Have you ever worked for a former boss or employer? And if you did, was your partnership as successful the second time around? Or did you hit a dead end?
Twice in my career I’ve been approached by former employers to work for them. In one case, a former supervisor invited me to be her administrative assistant 18 months after joining a new company. All signs pointed to yes. I loved working for her the first time around, I was stuck in a dead end job, and the new job paid about $5,000 more than what I was making. So I said yes, though I left 18 months later to pursue another opportunity.
More recently, I was invited by a former employer to manage their bi-monthly magazine. While I was flattered that they thought of me for this role, I didn’t feel I was the right fit for the job. With a new CEO on board, the company was going through a transition and the culture of the organization had changed. I didn’t want to lock myself into a stressful, political situation, and I wanted to be free to pursue my own creative writing. So I told them no.
Looking back, I do not regret either decision. Both situations have worked out fine. In the first scenario, in the short time I was there, I gained valuable experience in a new work environment. In the second scenario, I realized I did not have a lot to gain personally or professionally from rejoining a former employer. The organization eventually hired a new manager who brings a sorely-needed fresh perspective to their publication.
If a former boss comes calling, would you jump at the opportunity? Whether you accept or decline the offer depends on what your needs are. There are reasons to accept, and reasons to say “No, thank you.”
Reasons to accept an opportunity with a former employer:
It helps build your resume. Additional or different responsibilities stretches your professional muscles. Perhaps you have an opportunity to manage a department, oversee a project, or supervise staff that you did not have previously. Even if you hold on to this situation for one year, that experience looks good on your resume.
It offers a higher salary. Financial stability is always a plus, but don’t accept a job only because of the salary. You need to weigh other factors too, such as compatibility with co-workers and the supervisor, and opportunities for career growth. Taking a job, or staying in one, just for the money and benefits can hurt your morale. In my experience, these types of work situations tend not to work out well for the long term. And you may find yourself hitting the pavement again in six months after realizing that the job wasn’t’ everything it was cracked up to be.
You like the person you’d be working for. All things considered, when you like your boss and you have a strong bond with them, it makes it possible to like the job, even if it isn’t exactly the type of job you wanted. Having a good relationship with your boss can help get you through difficult work projects. Just be aware that your relationship with a former boss in a different corporate culture can put pressure on your relationship, and working for this person my not be so enjoyable the second time around.
Reasons to decline an opportunity with a previous employer:
The company does not have a good reputation. Do your homework about the company. Just because a former boss invites you to work for them doesn’t mean the new company is right for you. The culture of the organization may not be compatible with your personality. Use social media to find current and former employees. Did the company treat its employees well? Is the company experiencing layoffs or going through a difficult managerial transition? While some change in the corporate culture is necessary to weed out outdated systems and processes, you don’t want to work in hostile, unstable work environment.
The opportunity does not fit in with your long-term career goals. Or you want to do something completely different. Our career goals are constantly changing. What might have been an exciting opportunity five years ago may no longer thrill you because you’ve moved on to different career options. If you’ve had writing jobs most of your adult life and you find you’d rather teach children, then no lucrative job offer is going to make you happy.
The job is too much like what you’ve done before. The office space and co-workers may change, but the work does not. The new opportunity might pay well and offer great benefits and growth opportunities, but if you find yourself doing the same type of work that you did before, and there’s not room for career growth, it’s probably time for a career reassessment. There’s nothing more disheartening than being stuck in a job with little opportunity for advancement and smacks of the same-old, same old.
It can be flattering when a former boss comes calling, but keep in mind that any new opportunity that arises should be a win-win situation. You should benefit from this opportunity as much as your boss does.
Listen patiently to their proposal and ask a lot of questions. Don’t fall for any carrot-on-the-end-of-the-stick proposals that your former boss might present to you. Those proposals may never materialize or they may benefit your boss more than you.
Know yourself and always keep a clear vision of your career goals. As long as you keep those goals in sight, you will never be steered in the wrong career direction. If you feel the opportunity does not meet your professional goals, then it’s okay to say, “Thanks, but no thanks.”
The Regal Writer 