Career Decision Risks

Getting fired…after you quit?…🤔 It’s a scenario many don’t anticipate: you submit your two weeks’ notice, expecting a professional transition, but instead, you’re shown the door immediately. Here’s why this happens—and how to handle it: 1. Why Companies Do This: • They may see your departure as a security risk. Will you take sensitive info to your next job? • Morale concerns: They worry you might disengage or influence your colleagues. • Budget cuts: Sometimes they see an opportunity to save two weeks of salary. 2. What to Expect: • Final Paycheck: Depending on your local laws, you may still be owed the notice period or unused vacation pay. Know your rights. • Health Benefits: If you’re in the U.S., find out when your insurance coverage ends—often it’s immediately. COBRA or a new employer plan can help bridge the gap. • References: Even if this feels personal, keep your exit professional. Burning bridges won’t serve you long-term. 3. Protect Yourself Beforehand: • Don’t Blindside Your Employer: Avoid catching them off guard; a carefully crafted resignation letter helps. • Secure Key Documents: Before resigning, ensure you have any personal files or non-confidential information you might need. • Have an Emergency Fund: A buffer can turn a sudden firing into a minor inconvenience instead of a financial crisis. 4. Lessons to Take Away: • Companies look out for their interests; you should do the same. • Two weeks’ notice is a courtesy, not a guarantee. If your gut says they might let you go on the spot, prepare accordingly. Remember: an unplanned exit is just a detour, not a dead end. Stay resilient and use it as fuel for your next opportunity. Have you ever experienced this? What did you learn from it? #CareerGrowth #JobTips #Resignation

70% of impulsive quits lead to career-damaging regret Plan your career exit to avoid long-term damage. Quitting impulsively might lead to: - Regret - Burnt bridges - Damaged career - Reputation harm - Lost opportunities - Emotional burnout - Financial instability - Missed growth chances - Limited career advancement - Weakened professional network Here’s how to plan an exit without damaging your career 10 Steps to Quit Your Job Strategically: 1. Assess your financial situation and build savings ↳ Ensure you have at least 3-6 months of living expenses saved. 2. Identify your career goals before quitting ↳ Be clear on your next step - don’t quit without a plan. 3. Research new roles or industries that excite you ↳ Explore opportunities that align with your long-term vision. 4. Develop new skills needed for your next step ↳ Use your current role to gain skills that will make you competitive. 5. Build a strong network and reconnect with contacts ↳ Leverage your connections for insights and opportunities. 6. Update your resume and online profiles ↳ Ensure LinkedIn and your resume reflect your latest achievements. 7. Gather testimonials and references before leaving ↳ Secure recommendations while you're still fresh in colleagues' minds. 8. Create a timeline for your departure and transition ↳ Set a clear exit date to stay focused and on track. 9. Plan how to discuss your resignation professionally ↳ Prepare a thoughtful resignation letter and exit conversation. 10. Exit on good terms to maintain your reputation ↳ Leave gracefully, your reputation follows you everywhere. Quitting isn’t about escaping; it’s about leveling up with intention and strategy. How do you ensure your exit sets you up for future success? ♻️ Repost to help others quit strategically, not impulsively 🔔 Follow Jitender Girdhar for more

