Should You Go Back to Your Old Job?
Career Advice / August 16, 2022Table of Contents
- Were You Underpaid?
- Were You Given Too Many or Too Few Hours?
- Was Your Career Growth Stuck?
- Did Company Values Clash with Yours?
- Was the Work Environment Toxic?
- Do Company Policies Match Your Future Needs?
At the end of lots of soul searching, pros and cons lists, and rigorous interviews, you’ve decided to move on from your old company. You’re settled in at your new job until…you get a phone call. Your old company wants you back.
What to do?
If you absolutely love the new job, it’s an easy decision. But most jobs include a mix of good and bad which can make the choice much more complicated. To assess this decision, start by considering why you left your old company in the first place.
Were You Underpaid?
If you felt you were underpaid for your role, and now the company is offering you a more attractive compensation package, then returning could be logical.
But…are they only paying you more because you left? If you had requested raises in the past only to be refused, can you be sure that won’t happen again? While the increased compensation looks attractive now, you don’t want to get stuck in a stagnant financial position as your career progresses.
Good employers don’t only give raises because they’re desperate. They give raises because they value and appreciate your contributions. So look back at any payment patterns before choosing to return.
Were You Given Too Many or Too Few Hours?
Hourly employees must find the right balance of work hours—enough to pay all their bills, but not so many that they can’t meet other obligations, like school or childcare.
Some workplaces deliberately keep each employee below full-time hours to avoid having to offer health insurance and other benefits. Others are understaffed and require each employee to put in long hours to make up the slack.
Before considering a return to an old job, ask how many hours you would be given and make sure that works with your current availability.
Was Your Career Growth Stuck?
Perhaps you felt there was no path for advancement in your previous role. Conversations with your supervisor about career growth went nowhere. So you took another job to get you to the next level.
If you’re focused on growth, how will a move back to your old company meet that goal? A new title and advanced responsibilities may make the move a good choice. But make sure to talk to the hiring manager about opportunities for future growth in this new role, and outline a general plan to get where you want to go.
Did Company Values Clash with Yours?
Not all companies take their corporate responsibility seriously. And these days, employees want their work to match their personal values.
Was your old company heedless of its environmental impact? Did it contribute to causes that clashed with your sense of right, or encourage unethical behavior? Unless these issues have been resolved, a return back to this kind of company will not make you happy long-term.
Was the Work Environment Toxic?
There can be many causes of a toxic work environment, and some are much more easily remedied than others.
If there was a single manager who seemed to have it out for you, the problem could be resolved if they are no longer with the company. But if the problem was a top-down culture of overwork and stress, then it’s unlikely to change—unless the company has actively undertaken a massive culture shift.
Ask questions! Even if your old job is offering you more money, it may not be worth it if it will risk damaging your mental health.
Do Company Policies Match Your Future Needs?
Your life goes through stages, and the company’s policies may or may not provide what you’ll need in the future. Perhaps you’re thinking about having children soon. Does your old company offer competitive maternity or paternity leave? Just because you don’t need it now doesn’t mean you won’t in the next year or two.
What about vacation time? If you want to start traveling more, but your old company only offers a week of vacation each year, then it may not align with this time in your life.
Don’t just look to the past. Look to the future to make sure the company provides what you need. A job is only one part of the puzzle that is a happy life!
