This week I have had a couple of conversations with friends of mine talking about their careers. One of them called me because she was offered a job that would be a fantastic opportunity for her in terms of her career growth, but the logistics and timing are all wrong for her (she is pregnant with her second child and it would entail a move across country in the middle of her pregnancy.) She was listing out the pros and cons of the offer, and in her mind, things stacked up *exactly* even.
Another friend interviewed earlier this year for a full-time job at Amazon.com where she has been working on contract for the last year or so. I remember when she got the interview, she wasn’t too sure about the fit with the group she was interviewing with. She ended up not getting the job, and she was actually relieved, even though she was also disappointed.
For those that are not *desperately* seeking a job, it’s difficult not to wonder at lack of enthusiasm when what appears to be a really good opportunity comes along. Sometimes an OPPORTUNITY seems really great, but when you get to the interview portion or you learn more about the organization, you realize that the job itself isn’t as appealing as what you thought it was. Maybe it’s the timing, perhaps it is the team you are interviewing with, or the manager has expectations that may be different than what has been portrayed to you. I said to both my friends that to me, the opportunity sounded amazing to them, but the actual job fell short. Both of them agreed that this was what they had been trying to clarify for themselves about what had bothered them.
It is unfortunate that a lot of organizations forget that the interview process is a two-way street. Candidates are evaluating fit as much as they are being evaluated. And in our recent tight economy, it is really difficult for some candidates to remember that you aren’t always obligated to take a job offer, especially if after a mutual exploration (phone screen, interviews) you feel that it truly isn’t a "fit" for you. If you have been exploring a potential opportunity, and something doesn’t feel right, remember that you should not discount your "gut reaction" if it seems "perfect" on the surface.