If you are looking for a new position, chances are you know someone who has begun a new venture. They could be family or a friend, and if you’re qualified, you may have a job prospect. Although it may be tempting to take the job, there are a few things to consider before working with them. The Daily Muse, weighs the pros and con and what you should be keeping in mind:
Pro #1: She’ll Already Know Your Strengths and Abilities
When a friend offers you a job, you can be relatively certain that she’s well aware of your career aspirations, your professional goals, the things you do well, and the tasks you dread. And if she doesn’t know those things, having that pre-employment conversation as friends will be a lot easier than having it in an interviewer-interviewee situation (“Um, you how know I’m not so great with cold calls?â€).
So, as long as you have that discussion (and you’re confident that your friend is looking out for your best interests), you can accept the job with the knowledge that you’re entering into an enjoyable and rewarding career; one that will provide the challenges to help you grow professionally and put you on a path to your dream position.
But:
You can’t expect to be treated differently because you’re friends with the boss. While the majority of your job should be spent doing the things you anticipated, you’ll probably still be asked to assume some duties outside of your area of expertise–especially if the company is a start-up with a small pool of employees. Don’t be surprised (or resistant) if you’re the lucky one chosen to wheel the monstrous cart around Sam’s Club, stocking up on 180-packs of toilet paper for the office restroom (not that I know from experience).
Yes, your friend wants you to grow professionally and achieve your career goals–but she also has a business to run, and as an employee, you have to help make that happen, just like everyone else on the team.
Read more at Forbes …