My friend just got back from a job interview.

On paper, the job is PERFECT. It’s a main anchor job, in a big market, in an area she has always wanted to live, but the problem is, she’s not sure she wants the job.

She says the interview went great. She thought the people she met were nice, and the station puts out a decent product. She’s just not sure it’s the right station for her.

When she was asking me if I thought she was crazy, I quickly said no.

Even though a job might sound perfect, that doesn’t mean it’s the right fit.

When you’re interviewing for a job, you need to focus on the things that are important to you: Is the position something you are excited about? Did the employees seem fairly happy? Did you agree with their news style and strategy? Could you see yourself working at the station for more than one contract? Do you think you’ll be happy outside of work?

About 48 hours after the interview, my friend called and told me she wasn’t sure she wanted the job. She told me she thinks she’ll regret moving there, and will want to get out as soon as her contract is up.

I understand her hesitations, because it happens to a lot of us.

Picking a job can be tough. It’s a huge decision.

In some instances we’re moving halfway, or even all the way, across the country, and spending 9 hours interviewing at a station doesn’t really give you a good representation of what life will be like once you work there.

Moving to a new station is a big commitment. You’re starting fresh. You don’t have contacts in the area, you don’t have friends at the station yet, and you haven’t proven yourself yet. It’s scary to think that you have to start at the bottom again.

My friend is stressed out because she has no idea what to do. She knows it’s a good promotion, but she just doesn’t know if she’ll be happy.

It’s a risk to take the job, and it’s a risk to decline the job.

If she turns down the job, she’ll always wonder what it would have been like if she took the position. If she turns down the job and someone else takes it, and has great success, she’ll likely be jealous.

On the other hand, if she takes the job and is miserable, and wishes she never accepted the position, then she’s stuck in a bad spot.

The fact that she’s having so many hesitations about the job is a red flag for me.

It’s normal to be nervous, but she seems to have so many questions and concerns that it worries me.

So I suggested she make a pro/con list and then if she gets the job offer, talk with the news director about her concerns. Maybe the news director can calm some of her worries, and she’ll end up excited about the job.

She’s also going to reach out to some current and former employees to see what they think about the newsroom atmosphere, and get their overall opinion of what it’s like to work there.

She already checked ratemystation.com but no one has reviewed the station yet!

I don’t know what she’s going to do, but I do know that whatever choice she makes, it will work out in the end.

Never feel like you have to take a job just because it’s offered to you. It’s your life, and that means you need to make the decisions that make the most sense for you and your happiness.

If you ever decide to turn down a job, just remember, you’re not the first person to tell a news director you don’t want the position, and you certainly won’t be the last.