Sometimes you just have to say "no" and move on

So yeah.
It's been nearly a week since I blogged.
But I was busy.
You know with stuff.

Stuff like writing an "I take back my acceptance of your job offer" letter to the fools who thought I was actually going to (1) give up this blog, (2) ask their permission to blog, and (3) stop working on the congressional campaign that I'm part of.

As if.

I'm still shaking my head over the insanity of the whole situation.

I mean, how do three different people over the course of three different interviews forget to mention two really big "non-negotiable" "forbidden" items like blogging and involvement in political campaigns? Especially when I made it a point to mention that I am a blogger and I am running the social media for a congressional campaign? Seriously. How do you not mention that?

So, I promised a few of you that I'd share the "I'm outta here" letter. 

As promised:

I am writing to inform you that I am rescinding my acceptance of the Field Publication Manager position with your company effective immediately. Our phone call last Friday afternoon made it very clear that your organization is most definitely NOT the right company for me.

My decision is based on several factors, the first of which is the "non-negotiable" approval process that is required for personal blogs, websites, etc., for employees. I find this policy unfair, unsettling, and unacceptable. I have been a blogger for seven years and have worked extremely hard to build my own brand and in doing so have had the chance to work with major national companies and national brands. I am not willing to give that up, nor am I willing to ask permission to continue my blog. I don't need anyone's permission to blog. And I will not work for an employer who feels they can restrict my freedom to work on my blog. To think that I would be OK with asking for permission to write a personal blog is ludicrous. Ask any blogger and they will tell you the same thing. No one gets to control what I write on MY blog and that is non-negotiable with me.

Secondly, I am the social media director for a congressional campaign and will not work for an employer who forbids participation on political campaigns. I have been part of this congressional campaign since it started and I will continue to be part of it. I am very active when it comes to politics, and will not give that up. That too is non-negotiable for me.

What angers me most in all of this is the fact that during all THREE of my interviews I made it a point to say (1) that I am a blogger, and (2) that I was involved in a congressional campaign. And at no point in time during any interview did anyone raise a red flag and say "Oh, we have these company policies that prohibit those types of things." Had anyone mentioned those policies I would have thanked that person and ended the interview. It wasn't until I received my "welcome" packet in the mail that I was made aware of the "outside journalism" prohibition and it wasn't until I spoke to you last Friday that I was made aware of the complete ban against involvement on political campaigns.

I find it disturbing that no one chose to be upfront about these prohibitions and instead attempted to circumvent the proper hiring and interview procedures in an attempt to fill this position. That to me is suspect and borders on unethical.

To be candid, anytime a job offer contains the words "prohibition," "non-negotiable," and "forbidden" as part of the discussion, I will always walk away as I am doing today. 

So yeah. That's what I emailed first thing Monday morning. 
Granted, it could have been shorter. 
I could have just said "take your job and shove it"...but I wanted them to REALLY KNOW what was wrong with them and their job. 

Their response? "Thanks. Good luck." 
I wasn't expecting much else to be honest. 

And as long as I'm being totally honest ... I'm not that upset about this.Yes, I gave up a full-time job with benefits...but after getting this brief glimpse into how they treat their employees, I have to say I think I dodged a bullet with this one. A good salary cannot make up for the fact that I'm quite certain I would have been working for some crazy people. Money isn't everything. 

If I've learned anything after working for the green trolls, it's that I MUST be happy about my job. I will not take a job merely to have a full-time salary. If I can't say "I'm happy" every single day when it comes to work, then it's just not worth it to me.