How to handle this situation?

Question

I worked with my previous employer for appx. 4 years. My performance was good hence i was promoted to manager role after working there for 3.5 years. However, I couldn't manage the stress after accepting the new role hence I left the company after four months on the role.  The reason why i left was mainly due to the stress (push factor) + better remuneration package and lesser responsibility (pull factors) offered from my current employer (a headhunter approached me for this role).

After working one year with my current employer, i regretted for giving up the manager role. My current job is lacking of challenge and exposure. What i have learnt in the past are unable to apply to my current role due to the structure of the company.

My previous superior has recently approached me. He told me that's there's an opportunity open up in oversea. He know that I have the intention to join back the company and hence he recommended me to the hiring manager in oversea. However, there's no news since he sent out the recommendation letter. Two weeks later, my previous superior had approached me again. This time he had another opportunity within his team which he think i fit well for the role. With no reply from the oversea position, I have send in my application for the local role and went for the first interview. 

My previous superior had a hard time after i resigned. I was one of his right hand man hence my resignation had actually given him a blow. He need to interview me again to ensure that i am mature enough to handle the stress now. Also, he would like to interview some external candidates before he can make the final decision. 

The issue is now, i have received an invitation for interview from the oversea role which he recommended previous. At the first place, i was interested with the oversea role but with no reply after two weeks (please note that i have no contact with them as the recommendation email was send directly from my superior to the hiring manager), I assumed there's no chance hence i went for the interview for the local role. Now with the opportunity approaching, i would like to give it a try. But i am not sure whether it is appropriate if i go for the interview now especially after the first interview for the local role. 

Could you please advice me how should i handle this? I would love to go for oversea role, but my previous superior has the hesitation due the incident. Hence, it may look bad on me for not thinking throughly before apply for the local role.

Should I let him know the opportunity has approached me and i would like to give it a try? or i should just give up the oversea opportunity since i have gone for the local role interview. Could you please share your thought? I am in a dilemma as he has the hesitation and i really do not want to disappoint him now. 

What should i do? Please let me know your thought ? thanks

Anonymous · Accepted Answer

If the previous supervisor is the same person who referred you the the job overseas...AND called you for an interview locally, It sounds like he has enough regard for your skills and abilities to A:  Recommend you to another, and B: Give you another chance.  If I were in this position (yours) I would handle it like this:
The work with the previous employer is familiar to you; the overseas job is not.  You regretted leaving that job after a year or so on the present one.  I would go for the local job at this point.  Regarding how to address leaving before because of the stress, I would state that after being away for a year, and lacking challenge in the present job, that you realize you actually have much more confidence than you felt at the job when employed previously.  Address that the lack of confidence was due to your feeling of commitment to the success of the job, and you did not want to let the previous supervisor of the company down.  State that the year away has been a good thing in realizing that the management position really did give you the challenge that you are now missing, and that you are ready to tackle it fully, but that you would request more frequen communication with the boss until you feel that you are fully on the same page with him and the company.  I hope this makes sense!  I would pass on the overseas job at this time, as it may burn a very important bridge in your future.  Best of luck!

Bruce K · Answer

It is obvious you don't know yourself what you want.  You have to sit down and work out the pros and cons of each position.  Your previous manager has stated he intends to interview other people in addition to yourself.
My first guess is that you are not ready to handle the stress, as  you seem pretty stressed about a simple situation as to which job you should take.

kemperk · Answer

get a college degree in business and study writing; your English is what is hurting you.

Luck

How to handle this situation?

3 Answers