Do you have to make a professional decision that has you stuck? Suppose there was a vacant position in another company and you doubted because you are also good in yours. Or that you were weighing two interesting positions and you were not clear which one is the most suitable for you. Or that you were considering asking for a promotion or a position in another department of your workplace but you were not clear. If you are (or could be in the future) in any of these situations, how to choose the most suitable option for you? Which one would you be most satisfied with?
Of course I start from the base that you have a clear professional objective. That you have bothered to think and decide what type of professional career you want to follow and now you have doubts between different options that are equally attractive and interesting for you. If you have not yet set your professional goal, that is the first step, so that you do not stumble from one job to another without rhyme or reason. But that is topic for another article, now suppose that you have already taken that step.
I especially like helping my clients make these kinds of decisions because, although having options is a good thing, nobody takes away that you can have a lot of pressure when deciding! I usually suggest a series of steps to clarify your ideas a little so that you can make the decision more easily. That is why I liked an article I read a long time ago at www.mindtools.com (excellent website with many resources, by the way) where they explained three steps to follow in this situation, with which I totally agree:
1. Rational analysis
2. Analysis of your priorities
3. Emotional analysis
On the one hand, it is necessary to take into account a series of factors and how the option in question adjusts to these factors. But it is not only the factors that are important but the priority that you give to each factor. The type of job or the situation may be especially important to you and the salary or responsibility that it implies for another person. In addition to these rational factors, you also have to take into account the emotional part, what your intuition tells you.
For the rational analysis you have to take into account factors such as salary, objectives to achieve, what is expected of your position, if there will be people in your charge, required skills, promotion possibilities, travel, the company culture and if you would fit, the resources they have, etc.
Once you have this clear, it is time to analyze your personal priorities. How these factors fit with what you want. We are all different and what for some may be fabulous maybe you do not want to see it even in painting (in my case, for example, having to wear a suit;) So start to consider if you would like your workplace. If you could develop your full potential, if it gives you the stability / variety / challenge you are looking for. If you are wanting to lead a team or you prefer not to do it, if you feel better working as a team or on your own, if it is essential that there be a great creative part, future prospects, transfer time, holidays. All the things that are essential for you to feel satisfied at work. And don't forget to analyze the economic part.As I told you a couple of weeks ago, it may have more influence on your decisions than you think…
In summary, make a list of the criteria that are important to you, put them in order of priority and start scoring each option for each of the criteria. Once you are clear about the pros and cons of each option (take all the time you need) the third part comes into play, the emotional part. How do you feel when you think about each of the options? Which is the most consistent with your goals and your ideal of life? If you are not feeling well, find out the cause, maybe there is something you have not considered. If you feel rationally and emotionally satisfied with your decision then go ahead.
There are many ways to make decisions, but there are certain circumstances in which the pressure is such that you need to have as much information as possible to feel that you have made a good decision. In this case, this option of the 3 steps: rational analysis, analysis of your priorities and emotional analysis may be the one that helps you the most.
