I’m honored that, for some time now, my friends and colleagues have come to me for career advice and guidance.  It’s actually been quite a responsibility to hold.  Topics have been everything from personal job fit to long-term career planning to deciding about accepting a new position.  Fortunately for me, they haven’t sued me yet :-). Over the years, I’ve found myself suggesting that, like me, they evaluate career opportunities using a trade-off between three dimensions.

I. Personal

1. How does it affect me and my personal growth and satisfaction?
2. How does it affect the lives of my family and friends who depend on me?
3. What would my decision mean to my current colleagues and teams who depend on me?

II. Professional

1. To what degree does it progress me toward my professional path over the next three years?
2. Does it open new doors and opportunities for me I hadn’t previously considered?
3. How does it impact my career biography and resume from an outsider’s perspective?

Related Post: The Four Considerations of Choosing A Career

III. Financial

1. To what degree does the opportunity marginally improve my relative lifestyle?
2. What are financial best-case upside and worst-case downside scenarios?
3. Is the impact on I and II above worth the trade-off?

Related Post: Five KPIs to Measure Your Financial Health