Saying no to good job opportunities

I was recently presented with a job opportunity that was hard to pass up. It would have meant venturing into my preferred career (WordPress) full-time, taking an increase in pay, working from home and more. But I had to turn it down.

During the interview with the owner of the company, we started discussing the logistics of a trial which we both wanted to move ahead with. The looming arrival of Jack caused me to note that at any given time, I would be away from my desk for two weeks and I unapologetically would not be checking email or working as I enjoyed my paternity leave with my family.

That commitment to my core values acted as an excellent guide when considering this job offer. All along the way, everything lined up with what meant the most to me and it was only for that reason that I continued to pursue it.

The man that owned the company was very pleasant and I was looking forward to working with him and his team, and on the work that they had in mind for me. Ultimately it transpired that their team makes a point of working 45-50 hours per week as standard. That might be fine for some people but not for me. I work to live: I don’t live to work. My job is principally a way to fund me and my family’s lifestyle so that I can enjoy that lifestyle with them once my 40 hours are done. So the idea of working another 1-2 hours a day and being away from my family for that much more every day just wasn’t going to cut it for me.

Saying no to a good opportunity is hard, especially when you want out of your current job, you have a passion for something else, you’d be earning more money and any number of other benefits, but ultimately if it causes you to go against your core values, you have to say no.

When I said no, it was quite bizarre. Despite having gotten excited about this new opportunity, there were no hard feelings or sadness on my part. It was an acknowledgement that I had done the right thing for me and my family and that there’s just something better waiting in the offing.

By Dave

Dave is the proud father of Ellie and Jack. There's nothing that makes him happier than spending time with his incredible wife and their amazing children. He's a civil/mechanical engineer and he also builds and maintains WordPress websites.

2 comments

  1. Good on you. So many people have this totally backward thinking that some time in the future you can get back to family.

    At that point you’ve already killed the relationships though so there is no family to get back to.

    1. Indeed. Plus, these early years, both for your marriage, but especially with your kids are so important. I want to do everything possible to spend as much time with them as possible.

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