The title of this article must certainly sound odd. If you’re about to accept an offer to start work at a company then shouldn’t you be committed to that decision and not thinking about how to leave? Well, that’s not entirely true. In fact, it’s a good idea to think about an exit strategy from the very start. Here’s how an exit strategy can help you make clearer, more informed decisions and deal with challenges in your new position.

The energy market today is very different than 10 years ago when it was dominated by giant power utilities, Fortune 500 manufacturers, and behemoth trading houses. Today we see a very different corporate landscape. Small retailers with innovative solutions are gaining share in a deregulated marketplace, multinational developers are building major renewable assets as the energy transition accelerates, and venture capital startups are making faster inroads in battery technology than yesterday’s dinosaurs.

The reality of this diversified, rapidly changing marketplace is that not every player is going to be a leader; nor will they survive three years from now, not to mention in five years. There’s a higher risk today than ever before that a company will fail, go bankrupt, become uncompetitive, or pull out of the market. Does this sound depressing? We hope not. We think it’s exciting.

Today, more than ever, energy industry professionals have the chance to create value for themselves as professionals. By taking control of your career, you have the ability to expose yourself to and embrace new ideas, technologies, and methodologies, and therefore increase your knowledge, skills and overall market value as a professional.