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Is money your bottom line? I had to ask myself this very question not too long ago.
Working in the freelance realm, there are tons of opportunities that can come and go. A CEO contacted me regarding a position at his company that sounded interesting (in a good way). I wasn’t looking for anything new, but am not unwilling to entertain new ventures. After all, you never know where opportunities can take you, right?
There was a phone conversation that helped demystify the position and what it entailed. The problems however came after goodbyes were said.
Have you ever had a gut feeling that something was off?
Call me a snob or overprotective, but I don’t believe anyone should give out their personal information too soon. Yes there are contracts and things that come into play, but why on earth are you asking for my social security number before I even see anything in writing? Does that sound a little odd to you? Because it sure as heck sounded fishy to me. Prior to even speaking with this particular company, I did my research to make sure they were legit.
I had a little back and forth via email as I was trying to get to the bottom of things. There were no rude or unprofessional exchanges, but I just couldn’t understand why a company was pressing to get my personal info before I even saw a contract. Can you imagine forking over that and your banking 411 only to back out of the agreement because something didn’t look right? Now you have people with all of your business and you aren’t even going to work together.
A few days passed and I was finally able to get a copy of the contract (in the middle of the night) that helped to make my decision clear. I just couldn’t say yes.
Prior to my decision, I spoke to my husband about the matter. I was so surprised to hear him actually agree with me, not because we don’t see things eye-to-eye, but because he doesn’t mind working a job he doesn’t like if it pays well. The funny thing is, he thought something was off too.
“Babe, you’ve been freelancing for some time now,” he mentioned. “Trust your gut.”
The only thing that kept me on the hook before my decision was the money. Yes it would’ve been nice, but thankfully, my household is in a financial position where we don’t need to rely on it. I realize that’s not the reality for everyone given today’s economy. Does that mean however that you take any position–even if your better judgment votes against it? And we’re not talking about not accepting or leaving a position because it doesn’t bring you happiness all the time. That’s bound to happen. This has to deal with warning signs and whether or not you choose to pay attention to them.
I can recall earlier days in my career when I jumped at any and every opportunity. Bills weren’t going to pay for themselves and I needed to pull my own weight. One thing I’ve learned is that money isn’t everything. Yes it certainly does help to pad your account, but at the end of the day, you need to be happy with your decision, and, more importantly, in a position that you believe in.
Not all jobs are created equal and there might be a reason why you’re feeling funny. The question is whether or not you plan to trust your gut or jump at the chance–ignoring the writing on the wall–because the pay sounds too good to be true.
