Apply for the job, or not?

[Papa Deuce]

My wife started at a new job last week. She went to a place where she knows a ton of people. The place created a position for her when she called the HR director - who she knows very well - because her company wan cutting people and she did not want to get laid off or fired.

So, today is her 8th day at the new job. Yesterday the HR director told her that she should apply for a promotion for a job that is 2 levels above where she is now. That would mean applying for a job that would make her the boss of her new boss of 8 days. He is applying, but the HR director, without actually coming out and saying anything directly, has indicated that her boss of 8 days will not be getting the job.

She has always wanted a promotion to Senior Director level. But this would make her Executive Director of International Business Development..... and, I think that scares her. But because the HR person told her to go for it, she is thinking about it. My wife and the HR director go back 30 years and are good friends. She wouldn't tell my wife to apply if she thought it would hurt my wife in any way.

It is a huge salary increase. There are more perks and bigger bonuses. But there is a lot more travel, and as she always tells me, she is at the highest level where she feels "safe". And my wife does love her feeling of safety.

But I guess her biggest concern is if she doesn't get the job is whether it will put a strain in her relationship with her new boss, who she also has known a long time, but currently has a neutral relationship.

And then, finally, she is 30 year friends with the president of the company. They get along great, but as a boss, he has a reputation of driving people nuts.... And if she got the job, she would be working much more directly with the guy.

She works in big pharma; the whole industry is rather incestuous.

Apply or not apply? I think she is leaning against applying.

[chancellor]

The HR director has already crossed at least one boundary she shouldn't have, and the signals are pretty clear: the company isn't thrilled with your wife's boss. In addition, any belief of safety is simply an illusion in any industry but especially pharma.

She ought to pop for the job. If she doesn't get it she's no worse off. I'll assume her boss isn't some Dilbert mgmt dummy, so he knows he's on thin ice and your wife is friends with the HR director.

[In the Corn]

Chance is right .

[Papa Deuce]

I agree about the line crossing, Chance.

I guess I also agree about the safety, but the thing is that the guy who is president is really great friends with my wife.... like we go to each others homes for BBQs and such. Oh, and I DJ'd his 10th wedding anniversary party..... so you see, close. He has protected her before, and I can see no reason he wouldn't try to again, unless she really did make a big mistake, or wasn't working out.

[Erik]

I know nothing about how to navigate office politics, but IMO if she's a friend of the president of the company and is there in the first place mainly because of him, she's got nothing to worry about and should go for it if that's what she wants.

[Gregg]

This is a very interesting situation.

Since it has only been 8 days she really hasn't had time to love, hate, or anything in between for her current position. It seems like she left her old job for fear (and needed to). She also is so well liked that the company "created" as position to get her on board. This is a very good thing.

Now the company seems to have a real need for her talents not a made up position to get her on board. This is also a very good thing and one I wonder if not premeditated? The company stepped out for her, is it now the time for her to step up for them?

As Chance said safety is an illusion in the big picture. Takeovers, good higher ups who liked and supported us leaving for better jobs, transfers, downsizing, etc. all put us in peril. We can however create some amount of safety by the value we bring to our respective companies in the daily battles. Often times this can last many years or even a whole career.

Once she gets comfortable in the new position her knowledge, work ethic, performance, combined with the upper management supporters should give her a fair amount of security/safety.

Lastly if she looks ahead with the assumption that she will be successful in the new position, will that give her joy? Will that give her satisfaction?

[Papa Deuce]

Yeah, Gregg. An investment company bought out her company and was ditching jobs left and right. They brought in a new boss for my wife, and from day 1 they did not see eye to eye. So, my wife was sure she would be on the list to go. The woman was a bean counter and was brought in to cut the budget. The "funny" thing was that net income for my wife's department quadrupled in the 3 years she was there as the director of data management. But she definitely felt she was getting pushed out, as they got rid of 1/4 of her staff.

I am somewhat surprised that she wasn't called by the president of the company. Maybe that is considered something people don't openly do, but do it with a wink. I am not sure, but I think she has a week to decide if she wants to apply.

[Pogues]

To me it comes down to this: Does your wife desire a "safe" position in a company because she doubts her skills and abilities? Is it a lack of confidence that drives her desire to remain a bit hidden from view of the higher ups?

If so, then she shouldn't apply for the job, and try and hide. If she is certain of her skills, then she should apply.

[Gregg]

To me it comes down to this: Does your wife desire a "safe" position in a company because she doubts her skills and abilities? Is it a lack of confidence that drives her desire to remain a bit hidden from view of the higher ups?

If so, then she shouldn't apply for the job, and try and hide. If she is certain of her skills, then she should apply.

I tend to agree with this as going up the ladder isn't for everyone.

However given these circumstances, I still have to wonder if it is not too late to hide. They did after all create a position to get her on board. I am thinking it always was with the idea in mind for bigger things. Does she owe it to her employer friends to step into it? They seem to have confidence in her even if she doesn't have it for herself.

[Fresno Bob]

She should apply for the job, they are basically telling her to do it, and if she doesn't, that is going to be noticed. There is no "safety" in any job other than having "Fuck You" money.

[Papa Deuce]

Well, the other day, the HR woman asked my wife if she had given it any more thought, and my wife said she had thought about it, but not decided what to do. The woman told her that it was a no lose proposition, that if she didn't get it, she still had her current job. So, now my wife is leaning towards applying. The deadline to apply was extended.... I think what worries my wife is that she knows that she isn't the "best" at what she does; she knows that she is tremendous as a "people person"...... she can put out fires quickly by getting people to calm down. And she is known for extreme loyalty to good employees who work for her. But technical knowledge is not her best asset.

[Papa Deuce]

OK, well, she applied..... she doesn't think she will get it now, though, as someone with experience from a bigger company than hers has applied for the job - and he has the same job title of the job that my wife was told to apply for. Won't know for weeks, I bet as to whether she gets it or not.