The Devil You Know
How often have you felt that if you had a new job or were able to start your own company where you could work for yourself, not “the man”, or maybe if you could hit it rich with some breakthrough idea, you’d be happy.
I know that I’ve had these visions (delusions?) of grandeur off and on over the years. Most of the time they are based on some current dissatisfaction with where I find myself.
Years ago, I was working for a boutique-sized PR agency in New York City, and I felt like it was time to bust a move. I knew that I was marketable. I’d worked on several notable brands doing a selection of high-profile assignments. So off I went. I secured a few promising interviews, had a series of good conversations, and it was time to make my move.
Edelman, one of the most influential agencies in the business, offered me a VP role. I was seriously considering taking it. I marched into my boss’s office with the news and watched her face drop. This was going to be hard on her. Like any good negotiator she offered me more money, an even better title, etc. I knew that the bigger agency would catapult my career forward. But then I reflected on the Senior VP’s desk, piled high with folders, and his harried manner and exhausted eyes and I thought: The devil you know… Yes, I wanted to start something new and another position at a more prestigious agency would be good for my career. But I also knew my boss well. I enjoyed the work. And I could continue to build my resume with her without some of that added stress.
Sometimes it is best to stay put and wait for the right time to make a move. Only a few years later I was able to start my own company, something I would not have been able to do had I taken the other position.