In our last blog we discussed the need to spend time identifying the factors driving your decision to change roles; and whether leaving a company for pastures new would provide the desired outcome. If after reflecting you’ve arrived at the conclusion that a change is absolutely the right decision, you certainly won’t be alone. Research published by IPP[1] suggests that 59% of employees are planning on changing jobs in 2017. A 10% increase on 2016, and this despite uncertainty over Brexit.
Changing roles successfully. What next?
So now that you’ve made the decision that 2017 is going to be one of new beginnings, how can you ensure that you make changing jobs work for you. Here’s some useful advice that will ensure your next one delivers everything you want it to:
Don’t rush
Don’t make rash decisions. Finding your next role will take time, and unless your financial wellness is such that you can afford to resign and concentrate fully on your future, you need to plan how you’re going to approach finding your ideal job.
Remember you are unique
Advice and personal tales of how others did it won’t be in short supply. However, you need to focus on your individual career journey. Borrow ideas from others; but remember: you need to focus on what will deliver you the greatest career satisfaction.
Draw up a list
You will have probably already identified the reasons why you are looking to change jobs. Make sure you write these down and keep them, along with any others you may create. Use them to evaluate potential roles against your core requirements. You’d be surprised how many people forget their core criteria or compromise on what it is they were initially looking for as they get swept along by the job search process.
Establish a broad direction
Unless you’re considering a complete career change, you will probably already have a broad idea of the functional areas of interest to you, and possibly geographical location. These are important. They help form the building blocks that will allow you to find your ideal role.
Personal motivators
Careers are, by their very nature, highly personal journeys. Understanding your motivations and drivers is fundamental to helping you make the right decision about your next role, to ensure that it’s fulfilling and rewarding. Many people overlook these, or don’t give them enough consideration which frequently results in job dissatisfaction and increased job hoping. Make use of freely available exercises to gain a deeper understanding of your personal motivators and drivers. You may even uncover some unrecognised ones too. Investing time upfront on your personal motivators will pay dividends to your future job satisfaction.
Think about culture
Finding an the right environment is arguably as important as finding your ideal role. Much has been written about corporate culture over the last decade. Indeed, organisations are continually working to create cultures that attract and retain talent. However, the vast majority of people don’t spend enough time researching the type of company that best suits them.
Whether it’s a loft-based, airy and bright space that accommodates a new tech start up (complete with cold beers in the fridge and a games table); or a plush city office block that seeks to impress clients and oozes power and wealth – the way an organisation presents itself gives you clues about how it operates and the manner in which it works. Look more deeply and the way the organisation is managed and how it invests in its people will start to become visible (Glassdoor.com and similar sites can help here). At its most basic, understanding the over-arching managerial approach will help you decide if the organisation you are looking at is one in which you can be successful. Whatever your preference, it’s certainly worth analysing the type of culture that will (and won’t) support your long term career aspirations.
Whilst this may appear to be a long winded approach to starting the search for another role, it’s a valuable and worthwhile investment of time that will certainly ensure your next role meets your long-term career expectations and aspirations.
[1] Job exodus trends – 2017 employee sentiment poll