While everyone wants to settle down in their career with their dream job, at times, leaving your present job and choosing something else becomes imperative. You could look for a job in the same industry or change the industry and start afresh. Or, you could continue to look for a job in the same designation but in another company.
People change jobs for better prospects. However, doing so would require careful consideration on your part. You don’t want to be dissatisfied with your new position.
However, what might seem like a dream position for you, could seem like corporate slavery to others. Hence, it would be best to consider certain factors that will give you a better perspective about what you want and prevent you from making mistakes during your job search.
Why Would You Want to Look For a New Job?
You may want to look for your next job for several reasons. Leaving the comfort of your present job and looking for something different should not make you feel guilty. Here are some scenarios.
- Your present job does not give you the job satisfaction you hoped it would give you.
- Your job is different from the job description you applied for.
- Your salary is lower than industry standards, and your employers aren’t providing you the benefits and perks your friends in other companies are getting in the same designation.
- Your job does not leave you with a healthy work-life balance.
- You have a toxic workplace where your coworkers ruthlessly compete to get to the top, often breaking rules and codes of conduct.
- You were terminated from your previous job due to downsizing or management issues.
- You want to start afresh for personal or professional reasons.
Choosing Your Next Job: Knowing What You Want?
Looking for a job and landing one is time-consuming. It can be very tempting to hit the “Send” button whenever you see an opening.
But it would be best if you figured out what you want so that you can make a decision that’s best for you.
1. Your Passion
Lack of passion in what you do is one of the biggest reasons many people soon feel disgruntled with their jobs. You may have thought about a particular career or a particular position ever since you were in high school.
However, the realities of working the job could be very different, and your previous job could have left you disillusioned. Hence, while looking for your next job, be mindful of your true passions or what kind of work environment you want to be a part of.
2. Looking Beyond Salary
The importance of a reasonable salary at par with the industry standards and the amount of effort you put in is invaluable. You can’t overlook the importance of money as this is what helps you pay your bills or save for your future.
Having said that, if you had joined your previous jobs for the money alone and still felt dissatisfied, it’s time to look beyond the compensation package. At the same time, you must negotiate for the highest package, but that shouldn’t be the sole reason while choosing your next job.
3. Work Ethics
Suppose you are someone with a strong sense of ethics. In that case, you will find it difficult to work long-term in an environment where it is okay to discriminate against coworkers or steal office stationery.
If you have always wanted to work for the public benefit, working for a company with a ruthlessly capitalist mindset will be equally difficult. Research the companies you are interested in and learn as much as possible about them before choosing your next job.
4. Definition of Success
Your definition of success is crucial when choosing your next job. No one thinks about where they see themselves ten or twenty years later, as landing their first job seems like a big step at the time.
However, when choosing your next job, you would be at an important phase of your career. It’s vital you know what success means for you.
Does it mean building a bank balance with three houses in three different cities? Or does it mean retiring at 50 and traveling the world with your family?
Choosing a job that will take you nearer to your personal and professional goals is always advisable.
Points to Consider While Looking For Your Next Job
Considering these points will help you better decide about your new job.
1. Company Goals
Your personal goals must align with the company’s goals. If they don’t, you will never feel like your employers truly understand your potential.
Research the websites of the prospective companies you are interested in. Check whether their goals align with yours with the kind of work you want to do. Else you will remain dissatisfied at the end of the day.
2. Work Hours
If you have suffered from stress or burnout in your previous job, it is important to enquire about the work hours for your next one. Poor work-life balance will soon leave you dissatisfied with your job, no matter how carefully you choose it.
Enquire if the employer often asks the employees to work overtime or if the shifts are too often changed without notice. All of this impacts your job in the long term, so you should find out about them beforehand.
3. Perks And Benefits
You must be satisfied with your package for the time and effort you put into your job. And it is important to look beyond the salary while doing so. Does the company pay for adequate insurance? Will you get a travel allowance? Is the company willing to cover costs during a workplace accident? Do you get bonuses at the end of the year?
Sometimes a company will pay a little more than the usual salary in the industry to attract employees but will cut back on all the benefits, which can be disappointing later.
4. Traveling
It would be best if you enquired about the degree of travel required during working. Is the office situated too far from your home? Or will you have to travel frequently for your work?
While some people enjoy traveling, others with additional responsibilities at home find it a pain because it takes a lot of their time. Before choosing your next job, consider whether you will have enough time for yourself after all the traveling and working.
5. Learning Environment
You will never feel satisfied with your job if stagnancy creeps in after a while. You must learn and grow to stay relevant to the industry and your personal and professional growth. Find out if the companies you are looking at have training and refresher courses for their employees.
What skills are you looking forward to developing in the future? What kind of prospects do you expect to open up in the next five years in the industry, and whether the company will provide you with learning opportunities?
6. Flexibility
Flexibility is important in today’s modern workplaces, especially after the pandemic. It’s not always possible to work 40 hours a week from the office or whichever kind of work you are involved in. As long as you are doing your work, some flexibility helps reduce fatigue and improve work output.
You won’t have to go through undue stress, and you can still meet your deadlines, making you more productive. It’s an important consideration if you have multiple personal and professional roles.
7. Recognition And Appraisals
It’s important to be recognized for one’s efforts, which is crucial for growth. Did your previous employer always defer your appraisals on some pretext? Did you have to beg for promotions in your previous job, despite doing your best?
All of the above can leave you disappointed, and you must talk about this to your recruiters while applying and interviewing for your next job. Regular appraisals will motivate you to perform better and increase your prospects in the future.
8. Work Environment
A good work environment is crucial to do your job well. Toxic workplaces with unhealthy competition or abusive employers seldom do well. It would be best to look for jobs where employers promote inclusivity, and you don’t have to contend with office politics.
You can do this by researching the organization, reading reviews, and speaking to past employees before deciding.
How to go About Choosing Your Next Ideal Job?
While choosing your ideal next job, looking beyond the regular job portals is important to land something meaningful. Apart from the conventional ways of applying for a job, you can attend job fairs and expos to speak directly to company representatives.
You can use your problem-solving techniques to understand what problems an industry might be facing at work and how you can help them resolve those issues at their company by adding value through your services.
In addition, you can also ask references and contacts about openings that might be best suited for what you are looking at.
Ask your friends or precious coworkers now working at different companies to tell you about openings you may want to pursue. It’s important to go a step further if you are looking forward to making a change with your next job.
Conclusion
Once you have considered all the aspects mentioned earlier, you will attain clarity when you choose your next job. Changing jobs whenever you feel dissatisfied isn’t always good, as many employers will see you as a job hopper, no matter your reasons.
If necessary, take some extra time between jobs, making the process more stress-free and fruitful.
