When I moved to New York City nearly three years ago, my excitement rested on two pillars: A promising job at a new content startup, and a limitless supply of great food options. And while my taste buds soon relegated themselves to the NYC lunch-standard (thanks, Chipotle!), my job turned out to be everything I hoped for and more. I became the first Editorial Director of Greatist, a high-quality health and fitness media company where facts and research — not crash diets and ab models — ruled the day.
But while Greatist gave me an unparalleled opportunity to help shape the nexus of online content and fitness media, late 2013 brought a desire to grow in directions I simply couldn't explore at that company. So while Greatist continues to pump out some of the best health and fitness articles around, I've moved on to a new position as Creative Director for RhinoCo Fitness. Of course, I've been incredibly lucky before, during, and after that shift: I basically left one dream job at an awesome, innovative fitness company for... another dream job at an awesome, innovative fitness company.
As I've written before, working for a startup can be a thrilling, exhausting, and deeply fulfilling experience (if you make it through the often non-traditional interview process). But in some circles, the startup halo of great perks and a looser corporate structure has stigmatized the desire to explore options with other (especially larger, more established, and potentially less cutting-edge) employers. Why would anyone want to leave a great job at their dream company?
That stigma can foster a culture where guilt outweighs the excitement of seeking new opportunity. Ultimately, startups aren't that different from a standard blue chip when it comes to professional fulfillment: If your personal growth has become stagnant and opportunity comes knocking from elsewhere, there's no shame in exploring your options. Below are four factors to consider first when thinking about moving on — whether it's to another budding small shop or the industry giant across town.
You want a new space. Even the scrappiest startups can become stale, and stagnation doesn't always originate from the inside. Maybe there's just not as much room for disruption as you once thought, or perhaps it's become clear your current startup isn't the company to drive it. The skills you incubated in one industry could easily carry over to greater success in another. Take a trip back to Economics 101 and examine your resume and skill set from a supply and demand perspective. Your dime-a-dozen experience in one space could go for a significantly higher rate a few industries over.
On the other hand, maybe you desperately want the same space. With any early stage startup, there's always the very real possibility the company could pivot entirely out of your comfort zone. If the industry itself drew you to the work in the first place, a full-blown shift in business model might be your signal to seek opportunity elsewhere. If it’s no longer the job you once loved, it’s not reflective of some personal shortcoming.
The perks level up. Cross-promotion is common in startups as founders assemble skills and employees like pieces in a VC-funded erector set. For example, my personal job shift was sparked in part by a desire to travel more, something an international company like RhinoCo allows me to do quite easily. There's a pervasive view among startup employees and entrepreneurs that salary and benefit are the least noble motivators in finding a job, but until we have Star Trek-style replicators to take care of every conceivable need, economic costs have to be factored in.
You have the need to lead. A mid (even entry) level position at a growing mover-and-shaker could have the experience another early stage company is looking for at the top. On the other hand, as was my case, an established, thriving business might want to start an entirely new branch. Just because your company is expanding doesn't mean there will always be clear paths for everyone to grow with it.
Some people want a new challenge, and others want to impact a different industry — or perhaps the same space from a different angle. And a new position might carry perks or a title your current job simply can’t offer. For me, it was a bit of all of the above. Whatever your motivation, it's not greedy or ungrateful to think that dream position might not be so dreamy anymore. Startup employees are always searching for how to use new products and services to improve our lives. But sometimes, they're slow to spot opportunities to better their own.
