Before starting at Spot Pet Insurance, I worked at a well-established company in a different industry and was offered a promotion to a higher position within the company. Although this promotion offered more money and greater responsibility, I decided not to take it. Firstly, I had become dissatisfied with the work I was doing and felt that it lacked meaning and purpose. I wanted to make a positive impact on people's lives in a way that was personally fulfilling. Secondly, I craved the freedom and flexibility to pursue my own ideas and make my own decisions. Working for a large company with a rigid structure made it difficult to be innovative. Although starting at a new company was risky, I believed that the potential rewards were worth the uncertainty. In the end, I decided to take a chance on myself and pursue my passion. While it was challenging at first, I am proud of what we have accomplished at Spot and the positive impact we have had on the lives of pets and their owners.
I was working for a mid-sized organization in the golf space when I was offered the CMO role - which was a pretty plum job - from the money to extensive travel to sun-drenched golf destinations. But at the time, I had been considering going out on my own and starting a consulting business. It had been a dream of mine since my late 20s when I began to feel stifled working for others. On a short-term basis, I wanted to control what my day-to-day work life looked like, and ultimately on a long-term basis, I wanted to determine my professional destiny. Fast forward to the present day, and after many years of experiencing the exhilarating highs and the sometimes soul-crushing lows of entrepreneurship, my decision to "play through" to my own company has been, by far, my best professional decision.
When I first got started with my career, I got a great job working as a customer care representative for a very decent company and I was very happy with the job for a while. However, when it came time to accept my earned promotion, I didn't really feel comfortable with the decision because it did not align with my long-term goals of wanting to run a business and move beyond customer service. My time in customer service made me great at dealing with people and combined with my other skills and goals, I knew there was more for me out there, which is why I didn't take the job promotion and instead went to work a different job and eventually start my own business.
For years I worked away diligently, putting in that extra effort where it was needed, always hoping that my chance to get the promotion to the leadership team that I yearned for would finally materialize. I knew that I had the ability, but each time the selection process came around I was passed over for someone with a little more experience or an extra qualification or two. Eventually I came to accept that it wasn't going to happen for me and I started forming my plans to start my own business. Then, as my plans were being finalized, I was called into the office and informed that the role I had been chasing was mine if I wanted it. I had to consider if I was prepared to forego my dream for the security of a steady job, or if I had the confidence to go it alone. I came to realize that I would never be happy working for someone else, and if I was going to succeed I was going to do it my way. I declined the offer, and set off on my journey as an entrepreneur.
I was always a good programmer that wasn't short on opportunities for professional growth, but eventually I decided to go independent and start my own company. The main reason for me to do so was that I found that I enjoyed watching my ideas come to full fruition from a few doodles on a notepad significantly more than I did my original job, and thus Yarooms was born. There is nothing quite so scary while at the same time so fulfilling as going your own way and having it work out better than you could have imagined.
Geography was always a very important consideration for me, since as my family grew and developed deeper roots in the location we were living, it would affect more people than me if we suddenly had to move to a new location for a job. Granted, I had been an officer in the U.S. Navy for the first 10 years of my career, so moving was a constant every 2-3 years, but as I transitioned into my corporate career and got remarried, I had to think of not only my spouse's career, but also how we were raising our next generation in terms of activities they participated in, the quality of the schools they attended. Plus, being closer to family and long-time friends was important to me, as well - especially since I lived such a nomadic life in the military.
A couple of years into my professional career, post college, I was offered three different promotions that I turned down. The company had a structured succession planning process that streamlined advancement for early career professionals like myself. I was one of the top performers at the time which meant that my name came up when an opportunity opened up. It was flattering and the roles came with a salary increase. But none of them felt right. I knew that the only reason why I would accept any of the offers would solely be based on money, not the job itself. Instead, I applied for a college recruiting role internally that involved learning new skills and a career change. I interviewed for it and landed the job. It was one of the best moves in my career and the beginning of a successful 15+ year career in HR/People & Culture. Never pass up the opportunity to try something new and challenge yourself to pick up a different set of skills.
Before leaving my last company to start my own venture, I was offered a major promotion. On paper, it was an amazing opportunity. However, the reality was that management wasn’t offering me the new position for altruistic reasons or as a reward for my past work. The motivation for the offer was simply putting the golden handcuffs on me in a tight labor market so they wouldn’t have to suffer the costs of attrition (which they surely suspected was coming). They knew I was becoming less engaged and looking for other opportunities, and made the business decision that it was cheaper to keep me. That's why when they presented me with the offer, I didn’t have to think about it long – I turned it down the same day. I didn’t want the pressure or awkwardness of having to jump ship after having just taken the promotion. It’s a bizarre reason to turn down a promotion, but there’s no sense in getting in deeper when you know you want out.
At one point in my career, I had the opportunity to take a promotion that would have been a big step up from where I was but I didn’t have many options for long-term growth. While the immediate opportunity was great, it would have led to career stagnation in just a few years. There were other career paths within the workplace that offered more room for long-term growth, so I chose to wait for one of those opportunities to become available. It was not an easy decision, but definitely the right one because by waiting, I was able to end up on a career track that had multiple possibilities for long-term growth.
