A Simple Question
The past few years have presented many individuals with thoughts of changing jobs. This observation comes from frequent conversations revealing a diverse array of companies, roles, and compensation packages, each unique and challenging to compare. A structured method for evaluating these opportunities is essential.
A key question to consider is: “What do you aspire for your next next job to be? And what prevents you from achieving it now?”
This approach involves working backward from that aspiration. It forms the “Next Next Job” framework, designed for navigating career transitions, particularly in today’s dynamic environment with abundant opportunities across various sectors and company stages. This framework mirrors the natural, often chaotic, flow of the recruitment process, where referrals span a wide range of companies.
This situation is familiar, as similar career crossroads have been encountered personally.
The Next Next Job framework was utilized years ago during a significant personal decision. In the early thirties, after a startup venture concluded unsuccessfully, a major choice arose. Following several months of seeking new opportunities for the startup team and self, the decision involved selecting from several strong acquisition offers at pre-IPO startups. Each offer presented distinct advantages, such as team cultures that were a better personal fit or stronger connections with founders. Compensation packages also varied significantly. The process of meeting dozens of companies over several months, followed by the need to choose, was emotionally taxing.
While a gut reaction was tempting, a more analytical method seemed necessary to complement the emotional journey. Gratitude is extended to a close friend, Bubba Murarka, who provided guidance throughout these discussions. Once offers were received, the challenge was to rank opportunities based on the “next next job” concept, a seemingly casual remark that proved impactful.
How to Answer a Simple Question
Returning to the question – “what is your next next job, and why is it currently out of reach?” – it is simple to ask but often difficult to answer, as individuals may not fully grasp what they do not know.
A primary challenge is the uncertainty surrounding the “next next job.” If the immediate next step is unclear, envisioning a subsequent role can seem even more ambiguous. However, this presents an opportunity to categorize potential “next next jobs” into broad categories, based on current understanding.
Such categories might include:
- 50% – Becoming a startup investor
- 30% – Launching another company
- 10% – Joining a high-growth startup as a C-level executive
- 10% – Exploring diverse opportunities (e.g., transitioning into a new cutting-edge industry, becoming a writer)
For those earlier in their careers, perhaps in product management, goals might center on becoming a first-time manager of product managers, being an early employee at a promising startup, or gaining acceptance into a program like YCombinator. Others might aim to transition from a non-tech role into a tech position, or from a non-product role into product management, design, or engineering.
Sometimes, identifying appealing roles is not straightforward; this itself can be a valuable area to explore when consulting with mentors and colleagues. Assuming some broad categories are established, the next recommended step is to select the top 2-3 and conduct thorough research. Connect with as many individuals as possible who hold these “next next jobs.” Investigate their career trajectories and the accomplishments required to reach their positions. Directly inquire: “What skill gaps do I need to address to secure a role like yours?” Continue asking questions and networking until responses become consistent, indicating a diminishing return of new information.
Sometimes There’s a Shortcut (and Sometimes There’s Not)
An interesting pattern sometimes emerges, particularly for individuals who identify “starting a new company” as their “next next job” – they may already possess the necessary qualifications. Some roles carry significant emotional weight due to imposter syndrome or a feeling of unreadiness. However, individuals sometimes over-prepare for future roles out of a strong aversion to risk. These “wantrepreneurs” might pursue multiple advanced degrees and work at top companies, often being highly intelligent, yet struggle to take independent action. When encountering such friends or colleagues, the advice often leans towards embracing the highest possible degree of risk.
Conversely, the “next next job” is often genuinely unattainable for valid reasons. For instance, if one’s experience is primarily with a series of unsuccessful startups, a “credentialing” role or two might be necessary. Or, a marketing professional aspiring to become a product manager might need to gain closer exposure to engineers and technical details. An individual without prior management experience might seek a role to demonstrate strong managerial capabilities before transitioning into a team lead position. Identifying these gaps forms a basis for evaluating potential job opportunities, determining which ones best and most quickly address these needs.
Gaps can encompass various aspects, including skills, network, experiences, mentors, and ideas:
- What new skills are required for the next next job?
- Is a new professional network beneficial?
- What experiences are needed to demonstrate readiness for the next next job?
- Which mentors are necessary, and how can they be met?
- How can exposure to future inspiring ideas be gained?
Understanding these gaps is valuable, but it represents a defensive strategy. An “offensive” approach involves developing a “superpower” – a crucial attribute that can often outweigh an imperfect set of gaps. For example, individuals interested in investing might tick off every skill on a list, but without a specific superpower, such as consistent access to new startup deal flow, analytical skills or prestigious education may not suffice. If an individual possesses an exceptional network of founders who actively seek them out, other skills can be acquired. It is important to identify the superpower that could be paramount in one’s industry and specialization, focusing on building strengths rather than solely addressing weaknesses.
Consider an example for someone aiming to become an investor, with substantial internal-facing roles at successful startups. The analysis might look like this:
- The next next job: Becoming a professional investor
- Gap: Needing to develop a personal brand for external-facing networks
- Gap: Lacking angel investing experience
- Gap: Requiring developed opinions on cutting-edge sectors
- Potential superpower: Gaining access to deal flow from recent spinouts/alumni of previous companies
This is a hypothetical illustration; individuals can conduct their own analysis to identify necessary gap closures and superpower development. If tracking 2-3 “next next job” options, recurring gaps might emerge. This indicates that a role addressing these common gaps should be given greater weight.
Evaluating Diverse Job Opportunities
The initial question – “what are your thoughts on XYZ company, and should I accept this ABC role there?” – now has a clearer path. First, it is crucial to have multiple options. Engage in a thorough process, meet enough people, and explore a broad range of companies to generate diverse opportunities for comparison. Building these options, though not offering instant gratification, ensures a well-informed decision.
Next, evaluate these options by working backward. Which opportunities best address identified gaps and facilitate superpower development? If none of the current options offer significant progress, patience is advised. Seek out more opportunities. A common reason for a series of short-term roles on resumes might be the prevalence of instant gratification in modern life – from short videos to on-demand services. However, for a major career decision that ideally involves a commitment of several years, the quality of the decision is paramount, and taking sufficient time is essential.
Ultimately, significant career decisions are inherently emotional. Many subtle factors contribute to excitement about a new role, such as compatibility with a manager and enjoyment of the work. Yet, incorporating an analytical framework can provide valuable support. While the decision might be 80% emotional and 20% analytical, this balance is preferable to a purely emotional rollercoaster.
To conclude the personal narrative, nearly ten years ago, the decision was made to join Uber over other strong alternatives. The underlying understanding was a future aspiration to become an investor, which pointed towards Uber as the appropriate choice. The hypothesis was that Uber would be an excellent environment for meeting future founders, encountering problems at scale, and generally being an interesting place. This latter point proved accurate. While other factors like role scope and compensation were satisfactory, they were not prioritized. The role was recognized as a stepping stone, not a permanent position, leading towards the long-term goal of startup investing many years later.
