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Accepted a l5 consultant level offer from Google recently. This was 1 level down from the other position I started interviewing for before it went on hold. I do feel a bit down leveled and a compromise on comp as I didn't have competing offers from other fang.
I see another role open, probably at l6 for lead consultant, same location (austin)Austin. Is it OK to go back to recruiter and ask for this role/position? Google
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This person’s strengths are productivity, project management. Weaknesses are quality of work, grasping the mission, understanding the audience - esp in messaging / copy and design. My strengths are strategy, vision, engagement, relationships, assessing impact, public speaking. I did very well managing a large team and selecting and directing vendors. But the job is far too much for one person to handle, too much work and burnout. My “successor” does not want to have to report to me, will work in partnership, yet I am aware of many mistakes and ways of doing things better. Needing advice on how to partner on this but having final say.
I should also say, the other person is interested in making use of my experience in media relations and marketing and I do not want to resume work there with any title that would suggest that marketing and media relations can be done entirely in house, bc need for agency support is absolutely necessary on both due to global scale of the event. I’ve been able to oversee all pieces of comms in the past and collaborate with staff / vendors with excellence, I’m more of an overall leader and not specialist enough in any one area to “own just that.” The other person is deferential to decision makers in the company rather than introducing new ideas and securing buy in, which is going to be an essential route to take in ensuring the past financial fallout does not recur. (It was not any comms failures which resulted in the past problem).
I think the situation seems toxic — I don’t think I’d go back.
I am told that with my input on designing a role and the agreement of the incumbent that they would like me to return. I am able to shape the structure as much as the incumbent is agreeable to it. They would like to avoid my holding seniority over the other Director and for us to be partners. I just cannot figure out a way of dividing comms in any way that doesn’t give me some sway over what’s happening in the separate team
This other person and their strengths and weaknesses - are you basing this on working with them three years ago? I’d hope they’ve grown in the past few years and is there potential that some of these habits or strengths may have changed? Or have you stayed close eight them and their working colleagues and know these would still be issues?
There is no question of growth- definite growth, but in my opinion, enough to manage a team yes but not enough knowledge and skill to make important messaging and strategy decisions.
Co-running a department with someone who used to be your direct report? Both of you will have a chip on your shoulders. Neither of you will rest easy until the other leaves. You’ll always be looking behind your shoulder, wondering if they’re spreading rumors about you, worried they’ll magnify your mistakes, and vice versa. Sounds like a terrible move for your mental health.
This sounds messy and confusing. Not just for you both, but for the org. I work in Comms at a nonprofit and my boss and I have a wonderful partnership across projects, but ultimately she has the final say and I’m okay with that. There are certain areas that I’m more experienced in so she doesn’t need to approve or review EVERYTHING.
But ultimately I feel like this is a leadership style, that it doesn’t feel like she’s my boss and instead it feels like a partnership but they have final say due to their experience. But at the same time I feel heard and valued.
This could be as simple as splitting Comms into 2 sections and you’re the Director of one part and they’re the director of another part. Or they’re an associate Director and you’re the director.
Good luck! But if there isn’t a way to clearly separate your titles, then I’d move on.
The relationship you share with your boss sounds very similar to how it was when I was the boss and they were my direct report. The idea of associate director and director has been floated but I’m not familiar with how that works in practical terms.