Wednesday, June 29, 2011

Hires Remorse

Buyer’s Remorse. That’s what we call it when we buy something and later regret having made that decision. We feel terrible; feel like we wasted our time and money. And, if we can’t take the product or service back, we feel cheated and unhappy with the company that provided it.

Of course, sometimes Buyer’s remorse kicks in not because of the quality of the product or service we bought, but because we realized we were in over our head... took on something that was too much to handle. While no feelings of being cheated by the company exist, there is still the terrible feeling that we wasted our time and money.

So, in any case, the root of buyer’s remorse is the terrible feeling that you made a bad decision.

Hires Remorse.  That’s what we call it when we accept a new position and later regret having made that decision. We feel terrible, like we wasted our time and, while not necessarily wasting our money directly, we certainly can feel that we wasted our “potential” to grow our career and net worth elsewhere.

And, if we can’t get our old jobs back (or the one we really wanted but didn’t select is no longer available), then we feel cheated and become generally unhappy with the job and company that provided it. Of course, sometimes Hires Remorse kicks in not because of the quality of the job or company that we joined, but because we realized we are in way over our head... took on something that was too much to handle. While no feelings of being cheated by the company exist (although the company may feel cheated by you), there is still the terrible feeling that we made a bad decision and that we are wasting our time and missing out on other, more suitable opportunities.

So, in any case, the root of Hires Remorse is the terrible feeling that you made a bad decision.

What can we do to minimize the chances of ever getting a case of Hires Remorse?  Simple... research!  In the case of Buyer's remorse, the majority of the reason we feel this way is due to impulse decisions and the lack of research and planning before we make a purchase. The same is true when making a career move. The majority of Hires Remorse can be attributed to people making a snap, impulse decision to make a job change or the lack of research and planning for the job prior to accepting it. Maybe we “heard good things” about working somewhere, so we assumed it must be a great company, failed to do our homework, took a new position then later found out that the job was undesirable... or that you got in way over your head.  It seemed like a good thing, now you have Hires Remorse and regret ever going there.

Savvy shoppers take the time to research projects and services before making the big purchase. They shop around and make sure they have assessed their options and are getting the best deal. Then they make a planned purchase... not an impulse. These savvy shoppers rarely experience buyer’s remorse.

Savvy job seekers take the time to research companies before joining them, interview around and make sure they have assessed their options and are getting the best position for them. Then they make a planned decision to take a position and join a company... not an impulse. These Savvy job seekers rarely experience Hires Remorse.

Avoid Hires Remorse... do your research, assess your options, have a plan and make an informed decision. Then, enjoy an awesome career with a great company and feel good about your decision every day. What a happy thought!