Tuesday, June 27, 2017

5 good reasons for exploring new job opportunities

One of the first questions I ask potential candidates is the reason why they are willing to talk to me.

Some people tell me that they engage in every conversation with a head-hunter because they want to explore the market and to see what is available. As much as I appreciate honesty, let’s face it, it will give me the impression that you act quite opportunistic and chances are that I am wasting my time.

Others will immediately inquire about the salary package, looking for a salary increase as main driver for switching jobs. Personally, I am not convinced that this is the best reason for exploring new horizons. Although there is nothing wrong with wanting to improve your current compensation package, it gives me the feeling that you are available for the highest bidder without looking at the content of the job.

Nevertheless, there can be some very good reasons that justify exploratory conversations about a new job opportunity.

·       You no longer get along with your boss
The number one reason why people decide to leave their job is the bad relationship they have with their boss. The chemistry between you and your direct manager as well as the team spirit is crucial to being successful in a job.
It is important though to keep in mind that there is no need to spill your guts when you are talking to a potential employer. A short, objective narrative of the situation is usually more than enough.

·       You have reached the end of your learning curve
When you start a new job, you enter into a period of fast-paced adaptation, followed by a period in which you learn the finer details of your work. At a certain moment, you reach a level of mastery and the pace of your learning will slow down.
In order to advance your career, you could be looking to develop skills that will complete the ones you already master or you may want to expand your experience into other industries.

·       Your current job does not challenge you
Picture-perfect as it may seem, a job with just enough work to keep you busy, a job you can do on auto-pilot is not ideal. Bad work habits tend to pop up (the number of times you check your Facebook page is usually a good indicator) and may lead to inferior work. Research suggests that in the perfect job, you spend 20% of your time doing truly challenging, out-of-your-comfort-zone work. This provides you with enough challenge to keep you on your toes without leaving you overwhelmed and stressed-out.

The above reasons for considering a job change are all negative reasons: they are focusing on getting away from a situation. There are also positive reasons for being interested in a new job, reasons that have more to do with the attractiveness of the new position than with wanting to move away from your current job.

·       The opportunity is the perfect next step in your career
It may very well happen that I approach you with a position that is exactly the next step in your career that you have in mind. In this case, it is important to determine up front those factors that might convince you to take the jump.

·       The opportunity offers you a better work-life balance
This must be the reason that looks most trivial but that can play an important role in your overall happiness. When I approach you with a position that significantly reduces your commute time, it might be tempting to engage in the discussion. Here as well, it is important to bear in mind the aspects of a job and of an employer that you value and the concessions you are willing to make for a better balance.


All of the above reasons are perfectly legitimate reasons for considering other options. The essential part is that you have thought it through before starting to talk to head-hunters, recruitment agencies or future employers. After all, you want to give us the image of candidate who is consciously managing and building his or her career, not someone who gets bogged down in today's thinking.

As this is my last blog before the holidays, I want to wish you all a wonderful summer with time for family, relaxation, fun and laughter and maybe…. some time to think whether it is time for a job change…
I hope to welcome you again as one of my readers in September. I look forward to share with you some technology changes that will be implemented during the summer that should enrich your candidate and client experience.

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

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