BAW Ep. 10: To quit, or not to quit

In his books, "Same as Ever ", Morgan Housel quoted this phrase,

"the grass is always greener on the other side fertilized with bullshit".

He went on and explained what that means but for me, even without explanation, it clicked instantly. But I was not arrogant, I kept on reading, and sure enough, it was what I thought it was.

Basically, we always inflate the good things we hear and see about other people, other places, other companies. But that's not all. We do this while we're comparing with our current situation. And we know all about our current situation. We know the good things about it, we know the bad things about it, we know the day-to-day activities of it, everything.

We could see how it is right now in our situation pretty accurately, but we see it as infinitely worse by comparing it with the on-the-surface, superficial, filtered situations of others. We see all the coffee machines and lovely offices posted on social media. We see the outings and after-work parties. We see the high pay and attractive remunerations.

But what we failed to see is the struggle others face to get to that point. The workload they had to endure to get those things. The commute they'd have to go through. The bad colleagues and a worse boss. The unforgiving KPIs set by the regional manager. The headache that warrants a good coffee machine, the late nights after the parties, the stress and long hours they're under that got them the high salary.

Nobody would advertise this aspect of their 'perfect' life. They spice it up, embellish it, frame it up, and that's all we can see. That's all we can hear. We wouldn't know. How would we know? But we compare them to our situation nevertheless. Hence, "the grass is always greener on the other side fertilized with bullshit".

So am I saying,

"do not hop jobs, it's bad for you"?

Not at all. No.

Growth is needed. And sometimes that means venturing out and applying for new jobs, especially if the current company could not offer what you need and what you seek. However, I am saying that be careful in your thought process and decision-making. Sure, this current job 'sucks', but take a deep breathe and hold onto that thought, don't make any final stamp on it just yet.

Research about these other jobs and these other companies you're applying for. The good thing about today's world is that almost anything and everything can be found at the tip of your finger. When you're doing your research, you might find all these good things. And allow me to offer you some questions you could ask yourself to make your decision better.

The pay is higher

Yes, but what about the hours you have to put in to get that? If you break that down by the hours, would you earn more now, or in this new job? What kind of jobs would you have to do to get this higher pay? Would it be a strain to your mental health? Is it in line with your beliefs and values? Could you enjoy the extra money you earn?

To get some answers to these questions, consider asking;

• Have there even been a time when the team is so busy that they are constantly at their 100%, and how did they manage it?
• How frequent would I be expected to work late or in the weekend in this position?

The office is beautiful

Yes, and how about the commute? How about the parking? Do you have to be in onsite 100%? Is there a work-from-home arrangement? Are your hours flexible, or do you have to spend all of them in the 'beautiful' office? You'd soon find out that vanity is temporary and things get old pretty fast.

Consider asking these during your interview;

• Is there any working from home arrangement in this company?
• Do you offer flexible working hours?

The team seems great!

Yes, but did you get to know more about your colleagues and your boss? Especially your boss. Because according to a study, 70% respondents said that their boss is responsible for their mental health more than their doctors and therapist. Imagine that. Is your current manager tolerable? Good, even? Are you being given the freedom to contribute your ideas and perform your work independently? How about your soon-to-be boss?

Ask these questions to know more about your manager;

• Can you describe a situation when a subordinate of yours is having a difficulty at work and how did you handle it?
• How would you say your management style is?
• Can you briefly share to me how are decisions made in this team?

The cultures are superb!

Yes, but everybody advertise that on their website and social media platforms. The picture and videos of people pretending to be happy, joyfully talking to each other, and gleefully pointing at graphs and reports. Let's not kid ourselves further by believing what fa?ade companies put up in front. To know whether the culture in the new company is to your fit or not, ask these:

• What one company culture that resonates with you personally?
• What cultures would you say that this company has that you would be proud to tell others?

These are all questions that not just rhetorical. You need to get a glimpse into it if possible. Construct questions during your interview to get these answered. Make sure you're content with the answers. You can tell whether or not they're lying and trying to hide things. You can also tell whether they're being honest and genuine.

Look for the answers that have actual examples. Answers that are filled with spirit and enthusiasm. Answers that are grounded by events that had actually happened. You'll be spending your days in this new parchment of grass, and you'd want it to be greener than yours right now. Make sure below all that greenery, there's no bullshit lying around.

As always, good luck.