What Would You Do? “Not Your Dream Job”

By John West Hadley

The Stepping Stone, July 2021

Here is our next entry in the “What Would You Do?” series. Write to me at SteppingStone@JHACareers.com to tell me what you would do. In a future issue, I’ll compile the responses received (preserving your anonymity, of course), along with what actually happened in the real-life situation.

Help me craft future case studies. Write to me about your own challenging, surprising or nightmarish situations involving business, leadership, management or any of the topic areas covered by The Stepping Stone, and what lessons you learned from them. I’ll collaborate with you on turning your situation into a simple case study, being careful to ensure no one is identifiable. And share your own thoughts (pro and con) on the series as a whole at SteppingStone@JHACareers.com.

Not Your Dream Job

Ahmed is facing his final actuarial exam and is up for rotation into a new position. As he looks at what rotations are available, he finds he isn’t all that excited about his options. Then Sally, an innovative actuary to whom Ahmed had been assigned on a special project, approaches him. Sally says the financial manager in her new operation isn’t working out as expected, and if Ahmed would like it, she will find another role for that other actuary.

Ahmed had started in the company around the same time as that financial manager, and considers him a friend. He has concerns about being seen as “replacing” a friend, and whether there might be friction between them. He has also done a year’s rotation through a different financial operation of the company and had not found the work overly stimulating. At the time, he had concluded that he much preferred product work over a strictly financial or valuation role. 

Still, Ahmed had very much enjoyed working for Sally on that special project and found her approach to issues refreshing. He really likes the idea of being part of her operation.

If you were Ahmed, what would you do?

John Hadley is a career counselor who works with job seekers frustrated with their search, and professionals struggling to increase their visibility and influence. He can be reached at John@JHACareers.com or 908.725.2437. Find his free Career Tips newsletter and other resources at www.JHACareers.com. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnwesthadley/