Leave a good boss for career advancement?

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alwayshedge
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Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by alwayshedge »

I've recently been presented with an opportunity to move up the ladder with my current employer. I'm excited but at the same time a little sad because I've developed such a strong work relationship with my current boss whom I've worked under for about 8 years. We are essentially the same personality, get along great, and consistently meet and exceed expectations as a team. I almost feel bad accepting the promotion since I would be entering a more senior role and leaving this boss behind. I feel the decision is a no brainer but I tend to ponder things too much. Has anyone been in a similar situation before?
jebmke
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by jebmke »

A good manager expects, and even wants members of her/his team to excel and advance.
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mrc
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by mrc »

Yes I've been there. Take the new job. Both great and awful work situations don't last forever. Current boss could move away from the position tomorrow. Maybe you'll meet again. You have an ally in the company. Good luck.
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multiham
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by multiham »

Go for the new opportunity. If your relationship is as good as you make it out to be, your old boss will be thrilled that you have received this opportunity. I have worked for the same mega-corp for 27 years and have had long term team members get promoted (one is actually my boss now) and I couldn't be more thrilled for them. I always think (right or wrong!) that I played a part in getting them to where they are now. I take pride in that and I'm sure your old boss will too.
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Tycoon
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by Tycoon »

I've done it a few times. My good managers never seemed to have a problem moving, so I follow their example.
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bertilak
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by bertilak »

Careers outlast managers, or at least they should!
May neither drought nor rain nor blizzard disturb the joy juice in your gizzard. -- Squire Omar Barker (aka S.O.B.), the Cowboy Poet
madmartigan
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by madmartigan »

Having been on both sides of this equation, with a good boss promotions have always been met with genuine happiness, albeit bittersweet in some cases. As a manager now, I pride myself on creating upward mobility for my reports, and consider our relationship a success when they are comfortable enough to tell me of advancement opportunities, internal or external. When presented with these scenarios, occasionally I've advised reports to leave our company and go for the other offer because it's well aligned with their interests and I cannot match their offer at the moment. I do advise them of what their roadmap could look like in their current role so they have an appropriate perspective when making their decision. You may want to ask your current boss about that, if applicable. I enjoy seeing other team members move up internally, because I believe our relationship will be beneficial to the company, and to our teams / departments working together in the future. It's a challenge to juggle my team's growth and their opportunities with my own career desires, it's not always black and white, so please consider that if your manager presents mixed feelings initially.

I do think your current boss and support network should be a factor in any job decision, but in the absense of more data, I think career advancement would always outweigh a great current boss, if that is one's desired path.
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Watty
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by Watty »

One risk is that the Peter Principle says that people rise in a corporation to their level of incompetence. By turning down a good promotion that could be taken as a sign that you are somehow already at your limits and looking to just coast in your current job. Future promotion may be much harder to get since they might not even consider you for them since you have already turned down one promotion.

That may also be remembered the next time there are layoffs since you may be seen as not having a lot of career prospects at that company.

It is also very likely that your current boss endorsed you for the new position so turning it down could be awkward.
dbr
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by dbr »

Your current boss can just as easily move on himself (whether or not he really wants to). You would be a fool to eschew an opportunity assuming that everything is going to stay good and happy where you are. At Megacorp my average tenure for bosses was probably about two years, and for bosses bosses about that as well.
Dottie57
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by Dottie57 »

alwayshedge wrote:I've recently been presented with an opportunity to move up the ladder with my current employer. I'm excited but at the same time a little sad because I've developed such a strong work relationship with my current boss whom I've worked under for about 8 years. We are essentially the same personality, get along great, and consistently meet and exceed expectations as a team. I almost feel bad accepting the promotion since I would be entering a more senior role and leaving this boss behind. I feel the decision is a no brainer but I tend to ponder things too much. Has anyone been in a similar situation before?

Well hopefully you can be his champion when it comes to promotions in the future.
camden
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by camden »

Take the promotion. Having someone under them move up usually speaks well of a boss. And take whatever it was in the management style of your old boss that you found appealing, engaging and motivating along with you to help guide your behavior in your new job.
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BolderBoy
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by BolderBoy »

jebmke wrote:A good manager expects, and even wants members of her/his team to excel and advance.
+1. The mark of a very good manager.
"Never underestimate one's capacity to overestimate one's abilities" - The Dunning-Kruger Effect
MutualEdge
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Re: Leave a good boss for career advancement?

Post by MutualEdge »

Take the new position; keep the boss as a mentor. Meet with him/her every so often to catch up and keep the relationship going.

Congrats to you!
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