Thinking of Leaving Your Corporate Job for a Startup/Family Run Business? Read This First. Recently, a friend invited me out for coffee, a meeting that quickly turned from casual conversation to a serious discussion about a career decision he’d been quietly wrestling with. He works at a well-established multinational and felt it was time to confront the quiet frustration that had been building beneath his routine. Viewed through a professional lens, his job seems ideal, a structured position with clear reporting lines and efficient systems. It offers annual salary reviews, comprehensive medical cover, and the prestige that comes with working for a globally recognized brand. But as we spoke, I could sense a different reality unfolding. He told me he’s been overlooked for growth opportunities, usually in favour of “louder voices” or foreign-educated colleagues. His ideas stall in endless approval loops due to bureaucracy. Slowly, predictability has turned into a sense of invisibility. So when a local startup approached him with an offer, a senior title, a generous pay, and the promise of more growth, he listened. It was the shift he wanted. But before signing anything, he asked me for advice. What I told him wasn’t discouragement; it was some reality that I’ve seen play out in my 15 years in recruitment. The majority of professionals who move from a corporate job rarely make it in a startup/family-run business. While startups promise speed, impact, and flexibility, they also come with hard truths that don’t show up in the job description. 1. There Are No Systems to Hold You Up In a multinational/corporate, when something breaks, you call someone. In a startup, you are that someone. No onboarding, and no defined process. One day you're setting strategy, the next you're solving delivery issues. 2. Resources Are Limited, Expectations Aren’t Startups run lean, with fewer tools, tighter budgets, and no extra hands. Multitasking isn’t a bonus; it’s the norm. 3. The Direction Can Shift Overnight Priorities change fast. That polished deck or detailed plan may be tossed aside without warning. You need to stay flexible even when things feel chaotic. 4. Feedback Is Unfiltered There’s little time for diplomacy. Feedback is quick, blunt, and often public. If you’re only used to formal reviews, this shift can feel jarring. 5. Work-Life Balance Gets Blurry You’ll likely work longer hours because there’s no buffer. If you don’t do it, it won’t get done. I did not dissuade him from accepting the offer. Instead, I reminded him that transitioning from a multinational to a startup is not merely a change in role; it is a fundamental shift in mindset. It requires resilience, self-awareness, and a strong capacity to navigate uncertainty. For those who've made the leap from corporate to a startup: What was your biggest "aha!" moment, and what unexpected lessons did you learn? Share your wisdom in the comments! #StartupReality #CareerShift

"We needed this person yesterday." Throughout my career, so many recruitment processes started with this phrase from a Hiring Manager. There is no doubt that some roles are genuinely urgent. Yet, too often, this mantra of urgency becomes a reflex—a knee-jerk reaction ingrained in our professional DNA. A mentality born out of habit and perhaps the panic from discovering you're losing a team member, a valued employee. I remember many occasions where a vacancy started with this phrase, and then the role changed or was never filled, and......everyone was ok. There are unintended consequences when we initiate a recruitment process with an unwavering focus on speed. It restricts a recruiter's ability to: ✅ Meticulously evaluate their talent pool before presenting candidates, fearing delays might cost them. ✅ Advocate for candidates who cannot operate at the same speed and pace as the rest of the pool ✅ Disrupt and challenge biases throughout without fear of not meeting deadlines or commercial goals Starting a recruitment process with an exclusive focus on speed means that you're creating a race. A race that likely the most privileged will win. So, here's a friendly reminder: In recruitment, speed is the enemy of inclusion and the best friend of privilege. Food for thought or unpopular opinion? Join me in the comments. #InclusiveRecruitment #InclusiveHiring #SpeedKillsInclusion

Recently I came across a wonderful article: “Playing it safe is the riskiest career move.” That last point in that article hits home: "Growth rarely comes from staying safe." So true. In my career, I've found that the most significant leaps forward came not from one giant, reckless gamble, but from a series of intentional, calculated micro-risks. These are the moments that build the muscle of leadership. The post mentions taking on a struggling project for a turnaround. This resonates deeply. Early in my career, I was asked to lead a team that was struggling with morale, velocity, and quality. The safe move would have been to apply incremental fixes. The micro-risk was to bet on a complete cultural and operational transformation. We introduced Agile/DevOps from the ground up (agile methodology was in its early days at that time), restructured teams into empowered units, and fostered a culture of radical transparency and accountability. It was uncomfortable and challenging existing norms. The payoff? We transformed it into a high-performance unit, delivering a product recognized globally, while reducing voluntary attrition to a negligible level. Another micro-risk that has paid dividends is "Hiring people smarter than you." As a leader, your success is multiplied by the strength of your team. At another organization, while building a 150+ member Product Engineering team from scratch, I consciously hired domain experts in Data Science, Cloud Architecture, and Product Management who were far more knowledgeable in their specific fields than I was. This wasn't about ego; it was about assembling the best possible team to incubate and commercialize an award-winning platform, which went on to generate significant revenue. Their expertise elevated the entire organization. Finally, "Speaking up with a contrarian point of view" is a risk that demands courage but builds credibility. In executive meetings, challenging the prevailing strategy with data and a well-articulated alternative vision might feel risky, but it’s often the catalyst for breakthrough innovation. This approach has been key in roles from large organizations to advising startups, where asking "what if?" has helped pivot strategies toward greater impact. The compound effect of these micro-risks is a career defined not by safety, but by transformative growth and tangible impact. What’s a micro-risk you’ve taken that paid off? I’d love to hear your stories in the comments. #CareerGrowth #Leadership #MicroRisks #ProfessionalDevelopment #Transformation

