Originally posted on LinkedIn on April 30, 2024
The insistent, foot-tap inducing, two chord sequence which opens this 1982 British punk rock hit single by The Clash is instantly recognizable. Also instantly recognizable is the dilemma which faces everyone at some point in their working career: Should I Stay or Should I Go?
I really like my job at BlackRock but I tell my team that they need to be looking outside occasionally. The reason is simple: how do you know that this is what’s best for you unless you have a point of comparison? Feeling that you are where you are “meant” to be is essential to being invested in your career and being motivated to lean into opportunities.
But how does one evaluate alternative paths? Some thoughts:
1. What do you like most about where you are? Why is it important to you? How does it help define who you are?
For me, it’s the autonomy I have in formulating a vision for my team, shaping organizational structure, and developing talented individuals. This autonomy exploits my superpower for seeing around corners and building systems to match future needs.
Stay or go: will the new opportunity offer the same? If not, perhaps consider carefully - or maybe what was once important to you is no longer so?
2. What do you find challenging about where you are? Is this truly holding you back?
For me, I find it hard to navigate big companies. I like the intimacy and immediacy of walking over to someone’s office, having a conversation, charting a course, and executing. But I’ve also learned that I can approximate a “small company” feel by fostering deeper relationships and putting in the extra effort to communicate complex information effectively to different stakeholders.
Stay or go: does the diligence indicate that the new opportunity will be different? Have you exhausted all avenues to overcome your current obstacles?
3. Money, title, and prestige.
This one is a little harder. A successful stint at a brand-name company can be a good resume builder. But when I joined BlackRock in 2010, nobody had heard of them. The Aladdin platform I support was not what it is today. What was I drawn to? The people: they were smart, excited about their work, and had self-belief.
Stay or go: we all index differently on these measures. But if you’re honest with yourself and authentic in your interactions you are less likely to lead yourself down the wrong path.
Final thoughts. Your new manager will directly influence your experience. Do the other people on the team seem happy? If he/she is a jerk, or your personalities clash, it’s going to be an uphill climb. How long have the people you’ve met worked there? If the enterprise can’t hold on to people, ask yourself why. One thing I look out for very closely is how senior people treat the cleaning staff, reception and administrative assistants. In a firm where everyone is valued, you will be too.
J