Making a job transition and landing a new job can be exciting. If done right, this means more pay, better title, new—and improved—boss, and “better” colleagues. In many cases my clients have multiple offers and making the final selection becomes a torturous and agonizing process. I often tell my clients to go where the action is and not where there is just better pay and more of the same, if they want to reinvigorate their career. But, even then, some wonder if they really made the right choice.
You never know the real answer to that question because circumstances surrounding a job change are so dynamic. This is even more so for companies going through wrenching changes or are suddenly faced with unexpected surprises just as you land your new job.
Let us take the more recent two examples of my clients, who wanted to change their jobs for a specific reason. One wanted to go into management and was looking to have some people reporting to him, and, another wanted to get into a new area of corporate finance to learn new skills that are in increasing demand these days.
In the case of the first client he was promised not only a manger title, but also direct reports and budget responsibilities in his new job. Since he had multiple offers, each with similar responsibilities, he had a tough time selecting the final offer. But, finally, he decided to go where the action was, so he chose one of the better-positioned companies as his new employer. Before accepting the offer I suggested to him that he call the hiring manager and recruiter to ascertain that he would still have the staff and the budget already promised by telling them that he was turning down other offers with similar in responsibilities. He was assured that and I told my client to confirm that in an email to both the recruiter and his hiring manger.
I was surprised to get a call from this client on his second day at work that there had been a complete re-organization on his starting week and that he would still have the manager title, but no direct reports or the budget that was promised. Instead, he would be working with a senior executive and have bigger responsibilities in how his job as an individual contributor—albeit with a manager title—would play out in the new organization. My client was at a loss because the only reason for him to accept that job was to have direct reports and the budget that he was looking for as the next step in his career growth.
In the case of the second client within days of his new job the division suffered an expectedly major loss, throwing the entire future of that division in doubt. There was a talk of consolidation, lay-offs, and repurposing that division within the first week of his starting the job. Here, too, the client felt mortified because he had just left a good-paying and secure job to pursue a new path to advance his career.
Surprises such as these are commonplace these days. One needs a strategy to deal with it and a plan that allows them to recover their career momentum and to regain their status in the workplace. Here is my guidance on how to do this:
- Without getting emotional or upset about what has just happened meet with your manager before the formal announcement is made—your manager should discuss this with you before putting out the announcement—and tell them the promises made to get you to join their team and why you accepted their offer in the first place. If the manager does not remember the exchanges prior to your accepting their offer show the email exchanges you had prior to your rejecting other offers and cementing your role in the new job. Because of its freshness you may NOT need to produce this evidence.
- Tell the manager that you are disappointed in this surprising turn of events and you would like some consideration because of what is about to happen to your promise they made. In this conversation tell your manger that you are here to support their mission and that you will play as a fully committed team member in this transition, but there must be some way to offset this setback that you consider critical to your career.
- Let the manager think it through and get back to you before the formal change announcement is made. Typically, this can be some consideration of greater span of control with a later role as a manager with line responsibilities, among other things of value. When this happens send an email confirming this conversation and thanking your manager for making this effort.
- Fully engage in your new role and show your value and dedication to the job, the team, and to your manager. Do not go around moping and acting like a martyr. In the case where the division has suffered a major loss, find avenues for ways to help the division regain its standing and show what you can do to improve things despite the setback. In short, be an insider that is part of the team, than being still an outsider complaining about things.
- If the manager does not come through with their promises within a reasonable time (six moths to a year) make sure that you have built enough momentum in your new job and goodwill to be able to start looking for yet another job with the right opportunities for your career growth.
Life is often full of disappointments and managing your career is a part of living. Being negatively surprised in a new job is one of them. The best strategy is to move forward with positive action and look for the right opportunities for growth where you are or outside at an appropriate time.
Good luck!