One Wrong Career Move Can Set You Back Years
One Rash Decision Can Undo Years of Good Work
Recently, I spoke with someone who had built a strong, steady career.
Twenty years of progression.
Two well-regarded businesses.
A solid reputation in the market.
Then he decided to move.
He accepted a national sales role with a company that already had a reputation.
High turnover. Short tenures.
He lasted five months.
Called into a meeting just before leading a sales session and told, there and then, that his employment was ending.
No warning. No conversation. Just gone.
It knocked him for six.
Without a financial buffer, he had to move quickly.
He accepted another role, this time with a business on the periphery of the aftermarket.
He didn’t know much about them.
But they said the right things.
And the salary looked attractive.
Within weeks, the warning signs were there.
Shouting in meetings.
Blame culture.
Finger pointing.
Area managers being criticised in front of their peers.
Six months later, the same outcome.
Called into a meeting and told his channel had 'no future.'
Out again. He was gutted.
Twenty years of solid career progression, undone in twelve months.
When we spoke, he knew where it had gone wrong.
He hadn’t done the level of due diligence he normally would.
Afterwards, people told him the first company had a revolving door for sales managers.
If you’re in a good business, treated well, progressing, and believe in what you’re doing, it’s worth pausing before making a move.
Ask the difficult questions.
Speak to people in the industry.
Read between the lines.
Because some businesses don’t build teams they cycle through them.
A move might look attractive on paper, but the wrong one can set you back years.
Don’t let one decision derail what you’ve spent a career building.
If you’re considering a move within the industrial or automotive aftermarket, it’s worth getting a clear, unbiased view of the business before making a decision.
