This year I left my job as head of a successful production function because I believed that I was not getting the pay and benefits package I deserved. My replacement has been a disaster and I've been offered my old role back at a higher salary than my current position, plus a bonus if I sort out the mess. Do you think that it would be a mistake to return to my former company and role?

I do not subscribe to the philosophy of never go back, although I do believe that you would need a clear rationale for doing so. This would need to be based on a rounded view of what is really important to you in your working life. Your ego is bound to have been massaged by the money on offer and the fact that the organisation found you hard to replace. You will need to look past that to the factors that are important to you in your career.

What motivates you? When people are asked what the most important factor is when selecting a job, money is rarely top of the list. Survey respondents often indicate that they need enough money to feel financially secure and maintain a satisfying lifestyle. Once that threshold is reached, career development and job satisfaction become increasingly important.

Money talks You will, of course, need to consider your financial situation. Are you in a position where you can afford to walk away from what is being offered? What would that money mean to you in terms of security and personal freedom? Remember to consider the package as a whole, including pension contribution, likely bonus and any potential equity in the business that might be offered. Given the present economic conditions, you will also need to consider the relative health of the two organisations - you do not want to go back to your old job only to enter into a more turbulent environment.

Consider long-term aims Career development is an important issue to many people. If it is important to you, then you will need to think about the approach that both organisations take to it. How committed are they to career development and do they back that up with tangible investment and support? You should consider where you want to be in three years' time.

What are your values? Job satisfaction is hard to break down. Many people need to feel that their work is meaningful to them, perhaps in terms of the opportunity to make a positive impact on the world or the chance to do something they feel passionate about. If this is important to you, consider the two roles and organisations side-by-side and make a judgment about which you will find most fulfilling.

What really drives you? This is the most important question of all. It is startling how many people cannot answer it clearly, even at later stages in their careers. Pick two or three criteria based on what drives you as a person and use them to assess the relative merits of the two organisations. If your decision is still not clear, then listen to your instincts. If you do go back to your former employer, make sure that you articulate to them what is important to you and that this is reflected in the contract you make with them.

Matt Brown is a business psychologist and director of YSC, a consultancy.

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