The guilt of leaving a current job for a new (better) one

[Anonymous]

I am currently in the midst of the interview process for a new job at an organization that is larger and has more room for growth than my current work place. This job would be an amazing opportunity for me. I applied on a whim, not thinking I would actually get this far in the process.

However, I have all this guilt about leaving my current team. My direct boss is on maternity leave through May, and I have picked up some of her tasks. I also am supposed to work a big event at the end of April, which I would definitely not be able to do, I get this new job.

How do I shake this off? Or is my guilt justified that I would be leaving my team in a lurch?

[Anonymous]

I shook it off the minute I got the first paycheck. The increase and bonus was too big to pass up. Prior company tried to get me to stay, but couldn't offer enough and I was at the ceiling. I did miss my team, but I enjoy the new place more.

[Anonymous]

You have to look out for you OP. Companies lay off employees all the time and don't put this much thought into it. They will survive.

And they may let you stick through this job until your event is over. I just went through this and the new job was very understanding about a similar situation.

Get it girl!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You have to look out for you OP. Companies lay off employees all the time and don't put this much thought into it. They will survive.

And they may let you stick through this job until your event is over. I just went through this and the new job was very understanding about a similar situation.

Get it girl!

+1 there is no such thing as loyalty, either way. If companies value you, they would do everything to keep you.

You need to look out for #1, and that is you.

[Anonymous]

Your only loyalty should be to yourself. Your employer would have no qualms about letting you go if they wanted to.

[Anonymous]

I think you are a kind and empathetic person, but when it comes to business and careers, you have to do what's best for you. You might have good coworkers here or a good manager there, but they are transient, and they will do what's best for themselves too.

Take the new job and spend your remaining time at the current place closing out your position. Leave notes and documents, make sure people have access to files. That's where you can channel your kindness. But don't pass up something good when there could be a reorg with layoffs next month.

[Anonymous]

Oh, and I just reread the OP and see you are still interviewing. Don't give this a second thought until you have the offer in hand. Good luck!

[Anonymous]

OP, are you relatively early in your career? Because the longer you work, the more you'll see that employers will get rid of their employees in a heartbeat if it suits the employer's interests. Some may do it more humanely than others, but they all do it.

All the best bosses I've had over the years offered me the same career advice: "You should do what's best for you." And in some cases these were people who would need to hire and train my replacement if I left!

Do what's best for you. If you leave, give plenty of notice and say nice things about the company to anyone who asks. In this day and age, nobody expects you to stay with the same employer forever.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

I had a lot of guilt in accepting a new job. I'd been with my agency for over 20 years and had personally hired most everyone on my small team. And, I knew that when I left, they'd have a heavy workload until things got back on track. One piece of advice that was helpful to me was to acknowledge that everyone is replaceable, even me. The work would still get done without me. Once I actually started the new job, the guilt was pretty much gone as I was focused on learning the new job. 5 years later, I have no regrets.