Need to speak to you...

That is the subject of an email that I got at 9 this morning from my Middle School best friend. It actually threw me in a panic - what could it be? Are her twin boys okay? Is her mom okay?

She finally calls me back and it's to talk about a job offer she got last night. I take off my stylist hat and put on my career coach hat. Anything from resumes to job hunting to branding yourself to growing your career, people call me and we have our chats.

C's big dilemma was a sudden fear that she could not succeed in her new role. Choosing between and old job and a new job is like choosing between the devil you know and the devil you don't know. While she has great child care in her current role, we've determined that she and her supervisor are not a good fit and there are minimal opportunities for advancement. I asked her if she has thoroughly checked out the new firm - are they financially stable, successful in their industry (especially in this economy?). I asked her if she had checked out the team she would be working with during the interview? That is SO critical. Yes, they are checking you out at an interview but you need to have a good sense about working with them. I had a really bad feeling about one supervisor and didn't listen to myself and it turned out to be a huge nightmare.

I asked her also to write it down. Pros and cons of both jobs and weigh those options methodically. She likes the people she met with, opportunities and the pay raise. I told her that they sent her the offer, they believe she can do the job. She needs to believe in herself. She also needs her husband's support and to make sure she has everything under control to give herself the best chance to succeed.

And, in the end, if it doesn't work, it doesn't work. I told her to make sure she does not burn any bridges at her current firm, to finish and transition her responsibilities appropriately so they aren't left with a mess. It is important to try and even if this doesn't work out, she will have a higher salary to negotiate her next opportunity from.

Good luck, C.