Turning down a promotion?
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- toe_knee
anyone ever done it. How do you do it without sounding like you have zero ambition.
I was planning on reducing my hours at my company so as to concentrate on freelance (maybe a 9 day fortnight - 1 day off for freelance)
But now I've been offered a promotion that I have been asking for for a year. Problem is, during that year I have started to grow a bit of my own work.
It would be great experience, but my hearts telling me to stick to my current role as I do it well, and also build up more freelance work
- ckentish0
1 day every 2 weeks on your own stuff doesn't sound like you are that busy freelancing.
How different is the new role?
- toe_knee0
It'll mean alot more admin work and directing juniors.
I know 1 day isnt much, but I'd like it to grow
- formed0
careful about turning something down, esp. in this economy. Anyone will wonder why, which will make you less likely to be considered next time. If an employee of mine did that, I'd assume that they were thinking of doing their own thing more and would be less inclined to think of them as an integral part moving forward.
- comicsans0
To ask for a promotion then decline it when offered would seem odd to most people.
- detritus0
If you have ambition, why would you care what these people think? I fyou have a good relationship with your management, just explain your position to them. Ambition isn't just about climbing ladders, it's about personal fulfilment.
My only concern for your argument would be whether they then suspect you of harbouring a desire to leave, potentially putting them in an awkward position in x months/years time.
- toe_knee0
Yeah it one of those - my head says grab the promotion by the balls, but my heart is telling me to start to build something away from it also.
I love my current role, And i'd quite happily do that as well as work freelance. Maybe I ask them if they can give me the promotion but also the 9 day fortnight.
- < exactly - negotiate for the 10th workday off as part of the promotion (26 days a year)jmilligan
- ukit0
- airey0
welcome to a crossroads.
if you're serious about the freelance then shit or get off the pot. 1 day a fortnight won't work for either direct clients nor studios you might want to do it for.
the reality is that until you freelance fulltime, and that could include a 2-3 day a week contract with your current employer, you won't grow the freelance in any real way, unless you;re one of the 1% designer-savants. sad but fucking true.
the main question is are you happy working there at all? would someplace else be better? would you be smarter taking the promotion then move on someplace else with the new title? it's up to you. but put the freelance aside for now is my 2 cents.
- airey0
also, i'd add that a few more turns on the wheel with a higher rank and some in-industry contacts with that higher promotion will help, if you decide to go freelance. the more contacts you have that see you in a certain way will help you a millionfold.
- dyspl0
I would say this desicion has more consequence on a longer term period ; deciding for one or the other option is like choosing for a path in freelance career, or going for the agency career.
The safer would be choose the promotion, see after some months / 1year if managing is interesting for you. If not then make your freelance gig growing and when ready leave.
- toe_knee0
good advice all round cheers guys
- Ranger0
If you can satisfy your freelance work with 1 day a fortnight then you obviously havn't got that much freelance stuff on. I'd say take the promotion and do the freelance at nights/lunchtime/during work hours. If the freelance increases from there you could then approach your employer about cutting down your days but from a higher position. In my experience it usually suits employers to give managers flexitime rather than lose designer hours.
If you've been asking for it then you obviously want it. If your freelance doesn't grow anymore then you'll be regretting turning it down in a years time maybe. In short I guess I'm saying it sounds too early to potentially jeopardize yourself based on the amount of work you've built up outside so far.
- utopian0
Stay Thirsty, My Friend
- vaxorcist0
hmm..... I used to work for a really, really good art director who explicitly told his CD that he didn't want to be promoted into management... and he's still an AD.... and from what I hear, loves it....
My father's a physicist, he was once promoted into a management role and hated it, he switched jobs to a university setting where he could mostly avoid management stuff, as he told me he strongly believes that promoting good creative people into management is often a huge mistake....
- gramme0
Either take the promotion with gratitude, or commit 100% to freelance and take the plunge. Anything else seems like trying to have your cake and eat it too. It's neither fair to yourself, nor to your employer.
- Hombre_Lobo0
This is a good read. Very helpful stuff :)
I'd agree with others, take the promotion for a while so that when you are looking fr work elsewhere or freelancing you have that new title which may earn you more clients.
- i_monk0
Take the promotion, you can always quit later.
- vaxorcist0
I was twice in management jobs... in both cases there seemed to be a 6 month honeymoon or so, then the politics started, so you could take the gig, and keep looking around, make sure you don't get burned out or have all your brain RAM used up in meeting randomness...
- ETM0
With only the extra1 day off every 2 weeks, I assume you are putting in a lot of hours in the evenings and weekends. Don't forget the personal time or you'll burn out and it will all crash around you.
But it can be worth it. I built my business nights and weekends while working. I just did it slow and steady and when I had enough saved to live off of for six months if I didn't make a dime, I took the plunge.
- PIZZA0
1 day off every 2 weeks is lame, if you really cared about freelancing you would be doing it at the weekends/evenings.
I'd say go with the promotion.