A job can look right from the outside and still be wrong for you.
When I first moved into HR, I happened to land in Global Mobility. Later, I moved into Compensation & Benefits.
I was good at it, and kept progressing from intern to analyst to C&B manager for a Pharma affiliate.
Then my boss called me from Boston to make official the role I had already been covering for some time: Head of Compensation & Benefits for Eurasia.
☘️ I resigned.
Not because I had a bad manager, or because the company treated me poorly, or because I was burnt out. I was one of the youngest C&B managers, well paid. I had a great team, wonderful colleagues, and an excellent direct manager.
But I knew something important: I didn’t want Compensation & Benefits to become the stamp on my forehead for the rest of my career.
I no longer wanted my days to revolve around salary rounds, job architectures, and executive packages; I wanted to move laterally into Learning & Development.
☘️ Before resigning, I explored the possibility of an internal move and I was told I would need to remain in my current role for another two years first. But staying another two years would have meant becoming more deeply established in a field I already knew I wanted to leave.
So I left.
What happened next is probably for another post. But my point for now is this:
☘️ You don’t need to be in crisis for a career problem to matter.
A role can be secure, well paid, respected, and full of good people. And it can still no longer fit your aspirations, values or the direction you want your life to take.
In my case, I was clear about what I wanted. And when I realised it was not likely to happen within a reasonable period, I decided to pursue something new.
Work that fits is not only about what you’re good at. It’s also about what you want to keep becoming.
☘️ To be clear, I am NOT suggesting that you resign a “good” job from one day to the next—certainly not in the current job market.
What I am suggesting is that, if you can see the road you’re on is taking you somewhere you don’t want to go, it may be time to start exploring alternatives.
📌 What would you change if your situation were “good”, but no longer “right”?
With love,
Dina 🫶🏽
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