Working Section
To return or not return: Ask yourself the right questions:
It’s flattering when a former employer wants you back. But should you return? Here are some questions to weigh before you jump back into the fold.
- Why are you
returning? Are you going back because
the opportunity seems exciting and challenging or old and
comfortable?
If there were valid reasons why you left and those circumstances still exist, you probably shouldn’t return, said Laurie Kahn, president and owner of Media Staffing Network. “People often take jobs out of desperation, and in the long run, that does not solve problems.”
- What’s changed
within the company? Find out what’s new
within the organization and its power structure, Kahn
said.
“Talk to some of the people still there. Nine times out of 10, you’ll be friendly with the people you’ve worked with.”
- How can you use
any new skills you’ve acquired?
Diane Wilson, an executive coach and consultant in Chicago, says a former employer may have the tendency to view a worker in a stereotypic way, so lay out your goals coming in. “Say, ‘Here are my new skills, and I really expect to contribute in these ways,’ “ she said. “Then take responsibility and jump in and demonstrate them.”
- What
opportunities for career growth are
there?
David Helfand, coordinator of career counseling at Northeastern Illinois University, noted: “If a person [has] a [career] goal in mind, then they can assess: Does this get me there in some way? Does it put me in a position to develop my [existing] contacts and make new contacts? Does it get me where I want to go?”
- On what terms
would you be willing to return? Would
you be willing to take a salary cut or a different
position?
Many people are accepting jobs at salaries 20 percent to 30 percent below what they were making, Wilson says. “People shouldn’t be surprised if they don’t go into the same position at the same salary,” she said. “It’s not a personal issue. Companies simply aren’t in the same position.”
Kahn agreed. “In every industry there’s consolidation,” she said. “If you trust and like the company and are getting good benefits, that means everything in this world.”
copyright 2007 Media Staffing Network |