Reflect on a time when you turned down an opportunity. What was the thought process behind your decision? Would you make the same decision today?
I had just graduated from Yale after growing up in the state of Connecticut, and decided it was time to experience life in a completely different region. I had several friends living in Portland, Oregon and I knew I would enjoy the culture and outdoor activities, My girlfriend had already landed a job at the largest advertising agency in Portland, and was apartment hunting while she waited for the job to begin. I was still in CT interviewing for a position in the Portland headquarters of Nike and was excited by the idea of beginning my career in product development at a company that is both known for innovation and is one of the strongest brands in sports.
Nearing the end of the interview process, after meeting what seemed like everyone in the company, my recruiter told me there was no immediate opportunity in Oregon, but I could start an entry level marketing job in the New York office within a month. The hiring manager was interested in my skills, and the opportunity was mine for the taking.
When I was presented with a dream job, but in a city I didn’t want to live in, I had to seriously consider my options. I had already decided to move to Portland, and my girlfriend was there already. I saw that Portland was the best option for me personally in many ways, though I realized it was also an unknown factor. After thinking through the problem by myself, I was torn, but I knew that I couldn’t rely on an objective perspective from either my girlfriend or friends in Portland.
I decided to reach out to my family members and mentors for their advice. I knew that one of my economics professors would give me advice with my best interests in mind, that my father’s career in business would provide a useful point of view, and that my boss during my college internship at Microsoft could give me valuable information as someone who recruited talent directly from college.
After conversing with all three mentors, they all consistently told me that my career would be long and the first job out of college was not the last job I would have, whatever decision I made would not lead to ultimate success or failure. At the same time, both my professor and my father thought that it was important to show Nike I was flexible and willing to sacrifice to take the job. However, my mentor at Microsoft thought there would be other jobs at Nike and they would understand that I preferred to work in Portland.
As I contemplated the advice I had been given, I decided that my first priority was to broaden my experiences in a new city and I turned down the job. Two months after moving to Portland Nike offered me a job in the product development group, an even more attractive position than the one I turned down. I have been there ever since, enjoying both the city and the opportunities at the company. I have never regretted my decision to turn down the first job I was offered at Nike.
Specifically, I knew from the way I felt entirely sure after making the decision that I had done the right thing. Now, I always check in with my internal compass to make sure I am consistent with my true desires. As that girlfriend is now my wife, I think it was important to consider her in the equation, and I continue to think of my friends and family when contemplating a tough decision.
Additionally, this was one of the first times I had approached a diverse group of mentors to seek advice. I found this approach to be so successful that I practice this decision making process in every major professional decision I need to make. In my decision to apply to Wharton I both sought advice from my “board of directors” and interacted with current students and faculty at the school, using both my head and my passions to make the right decision.