Should You Trust Your Gut When Hiring? The Science Behind Intuition I spent all of last week interviewing candidates for a senior sales leadership role at a fintech firm. After the final interview, the hiring manager turned to me and said: "I can't put my finger on it, but something feels off about that candidate." That comment sparked an interesting chat about the role of intuition in hiring decisions. How much should we trust that gut feeling? Your intuition isn't random – it's your brain processing thousands of data points from past experiences. When you get that feeling about a candidate, your brain is noticing tiny signals that match patterns from previous hires who succeeded or failed. But here's the catch: intuition can be incredibly useful OR dangerously misleading. I've seen gut feelings help hiring managers spot fantastic talent that looked ordinary on paper. I've also watched those same feelings lead to terrible hires based on nothing more than unconscious bias. The most successful hiring managers I work with use a balanced approach: 1. They listen to their intuition as a starting point 2. They back it up with structured assessment and evidence 3. They question their gut reactions, especially negative ones For our retained clients, we offer psychometric testing as another layer of assessment. These tools help quantify personality traits, working styles and cognitive abilities that might support or challenge your gut feeling. And it works. I've seen countless cases where these tests flagged concerns that intuition missed, or confirmed strengths that the interview process already highlighted. The research backs this up. Studies show that decisions made with a combination of analytical thinking and informed intuition outperform purely data-driven or purely intuitive approaches. So next time you're interviewing a candidate and get that feeling – don't ignore it, but don't rely solely on it either. Ask yourself: "What specific behaviours am I reacting to?" Then test your intuition against objective criteria. The best hires happen when we use our gut feeling as a compass, not as the entire map. #Recruitment #HiringTips #TalentAcquisition

"𝗪𝗼𝗿𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝘁 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽" sounds glamorous. Everyone wants to do it. I wanted it too. I also worked with multiple startups and scale-ups (like Snapdeal, Zomato, RummyCircle) But on the inside, it isn't as fancy. Instead, it was chaotic, confusing, and draining. But... despite the chaos, I learned so much so quickly. And ended up building a fulfilling and thriving career in product management. The goal is to tackle the challenges, focus on maximising learning, and create impact (and building a solid career) This is how to to it: 1. 𝗗𝗼𝗻'𝘁 𝗹𝗲𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗼𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝘆𝗼𝘂: Startups thrive on chaos—it’s part of the game. Don't resist it. Instead, focus on what you can control. Ask yourself: “What’s the one thing I can do today to make progress?” This mindset will keep you making progress when everything else is overwhelming.     2. 𝗧𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘀 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲. 𝗔𝗰𝗰𝗲𝗽𝘁 𝗶𝘁: Priorities will shift, projects will pivot, and yesterday’s roadmap will become irrelevant. Don’t fight change—anticipate it. Do things (like regular catch ups, stand ups, etc.) that allow you to keep aligning and realigning with the relevant people.     3. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝘂𝘀𝗲𝗿 𝘃𝗮𝗹𝘂𝗲. 𝗜𝘁'𝘀 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗴𝗲𝘁 𝗶𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝘁𝗼 𝗱𝗮𝘆 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱: With constant firefighting and changing priorities, you might lose sight of the 𝘸𝘩𝘺. Always ask: “How does this help the user?” Repeatedly share in team discussions, so even others can refocus on the user.     4. 𝗕𝗲 𝘃𝗼𝗰𝗮𝗹. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗲𝗲𝗱𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸. 𝗦𝗵𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗲𝘀: Silence never solves problems. If something isn’t working, speak up—whether it’s about a process, a feature, or a bad decision. Be clear and solution-oriented: “Here’s the issue I’m facing, and here’s what I think could help.” Teams value transparency, and startups reward action.     5. 𝗟𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝗸 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗮𝗺𝗯𝗶𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘁𝘆: Many times you will not have all the answers. In fact, no one will have all the answers, and that’s okay. When things are unclear, ask questions: “What does success look like?” or “What’s the next step?” Don’t wait for perfect clarity—it won’t come. Start small, test, and iterate as you go.     6. 𝗠𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗯𝘂𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗸𝗻𝗼𝘄𝗻: Startups move fast, and your work will get overlooked. Keep a running doc of your wins—features shipped, metrics moved, feedback implemented. Share them publicly every chance you get. It’s not about bragging; it’s about ensuring your work and impact is visible.     7. 𝗔𝘀𝗸 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗴𝗿𝗼𝘄𝘁𝗵: Your manager will not have time to focus on your career. Even if she does have time, she might not know what you want—so tell her. In your next 1:1, say: “I want to grow into [X role]. What can I do to get there?” Startups are a great place to fast-track your growth, but only if you define the path. What else can I add to the list? Share in comments.

