I had two job offers and still made the wrong choice. Here's what I learned.

Just a few months into my 'dream job,' I knew I'd made a terrible mistake.

It had taken 6 months of intense searching to get there. Months of coffee meet-ups, interviews, online applications, thank you emails, LinkedIn posting, calling headhunters and attending networking events had finally led to what I'd been working toward: TWO job offers from two prestigious companies! 

I couldn't believe it. Both jobs were "dream roles" on paper.

But then came the agonizing decision. How could I choose one? I created a spreadsheet of pros and cons. Then I spoke to my husband and called my best friend (neither of whom are HR pros).

And then I chose.

Warning signs I ignored

Looking back, there were red flags I completely missed during the interview process. I only had two interviews so I didn’t meet anyone on the team that I’d be working with. The person who referred me actually resigned before I even joined. And the Recruiter who handled my onboarding left the firm shortly after I joined.

But I was so focused on landing an offer—any offer—that I didn't dig deeper. I wasn’t asking myself the harder questions: Would I thrive in this environment? Did their values align with mine? Did the role utilize my strengths?

Very quickly, I realized I had made the wrong choice. But there was nothing I could do but stick it out. I spent the next year feeling trapped, undervalued, and questioning my entire career path. It was one of the most professionally isolating experiences of my life.

My confidence plummeted.

I wasn't alone

As I shared my experience with other HR professionals, I realized I wasn't alone. So many talented HR women I spoke with had similar stories - landing roles that looked perfect but felt all wrong.

Lindsay, a Head of HR, told me about accepting a role that promised "strategic influence" but turned out to be purely administrative. Samantha shared how she joined a company for its growth culture, only to discover that the business stakeholders had no interest in partnering with HR.

These conversations opened my eyes to a pattern: we were all making career decisions without truly understanding ourselves or properly vetting the opportunities beyond surface-level details.

Self-discovery before job search 

Job Search Accelerator for Women in HR

That's why I created the "Job Search Accelerator for Women in HR." So that other women in HR don't make the wrong choice when it comes to their HR career.

I chose a role that wasn't aligned to my strengths. And I joined a company whose values didn't align to mine. If I had a better understanding of myself and of the unique strengths and capabilities that I brought to my role as an HR practitioner, I would have made a different choice.

That's why the group "Job Search Accelerator for Women in HR" begins with self-discovery and reflection before we move into the practical aspects of the job search.

Power of community

And if I had a community of trusted HR peers around me, cheering me on, acting as my sounding board and challenging my thinking, things would have been different.

When you're surrounded by other HR professionals who understand the unique challenges of our field, decision-making becomes clearer. They ask the questions you might not think to ask. They share insights from their own experiences. They help you see blind spots.

Most importantly, they celebrate your wins and support you through the tough decisions. 

I want you to be able to make the right choice for you. When you deeply understand your unique strengths and values, and when you are surrounded by a community of HR peers who "get it," you won't just recognize the right opportunity: you'll confidently walk away from the wrong ones.

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I work with female senior leaders in Human Resources who feel stuck to help them love their work or find work they love. I write about:

👂 Executive & career coaching

📄 Career development and career transition

🎯 Job search strategy

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