“The Toughest Career Decisions I Made - and the Tools That Helped” by SofiaBalderson

TL;DR: • Big career decisions are rarely clear-cut—trade-offs, mixed feelings and uncertainty are inevitable • Decision-making tools (cost-benefit analysis, weighted factor model, structured mentorship) can provide clarity • Seeking advice from mentors, peers, and career resources is invaluable, but you ultimately own the decision and its consequences • Career and life values can help you make better decisions, but they also evolve—what feels right now may change over time • Long-term impact matters more than short-term outcomes; a decision's true value often becomes clear only in hindsight • Taking calculated risks, paired with backup plans, can open up unexpected opportunities. Appreciations: Having written this post and reflected on my journey, I can't help but be grateful for the work of some amazing meta charities that made my decisions more informed. Their work can be invisible sometimes, but it is vital for ensuring our community continues to make more [...] ---Outline:(00:05) TL;DR:(00:57) Appreciations:(01:56) Disclaimer:(02:21) Key Career Decisions I Made:(02:47) Decision 1: Leaving My Ed-Tech Startup to Help Farmed Animals(02:54) Background:(04:08) Decision Options:(04:19) How I Felt About the Decision:(04:46) Risk Analysis:(05:09) Risk Mitigation:(05:25) Trade-offs:(05:39) Decision Feedback (7 Years Later):(06:31) Decision 2: Leaving Veganuary to Start a New Project in an Incubator(06:38) Background:(07:10) Decision Options:(07:30) Decision-Making Tools Used:(11:43) How I Felt About the Decision:(12:00) How I Rationalized It:(12:19) Trade-offs:(12:42) Risk Analysis:(12:58) Decision Feedback (3 Years Later):(13:32) Decision 3: Choosing a New Job After Leaving the Incubated Project(13:40) Background:(14:05) Decision Options:(14:22) Decision-Making Tools Used:(16:17) How I Felt About the Decision:(16:38) How I Rationalized It:(17:02) Trade-offs:(17:17) Risk Analysis:(17:35) Decision Feedback (2.5 Years Later):(18:14) Decision 4: Leaving AAC to Focus on Hive(18:20) Background:(18:38) Decision Options:(19:05) Decision-Making Tools Used:(20:04) How I Felt About the Decision:(20:32) How I Rationalized It:(21:04) Trade-offs:(21:28) Risk Analysis:(22:08) Decision Feedback (1.5 Years Later):(23:07) Final ThoughtsThe original text contained 2 images which were described by AI. --- First published: March 3rd, 2025 Source: https://forum.effectivealtruism.org/posts/zj7EGdodY2aX3Rgve/the-toughest-career-decisions-i-made-and-the-tools-that --- Narrated by TYPE III AUDIO. ---Images from the article:Apple Podcasts and Spotify do not show images in the episode description. Try Pocket Casts, or another podcast app.