I'm returning to the workforce after raising my kids. I have an offer, but it's not what I envisioned. What should I do?
Maynard Webb
Founder, Webb Investment Network; Author ‘Dear Founder’; Board member Visa and Salesforce.
I’m looking to get back to work after time off raising my kids but want to maintain my independence. A great company wants to bring me on for a full-time position. I believe I can contribute more in a consulting-based role. How do you recommend I handle this?
-Back to Work Hopeful
Dear Hopeful,
Congrats on making progress on your return to the workforce.
It sounds like you’ve been presented with an opportunity, but one that doesn’t appeal to you fully. This happens all the time. These days, it’s common for candidates to want a job, but they want to work from home a few days a week or retain some other kind of flexibility that works for them.
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Don’t settle. The right thing to do is to bring this up for discussion with the potential employer. Explain what you want to do and what you’re thinking and see if it could work for them. Be explicit, specific, and intentional. Of course, you should always be respectful.
There will be times that either the role you are offered or even the role you are in isn’t quite perfect. And there’s never a better time to ask for what you want then when you are on the way in. It’s always best to address this before you commit to doing something you don’t want to do rather than try to change it once there.
It’s possible this company may not go for it. Perhaps they don’t need what you think they need or they aren’t interested in the way you would approach the opportunity. That might be a misstep on their end, or it might be the right decision for them. But none of this means it’s wrong to bring it up. That’s the only way to get where you are intended to go. I have a lot of respect for you that you know what you want.
All of this said, for many people, assessing the next move comes down to knowing the economic situation they are in and what they need. It’s a question of knowing the degrees of freedom you have. Do you have enough in savings that you don’t need to go back to work for years? Do you have two months?
Hopefully this opportunity will work out and you’ll get the terms you desire. If it doesn’t, depending on the reality of your situation, you may have to reconsider this position as it is offered or explore others. In all cases, do so with an open mind and a full commitment to find role that allows you to be fully present and that will be exciting, inspiring, and fulfilling for you.
Enterprise and Business Architect - Service Management Enabler
2 年I would take this advice. My only suggestion would be to suggest you start out in a role as a consultant(W2 versus employee). If you have certain skills that make you a value for an organization. Scope those deliverables into a professional service. This is the new way to freelance and gain more flexibility.
TS/SSBI: Sr. Systems Administration, Advisor -NETCOM G3/5 FUOPS-Global Enterprise Fabric-GEF Enterprise SharePoint-AES Environment
2 年A bird in had is worth two in a bush.... ??
Next Trend Realty LLC./wwwHar.com/Chester-Swanson/agent_cbswan
2 年Thanks for Sharing.
HARSUKH BUSINESS FOUNDATION
2 年Ok! the foremost thing is that you've got an opportunity that's full time and what you are interested in is basically "Work your time & terms" that's ok given your reservations on independence etc. Had I been in a similar predicament what I would do is join them since the 1st and foremost thing is accepting their offer on their terms and if you start demanding flexibility even before joining they wouldn't even touch you with a barge pole. So the wise decision will be to join them and prove your on job skills and talent in such a way that you become indispensable and then negotiate terms since by now they would have understood your expertise and will be more than willing to accommodate your terms.