This past week I interviewed for a reporter position at a local newspaper just a few miles from my hometown. I had reservations going into the interview, especially because I was going to be given a writing test, something I had never been asked to do before. Never mind I had already submitted clips, resume, references, and a link to my blog site. I was asked to come in for a face to face interview and to submit a writing test. I could tell that the employer wasn’t entirely sure about me but he was going to have me come in to see what I could bring to the table. He referred to me as ‘Rocky’ and told me I was the ‘underdog’ in this situation but he’d like to see what I could do. This writing test was going to be my ‘make it or break it’ moment.

I was beyond nervous and needless to say, my writing test wasn’t exactly what he was looking for, but he was going to give me a chance as long as I made promises and guarantees. I could make all the promises and guarantees in the world, but what was he going to offer me in return? I was also asked to give notice to my current employer, which I knew I was going to have to do anyway, but suddenly I began to feel uncomfortable about the whole situation. When I first got the call, I thought I was going to be rejected, and that was okay with me. I wasn’t expecting anything less because of the writing test. I knew that I had done a good job and was comfortable with what I had turned in, but I knew by the end of it that it wasn’t going to be what he wanted. I had never written a press release before and when you only have three hours to conduct a phone interview and write something you’ve never written before, it puts a lot of pressure on a person. But I did the best I could and that was all I could.

From the tone of his voice though, I could tell that he still wasn’t entirely sure about bringing me on, and that made me uncomfortable. Why would I want to go work for someone who isn’t sure about me? I know it takes time and in most positions you are given a 90 day probationary period to see if you are a good fit for the company and if the company is a good fit for you, but what if the person seems hesitant from the start? Is it a good idea to leave your current long term position where the employer knows you, likes you, and more importantly, trusts and has faith in you as an employee? Not just an employee, but as a person?

So I turned the offer down. Do I regret it? Maybe. Do I fear that I may never get to where I want to go as a writer by turning down an entry level position? Definitely. But here’s the thing I’ve come to learn: just because opportunity knocks, doesn’t always mean you have to answer. There will always be other opportunities. Those opportunities may not always be the ones you want or thought you would have, but there are always other opportunities to achieve your dream. Do I think that if I had taken this position, it might have put me ahead of the game? Possibly. I guess I’ll never know, and that’s okay with me.

I’m happy where I am right now. The job I currently have allows me to do other things to go about pursuing my dream of becoming a writer. Writing for Odyssey. Working as a remote TA for the school I graduated from. And working my first paid writing gig that allows me to explore my home state of Indiana, and learn and write about all the fun and unusual things that we have to offer! I’m also looking to return to school next spring or fall to pursue a certificate in Journalism, and classes are going to be on campus. I wouldn’t be able to do that if I had taken the job.

The most important thing I can do right now is have faith that other opportunities will come along. This one wasn’t the right one for me at this moment in time, and that’s okay. The older you get, the more you start to realize that you have to do what makes you happy and not care about what everyone else might think. If you are happy where you are right now then stay there. If you aren’t, then change it. If you aren’t sure that an opportunity is right for you, don’t take it. If you have to spend hours on end agonizing over it and wondering if it’s the right decision, it’s probably not. If your gut is telling you that it isn’t the right move at the moment, more likely than not it isn’t.

But always remember that just because opportunity knocks, doesn’t always mean you have to answer. Life has a funny way of steering you in the opposite direction and sometimes, you will end up exactly where you are meant to be.