who will you be working for?

You can make a choice about your next gig based on a variety of valid factors. In the past, I’ve relied on Bill George’s extrinsic/intrinsic framework as one way to organize the many criteria. Extrinsic factors are things like compensation, benefits, title, status, power. Intrinsic factors are things like mission, values alignment, and cultural fit. 

A factor that I hear addressed less but may usefully simplify your analysis, whether you’re early or deep in your career: who will you be working for? How well do you know this person? How excited would you be for your work (and career path) to look and sound like theirs?

I’ve found that this line of questions can do work on both extrinsic and intrinsic factors. This manager-report (or board-founder) relationship often sets the floor and ceiling in both categories.

-eric