I'd never fault you for passing up a job opportunity for family reasons. There are priorities in life.


Other than that, make sure to do your due diligence work. You need to know what you are getting yourself into. Research.

Stax said:

Family, not taking trusted advisors, and the fact that 4 persons in the past 8 years have been removed from the position is the only factors leaving doubt. The neighborhood is nicer, the pay is better, the thrill of starting from nothing is exciting, the community support and financial backing is much easier to gain, and the fact that if one rights the ship they pretty much write their own career path ticket is nice.

karmatornado said:

Of the three factors, only family seems like a real issue to me. I would not worry about the failures of your predecessors. They are not you. As for trusted advisors, you will find more.

Sage advice!
[Edited 2/11/07 22:10pm]

I'd stick

So what are you going to do ?

Mach said:

How do you know it me? The hypothetical person must see how next weeks interview process and see how the living location is before they jump to conclusions.

karmatornado said:

I'm your Mom ..I KNOW things

Mach said:

Moms know best right!

karmatornado said:

I would take the job, but I don't like boats. I get sea-sick!

fathermcmeekle said:

Did anyone mention father mcmeekle yet?

I wouldn't want to take over a failing business and start more or less from scratch. Then I'd rather start from scratch with my own business and an idea I believed in more instead.