People-Challenge-Balance-Worth

Posted By: Dave Opton
Filed Under: executive job search, networking, dave opton, networking meetings, mark james

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When you talk to anyone trying to make a career change these days it doesn't take long before you realize that while there are lots of the questions being asked, the answers vary significantly.

To many of us this comes as a very frustrating and unhappy surprise. This is especially true for those seeking executive-level jobs, since most come from positions of executive leadership and are very used to asking questions and getting answers that don't start with "well, that depends..."

In short, I think the discomfort comes from the fact that the dynamics of making a career change are, at its core, made up of a process that is, despite all the hoopla around assessment instruments, interviewing, résumés, etc., based on the subjective judgment of both the executive recruiters and the candidates.

While I don't see anything on the horizon that is going to change this anytime soon, the good news is that with the freedom of expression and access offered by the Internet, the ability to seek and digest the opinions of many on whatever issue to which you are seeking (or wishing) definitive answers is only a click away.

What most of us do is check out as many sources as we can before we either run out of energy to read one more "opinion" on the same subject or come down with carpal tunnel syndrome — whichever occurs first.

It was with this in mind that I came across a blog post by Mark James. Mark is a career executive recruiter and executive coach. He also has been hosting ExecuNet networking events in the San Diego and Irvine area for several years.

What caught my attention on this one was the title of the post: How to Make the Right Decision Every Time. Now I wasn't so naive as to really think that Mark had come up with the "universal solvent" when it came to decision making, especially when it came to the managing of careers, but the title certainly got me curious enough to check out the post which, of course, was the purpose of it in the first place.

I share it here because, while it remains only one opinion of many, Mark's post speaks to an issue that in the heat of the job changing process often does not get the attention it deserves: What to consider when making the call on accepting or rejecting an offer.

With the pressures created during a job search, it is very easy to say "Yes" for the wrong reasons. I am not saying that Mark's post will make it easier to make a call, but at the very least, it provides a perspective that is not on a lot of the checklists created to give people the "right" answer.

He talks to People, Challenge, Balance and Worth, and if you are hoping that your next gig will be "for the duration," these are four aspects to be thinking about not just when you finally get the offer, but right away to determine what you are really seeking.

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Dave Opton's avatar Dave Opton
Dave Opton founded ExecuNet in 1988 to provide a trusted environment where senior-level executives could build career opportunities by facilitating connections to other executives, experts and key market insights. Dave has drawn upon his 35 years of experience in human resources to develop and grow what has become the leading business and career membership network for executives and senior managers. A widely recognized executive career management expert, Dave is regularly quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Business Week, Fortune, Fast Company, and other leading business publications. Mr. Opton received his BA from Indiana University. Dave blogs at Six Figure Learnings