When is it a good time to change jobs?
Until now for most change professionals that has meant a fairly lengthy trawl across half a dozen job boards but www.change-jobs.com should ‘change’ all that.
So whilst finding new roles should now be much easier when is, actually the right time to change jobs and when is the right time to stay put?
Some (very) good reasons to leave include;
- Redundancy!
- Relocation of company or yourself!
- Lack of opportunity to; learn, make career progression or transfer internally!
The majority of reasons are less clear cut than this perhaps.
You have a difficult manager. Most people, it has been said, do not leave a company but leave their manager. This makes sense if your manager is an ogre but before you resign give some thought to whether an internal transfer might be an option. In smaller companies this is unlikely but large companies often have significant internal recruitment markets and it is often easier to transfer internally into a role which does not match your previous skill set as closely as before because your ability is a known quantity. In the external recruitment market this is incredibly difficult so if you are looking to make a slight change in direction without taking a big cut in salary this is often the best option.
You are underpaid. This could be due to any number of factors including; the company generally does not pay very well across the board, the company is under performing currently, the fact that they do not value you specifically which raises a whole host of issues. In this situation you should firstly ensure
that you are correct in your assumption.
Speak to recruiters that specialise in your market and keep an eye on the job market to confirm your beliefs. Once you have the necessary details speak to your manager in the first instance or depending on how your company works possibly to HR and tell them that you believe that you are underpaid and show them some evidence. Do not demand an increase or threaten to leave if you don’t get one – they might just take you up on it. Sadly some companies seem to hold off on pay rises until someone resigns but do you really want to work for a company like that anyway!?
You should also consider the state of the market currently and whether salaries are generally rising. The current market is better disposed to a pay rise than at any time in the past few years!
You are not given the credit you deserve for the work you do. Is this because your manager is just not very communicative or is the work simply not as good as you think it is? Firstly, speak to your manager and ask him or her what, they think of your work and ask for regular feedback. If you have a regular appraisal, use that as a forum to discuss your work and its strengths and weaknesses.
Secondly, try to be pragmatic about the quality of your work compared to that of your peers. If you still feel under-valued try to raise your profile beyond the sight of just your line manager. Volunteer for company-wide exercises / programmes and in particular those programmes, sponsored by senior management or your bosses boss. The cream will eventually rise to the top!
In short, be pragmatic and examine the reality of your situation, consider your options and remember the phrase ‘better the devil you know!’
Leaving your current employer is not always the answer is the simple message that we are trying to convey. If you have done all of this and still want to leave then Change Jobs may have arrived at just the right time.
Author: Sarah Louise McGovern
September 2006