I was offered a managerial position at a division of our company across the country years ago. Business leaders begged me to take it for several reasons. That office needed strong leadership and I had already worked there for several weeks straightening out some issues. I turned it down. My reasoning involved many factors. I didn't think it paid enough to make such a move and already knew they offered the job before me to someone else at more pay. The main reason I didn't want to move was the health of my older relatives was declining and I felt I needed to remain close by for emergencies. It would be hard to take care of their needs if I lived across the country.
When I was offered a job promotion two years ago, it was an exciting opportunity that I had worked hard to earn. With a higher salary, greater responsibilities, and a better job title, I was eager to take on the challenge. However, after careful consideration, I chose to turn down the promotion. I had weighed the pros and cons of the offer, and ultimately, the cons outweighed the pros. The first pro was the salary increase. My current salary was not enough to cover my living expenses, and the promotion would have meant a substantial raise. While this was appealing, the salary increase was not enough to incentivize me to take on the added responsibility of the position. The second pro was the job title. I had worked hard to reach the level of my current job title, and the promotion would have meant a prestigious title that I could be proud of. However, I felt that the job title was not worth the pressures of the added responsibility.
My 40+ year career has undoubtedly been filled with passion and drive. Instead of continuing to climb the Werner Ladder family business, I opted to take a big risk and bet on my engineering and entrepreneur drive to re-invent myself. As I wanted to ensure that my family's legacy would flourish for coming generations, to pass on my family legacy. Instead of accepting a corporate ladder promotion, I tinkered in my garage to find a solution that address my sleep issues after having three major neck surgeries. It all started with a vision for how I could provide innovation and quality to the mattress and bedding industry. 20 years later, it's now its own successful D2C and omni-channel brand.
At one of the previous companies I worked at, I was offered a job promotion. I knew it was an opportunity to further my career and make more money. But after seriously considering the pros and cons of taking the promotion, I realized that there were non-monetary considerations at play that I just couldn't ignore. Primarily, I realized the new role would have required much longer hours—which would have affected my personal life significantly. My family is incredibly important to me, so having less quality time with them simply wasn’t worth it. So I decided to politely decline the promotion—the position I already had at the company was already incredibly fulfilling! This, combined with the fact that I wasn't actively trying to change roles anyways, ultimately made the choice not to accept the promotion the best choice for me.
I passed on a job promotion before due to internal politics. The company culture was taking a toll on my mental health and was just not working for me anymore. I assessed my career goals before making a decision to resign and move to another company. This turned out to be the right decision, as the company I moved to was more aligned with my goals, values, and vision.
Make sure that you’re taking a job that is the right fit for you. Don’t try to cram a round peg into a square hole – even if the square hole is more lucrative and more glamorous. Don’t take a job even if you’re feeling pressure to take – if it doesn’t feel right to you. It isn’t about a lack of confidence. It’s about knowing your worth and knowing where you will excel the most. Be patient and wait on a job where you know you will be a star.
Prior to starting my coffee website, Home Grounds, I was working as a traveling barista with a passion for coffee. I was initially working full-time while starting Home Grounds, but I was determined to make Home Grounds my full-time job. About a year after starting, I had to make a decision. I could either manage a coffee shop I had been working at or go full-time with my website. I ultimately decided to bet on myself and I didn’t take the management position. I gave up a guaranteed salary and benefits for an, at the time, unsteady income with no guarantee it will get any better. I knew I could just go back to being a barista if all failed and having a backup plan helped. Fortunately, I never had to go back and Home Grounds is thriving. If you have big dreams, bet on yourself, take that chance and if you fail, you can always try again. Take that chance!
Yes, there was a time when I was offered a job promotion that would have taken me to a higher level in the company, I had to make an important decision. After careful consideration, I decided not to take the promotion. I weighed the cost and benefit of taking a promotion. While the position came with a salary increase, it would have also required me to move locations. This would have meant uprooting my family and taking on the cost of a new location, which I felt was too great of a risk for me at the time. In the end, I chose to stay with my current job where I could continue to build upon my existing skills and gain more experience. It was definitely a challenging decision to make, but I am still happy with the choice I made. It has allowed me to stay focused on my career goals and learn from my mistakes to become a better version of myself.
Not receiving a promotion can help you maintain job development and personal satisfaction. Many of us are unaware that we are on an ever-faster treadmill with an increased incline and that staying on the treadmill pulls energy away from personal relationships, family, and other activities. Not earning a promotion slows the treadmill, giving you time to reflect on your job and life. How will you spend your time and energy? These questions are rarely asked, but a career setback can make them forceful.
Many assume promotions are the opportunity we are all waiting for. But sometimes that isn’t the case. In fact some promotions move us further away from our goal instead of closer to it. For example, when working at one company, I was offered a promotion to a management position that would have meant higher pay. After some serious consideration, I declined the offer. To accept the position would have meant giving up my work with customers, which I enjoyed. I would have instead been managing employees and had no direct contact with customers. I couldn’t see giving up something I loved for something I didn’t, even for more money.
Individuals need to align their career goals with the job responsibilities associated with the promotion. If the promotion does not align with their career goals, they may not feel motivated or satisfied with their work, which can impact their productivity and success in the role.