It is different for everyone. For me, leaving would have to do with the culture, management style, internal politics, and my personal strengths for the role.
Have I done this before? Yes! I left Benin Electricity Distribution Plc for MainOne. I worked with the company for about 4 years (3 years and 6 months). A key reason was the management style and I got to a point where I didn't see any senior role that I looked forward to. I can remember standing by the window of the Regional Head's office at Oba Asida road, looking at the staff as they moved about. My thought was leaving. I could see the Service Managers pass by with some chit-chat amongst themselves - the role didn't interest me. Not even the Business Manager's role, having had a taste of working with all and seating in meetings with both Business Heads and Service Unit head every two weeks. As a technical Rep to the South West Regional head, I had to seat in these meetings. I was given a dual role some week before I left, the Power Training School Coordinator, but this was not enough. I was already on the way out.
I started considering leaving in mid-2021. Here am I, January 2023 penning this. A lot has happened and even so much more with the exchange rate shenanigans and the Japa train that keeps passing like a set of coaches with no end. More so, MainOne has been acquired by one of the Data Center Giants in the world - Equinix which changes the trajectory of the company in an amazing way and gives me some thoughts to consider.
While I would like to think about the thoughts of working with the Equinix tag, which would surely create the right media buzz, I think of the integration timeline (due for Q4 2023 - Q1 2024). This means one would have to work with the team within this time.
Having worked in MainOne for 4+ years (going to clock 5 by April 16, 2023), I see there is a need to move or switch to some role that would create the excitement or should I say temporary excitement as it ends up being.
I struggle to see the unique thing people that get promoted every year do compare with people that do get promoted every 2 or 3 years. It's quite clear when you have a financial target that you have to meet but for roles that do not have, I struggle. A friend who left in 2019, and worked in sales, mentioned that he didn't get promoted the first 2 years he met his target but the year he didn't meet, he got promoted which made the whole promotion thing not work for him...in terms of process.
I have come to see it as a relationship thing. If you have got the right relationship with the guys under the C-level, you wouldn't struggle too much to get it. Never mind that for some, you have to stick with anyhow they do. Some people have another name they call this - not from my pen. However, the bottom line remains that if you are good, and you do not get promoted, you will surely be promoted if you are open to opportunities within and without.
Have I tried getting roles in other companies? Oh Yes. I made a few applications and got to interview with some companies in 2022. The ones above are stories to tell.
- Amazon - the first for 2022. Interesting experience. the role was for a product manager, and modular data center (Technical). Had two interviews but didn't reach the Loop. This was probably good as the team wanted someone who played a more technical role.
- INQ Digital - Product Manager Cloud. All the way up to the interview with the CEO and some after.
- Weston Comstor - Account Manager, NetApp. just for the fun of it as I wasn't interested in the role. Funny how some HR people just reach out to you without understanding what they are looking for. Me sef, I played along
- Netflix - Partner Manager, Interconnection. Recruiter call only as the interconnection role was filled before my scheduled recruiter call. Recruiter felt it would be good to have a call though just in case complement roles came up along the line.
- WIOCC - An interesting conversation with the UK team. Role was remote and would allow the selected candidate to work from any location in the world.
Comments