Never move for money…

Many moons ago as a lowly account executive (with the world of everything seemingly unimportant resting on my weary shoulders), the holy grail of promotion was a carrot often dangled in front of my eager nose.

Like most account execs, I knew my worth.

I also knew I was being chronically underpaid for the never-ending hours I put in. Undaunted, I set about my tasks with vigour. A combination of luck and killer instinct meant I was fortunate enough to land a multiple award-winning project for my first solo suiting effort.

After a few very public thanks from the great Dr. Harrison in front of the agency, one day, he took me aside for a wee chat. A bit of doctor / patient advice if you will.

The upshot of this love in, was ‘Many outside this building will promise you the earth. But, Iain. Never move for money’.

My initial foolhardy response was along the lines of, ‘easy for you to say on a six figure package with very healthy WPP stock options!’. Knowing that a stonking pay rise should come alongside promotion (given I was a central member of the team that helped filled his awards trophy with everything from DMA’s, Campaign Directs to much coveted Cannes Lions), the advice left me somewhat confused.

Until we skip forward a few years and I made the mistake (twice), of moving primarily for money. After a very short honeymoon period where the earth had been promised and I had been swayed by the far greater £££ on offer, the wise words of one Dr. Steve Harrison once more rang deafeningly in my ears as I found myself surrounded by others that did not live by the same high standards Dr. Harrison and his cohorts prided themselves on…

Which leads me to the somewhat tenuous link of a certain BBC presenter (Adrian Chiles), who is being swept off to ITV with the promise of a truck load of cash. Quite why this made the TV news headlines and several front pages is well beyond me. Perhaps everyone is a little bored of ash?

But Adrian. Whatever they’ve promised to lure you to their commercial clutches. However big the paycheck. Did you leave Auntie for the right reasons? Or did you only move for money…

Iain G. Morrison is a senior marketer in the British Tourism Industry. And would like to thank Dr. Steve Harrison (amongst others), for sound career advice…