I don’t know
about you but during the holidays I take the time to look back at the past few
months, check what went well (and what was not that successful) and determine my objectives for the months to
come. And yes, I have a head bubbling with ideas, plans and resolutions. No
doubt I will be sharing a number of them with you in future blogs.
A lot of people
reflect during the holidays on their jobs. For a headhunter, September is one
of the peak periods for successful hunting. But how do you
know it is time to give me a call and discuss future career opportunities?
First of all,
let’s state the obvious: if you dread going to work on a Monday morning because
the hours are killing you, teamwork looks like a toddler’s playground or if
your boss is a copy of David Brent …then it is time to start thinking about a
change. However, before entering into any discussions, reflect on whether this
is a temporary thing. Acting on an
impulse because you had a horrible week, may prove to be a bad plan for your
future career. But if each new day is a little worse that the one before it, then
it’s time for that call.
It is a totally
different thing if nothing is wrong per se…. except that you have a nagging
feeling that you are running on autopilot
(yes the notorious ‘passively looking candidates’). Then it is time for
some soul searching.
Here are a few
tips to determine whether it is time to give me a call.
- · Figure out if you are staying simply for the sake of staying
Routine can be
comfortable but you risk ending up in a situation where you are no longer
growing.
You can make a
pro-con list comparing the advantages and drawbacks of staying versus making a
job change. You can have a look at the job-boards to see what is out there. A
little snooping around never hurt anybody and it might get you over your
initial fear of changing jobs.
- · Find out what you really value
Are you looking
for a job that offers a good work-life balance or do you want to climb the
corporate ladder? Do you want to work close to home? Do you seek continuous
change and challenge?
- · Evaluate what it would cost to stay in your comfort zone
Your market
value is likely to decrease if you are in the same job for more than 7
years. Headhunters and recruiters will
automatically assume that you lack ambition and your skills have stagnated. If
you are serious about making a career change, it is important that you don’t
miss out on the time-slot.
You may come to
the conclusion that your current job is exactly what you are looking for and
there is nothing wrong with that. However, if your gut check reveals that it is
time for a change…give me a call and we can explore your future career.
I look forward
to hearing from you,
Isabel
Through a
personalized and tailor-made approach, Ingenium Executive Search aspires to
assist you in attracting the right talent that matches the DNA of your company
Check out our
website http://www.ingenium-search.be
Follow me on
Twitter @IngeniumSearch
