Lifestyle 101

A few weeks ago, a candidate I'm working with called me to ask for my advice on an offer she'd received.

It had the right title (VP Business Development), the right salary ($300k all in), and the role (the right blend of deal and strategy experience) she was looking for.

So why were we talking about it?

A new media content staple, this company hit it's peak in '99, and after the .bust, it saw it's profits dwindle, and was swallowed by larger corporate benefactors.

The upside was the opportunity to have a real effect on a company's strategic direction, at a time when it's positioning and profitability were being called into question. But the downside was a lack of clarity about the organization's commitment to fund and implement strategic change, and ambivalence about the corporate management team.

I think she knew the answer before she called me, but needed a little validation.

Here is my advice:

Never be afraid of a good risk- if you can articulate why you gambled on a company, and why it didn't work out, perspective employers will see you as more human, more seasoned, more honest, and more intelligent than the guy who was afraid to jump.

-BUT-

Always listen to the voice in your head telling you this is a bad risk.

You've been a consultant for a few years, and if you're leaving, you probably tell people it's because you never wanted to go down the partner track, and you've gotten the benefit out of your time that you sought coming in. The truth is it's a lifestyle change. You have a spouse or significant other, children, or other aspirations, and you're tired of the 18 hour days and the travel.

Now is the time to be your own consultant. Evaluate a perspective employer, the way you'd evaluate a client at the start of an engagement. Is the company solid? Do they have a strategic direction, and the high-level buy-in from management to implement it? Does the role compliment your skills? Do you bring value-add to the role?

When you're done with this exercise you'll know your answer.

Remember- you'll spend 9-12 hours a day doing this job (Hey- you get to cut back because you're not a consultant anymore! ), and that amounts to more time than you'll spend with your spouse and children in a day. Make sure you're not compromising.