It’s extremely tough to gauge whether your future job could be worse than your current one. The fact that you want to switch jobs should tip you off that you’re unhappy; just make sure you’re unhappy for good reason, not some unrealistic expectation of what the work world is like.
Imagine what you’d do if you had all the money in the world. What would you spend your time doing? Would you spend your time traveling and writing about the experience? Would you spend your days cooking? A lot of our most enjoyable pursuits don’t pay as well as the “lucrative” ones, but if you’re truly good at what you love to do, you probably stand to make a good deal of money and have fun doing it at the same time. Recall your most enjoyable accomplishments and experiences, especially those that are deeply felt and emotionally fulfilling. What are you good at doing? Many people find that they enjoy doing the things they’re naturally good at.
Ask yourself why you like what you do. Begin to probe. Perhaps you’re passionate about sprinting, for example, but don’t excel at it. If you tried to become a sprinter, you probably wouldn’t succeed. But if you realized that you loved the physiology behind sprinting, you might choose to become a sports doctor. [1] X Research source The curious person constantly tries to understand more about the both the world and themselves, making the job/career switch easier.
Advantages: You could get a counter-offer to stay which would make your job more bearable, although not necessarily more meaningful; you give your boss ample time to find a replacement; you leave your current company not having burned bridges and having been honest about your feelings. Disadvantages: You could not get a job offer for several months, leaving you in a “transitional” period permanently; your boss may think you’re simply angling for a pay bump; your boss may begin to distrust your work and make you feel less relevant as time goes on.
Learn how to interview well and form excellent interview questions Learn how to protect your online reputation Sort out your elevator pitch if you haven’t already
Remember that people hire people, not resumes. Making an impression in a face to face human exchange is extremely important. People hire people that they like, not necessarily those with the best resume or even qualifications. Networking can seem pretty daunting, especially for introverts. The most important things to remember are that the other person is probably nervous, too, and that no one thinks about you as much as you think about yourself. If you mess up, no biggie; just brush it off! They’re probably thinking about themselves, not about you.
During your informational interview, ask them questions about their personal career path and their current job: How did you find the job? What did you do before you were a [occupation]? What’s the most satisfying part of your job? The least? What’s a typical day look like for you? What’s your advice for someone trying to break into the field?
Reach out to HR directly and describe your experience or your desired job. Market yourself — briefly. Then ask: “Are there any positions open that might align with my skills and expertise?” Prepare to leave your contact info and/or a resume or CV with the HR department. Don’t be discouraged if HR effectively says no. Ask if you can be updated if/when a position comes up and leave your contact info. If you’re still interested in the organization after a month or two, follow up with HR and show renewed interest. Not a lot of people do this, and it shows real courage and persistence — two great traits to have.
Just like networking, the person interviewing you is probably nervous as well. They want to make a good impression, too. They want you to think favorably of their company. The stakes might not be as high for them, but don’t for a second think that being in the driver’s seat for an interview is a piece of cake. Part of their performance is going to be judged on the merit of the candidates that they bring in. Pay attention to your body language during the interview. If you get an interview, it means there’s something about you that the potential employer thinks might fit in their system. That’s great. And while you can’t change your skills and your expertise mid-stride in the interview, you can change how you present yourself. Look the interviewer in the eye; remember to smile; work on your handshake; be polite and err on the side of modesty without being totally abnegating. Keep your interview answers succinct. When you’re under the heat of the microscope, time starts to dilate, and a lot of people feel like they’re not talking enough when in fact they’re talking too much. Pause after you feel like you’ve incisively addressed the question. If the interviewer maintains eye contact without speaking, that’s probably a cue that they expect further elaboration; if the interviewer launches into the next question, you’ve kept your answer at a good length. Keep a positive attitude during and after the interview. There will be interviews that you bomb — that’s just a fact of life. Don’t get down on yourself for a poor interview. Instead, learn from your mistakes and apply those lessons to future interviews. During the interview, especially, don’t let negativity affect your approach. Many people think they do much worse than they come off.
People respond to other people, not necessarily to paper. Making sure you treat the interviewer like a person, first and foremost, will go a long way toward cementing your eligibility as a top candidate.
People respond to other people, not necessarily to paper. Making sure you treat the interviewer like a person, first and foremost, will go a long way toward cementing your eligibility as a top candidate.
Don’t pack your bags before you’ve left. Don’t check out. Stay focused during your last days on the job. Instill trust in your manager that you’re fully present and committed to doing your work for as long as you stay at the company. Don’t speak out publicly against any of your old bosses or colleagues. This kind of public guillotining gets around and doesn’t exactly keep relations tight with your old employer or reassure your new one. Say goodbye to your old colleagues. Shoot out an email blast to everyone (if you’re leaving a small company) or those people you’ve worked with (if it’s a larger company) letting them know you’re moving on. Keep it quick and simple — no need to elaborate on why. Then write personal notes to select individuals you established a really good working relationship with. Let them know how grateful you are to have worked with them.