Let's talk about stability. I often get asked how "stable" a company or startup is. The reality is that there isn't one clear answer, especially in this market. However, there are certainly a few things you can research along with questions to proactively ask to gain clarity before deciding to accept an offer: AREAS TO RESEARCH 1. What's the company's history around finances? Have they done a recent round of layoffs? Do you see a pattern in hiring / attrition? 2. Understand where the product is sitting in the market currently. What stage is the product at? Who are the competitors? 3. If you're considering a startup or pre-revenue company, look at the latest funding round (Crunchbase) + employee count (LinkedIn) and do the math. How much funding did they receive in their last raise? How many employees do they have? Throw in some operational cost. How much runway do you estimate? QUESTIONS TO ASK 1. What are the growth plans for the company? Where is the company investing more resources or less resources? 2. How do you see the product evolving now and in the future? Has leadership communicated any strategies or goals around this? 3. What do you see as the biggest threats and the biggest opportunities? What roadblocks do you see the company (or product) facing? 4. I've done some research and noticed X, Y, Z as potential competitors. How is leadership thinking about the product from a competitive standpoint? How does it differentiate? 5. What are the company's current (or planned) revenue streams? Has the CFO or CEO shared any info on current or future revenue goals? 6. (if the company is not public) Are there plans for future fundraising? What are the potential exit strategies that leadership is thinking about? Is there a high level timeline they have in mind? Frame your questions as if you are making a long term investment by joining the company (because, in fact, you likely are!)

Getting a job offer is exciting. But saying yes too fast can cost you more than you think. I’ve seen professionals accept higher salaries only to find themselves in roles that drain them, stall their growth, or leave them burned out within months. Before you say yes, ask these five questions: 1. What will my day-to-day actually look like? A fancy title means nothing if you’re stuck doing work that doesn’t light you up or develop you. 2. What does success look like in this role and how will it be measured? If the answer is vague, inconsistent, or unclear, you’re setting yourself up for frustration and surprise performance reviews. 3. Who will I be reporting to and what’s their leadership style? You’re not just accepting a job. You’re accepting a manager. Ask about expectations, feedback, and how they handle conflict. 4. Is there room to grow or is this a ceiling disguised as a promotion? Upward movement, stretch opportunities, cross-functional exposure—clarify what’s possible beyond the first year. 5. Do the company’s values align with mine in practice, not just on paper? Look at how they treat people, not what they put on their careers page. Ask about turnover, work-life balance, and internal mobility. The offer isn’t just about the salary. It’s about the full experience. Because if the role burns you out, undermines your value, or limits your growth that paycheck won’t feel as good three months in. Slow down. Ask better questions. Make sure the offer works for you, not just your resume.