First Comes Love, Then Comes … Career?

As exemplified by previous posts and articles, I’ll be the first to admit that I love reality TV. I love it even more when it ties into workplace news.

On last night’s episode of “The Bachelorette,” Ed, a technology consultant from Chicago, tells Jillian that his boss gave him an ultimatum: Stay for a shot at love and lose your job; or leave now and stay employed.

Jillian says she can’t tell Ed what to do, but gives him a rose to let him know that she really wants him to stay and give their “relationship” a shot. Initially, Ed accepts, but after a few more days, he breaks it to Jillian that he’s “not being fair” to his employers and he has to leave. Jill makes Ed promise not to choose work over love when he does find “The One.”

While most of us would like to think that we would choose a shot at love over our jobs, you’ll never really know unless you’re in this position. Plus, this economy makes it a hard sell.

People.com took a poll after last night’s show, asking “Would you have given up your chance at love for your job?” At the time of this post, 46 percent responded, “Absolutely, in this economy, you can’t not look out for No.1.” Forty-one percent said, “Maybe, if I didn’t feel a connection with Jillian.” Only 13 percent said, “No way, finding love is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”

The choice between a successful career and love is not always clear cut. Your age,  current job satisfaction, the job market, personal goals and the nature of your relationship will all impact whether or not your job is more important than finding true love.

In Ed’s case, he’s only 29-years-old — probably less than a decade into his career — and admittedly career-driven. He seems to like his job and is clearly dedicated to his employer, telling Jillian that although he knows he’s letting her down, she is just one person compared to the “six or seven” people he would be letting down at his company if he stayed.

Plus, in Ed’s situation, there are no guarantees. He and Jillian are not in an exclusive — or even real — relationship. There’s the chance that if he stayed, and consequently lost his job, he might end up getting the boot anyway.  The choice might be different if he was facing a choice between someone whom he knew he loved and loved him in return, but as is “Bachelorette” style, there’s no way to know that until the end.

Have you ever chose your career over true love, or vice versa?