Job Declined
In August, I applied for a local position with an education-based company. The interview process went very well and things sounded good for the most part, until it came to the compensation for the position. Oddly, this process got stretched over several weeks and I eventually ended up with an offer for the position for a little more than the first offer, but still less than what I wanted.
Ever since the interview, I’d begun worrying about various details involved with the position. One attempt to meet both my salary needs and the companies budget resulted in a compromise that didn’t thrill me but seemed acceptable. I tentatively accepted, but more time passed, and their needs changed and my concerns grew. Basically, I knew from the near-beginning that this wasn’t really the position for me. However, it seems that I lost the ability to just say no and move on — needing a job and money will do that to a person.
Finally, today I typed out the final decision – no, I won’t take the job. Wow, why did it have to be so difficult to turn down a job? Why was it so difficult to listen to my conscience and admit that red flags are red flags, no matter how I try to arrange them. I had reservations about my last position and it turned out to be a very unpleasant experience. Thankfully, I listed to myself this time and saved myself weeks of stress from wanting to quit. Of course, that means, I still don’t have a job – but I’m okay with that too.
Donna Jean
September 25th, 2007 17:00
Clarification of my choice to use the word “conscience” instead of “intuition” as a friend suggested was more appropriate: The red flags were all focused on the fact that the company is a for-profit entity.
While they are education focused, I saw nothing in the company that was an asset or resource to the community or the populations it serves. I had no real respect for the work the company does or any desire to help it succeed.
I must truly care about my work and have only found that in the non-profit organizations I’ve worked with. Unfortunately, I’m trapped in a county with few opportunities for an idealist like me (much less one that doesn’t really want to work at all, hehe).
chosha
September 26th, 2007 03:08
I don’t think we trust our feelings as often as we should. And it can be hard to say we turned down a job just because it didn’t feel right. Yet so often that instinct/conscience, if we ignore it, is proven right in the end.