The journey and challenges of changing your role and company

Changing jobs can be a daunting prospect and it’s a decision that shouldn’t be taken lightly, especially when there’s a level of uncertainty involved. So, when is the right time to leave your current role?

There could be a number of reasons for making a move, whether it’s down to a lack of progression, training and development or you feel the company has no clear direction. Alternatively, you may have been overlooked for a promotion without any constructive feedback and have heard that the market can offer a better package than your company is willing to give you.

Here, we will offer our expert knowledge on the journey you may embark upon when it comes to changing roles, touching on the challenges you could face and the ways you can overcome them.

Deciding when it’s the right time for a new challenge and company

It’s never an easy decision to make a move, however, when you are not content with your current work situation this needs to be addressed. You should take the time to think it through properly: has this been a bad day/week for me or am I really not feeling fulfilled in my role anymore?

If you genuinely don’t feel content, you need to consider whether there is anything that your manager or company can do to change your frustrations. If there is something they can do to make a genuine difference to you then it might be sensible to have that conversation before starting any job search.

It is important to give your current employer the opportunity to address any concerns you have, so that if you do decide to leave, you know that everything was done to make this position and company work for you.

If at the end of the day you still decide that this position is no longer suitable, you need to consider what your push and pull factors are before starting your new job search.

What you can look for in a new role

As well as updating your CV, make sure you take time to document what you are not getting from your current position, company and culture - make this a point of focus for your next company and job.

This will ensure you give your attention to the roles that will take your career in the right direction. Additionally, it will guarantee that you ask the right questions during the interview stage/s or to recruitment consultants.

Tailoring your CV to each application

It is really important when applying for a job to tailor your CV to the role – this applies to both applying direct for a position and applying via a recruitment agency like Sellick Partnership.

When you are making changes to the document, you want to be confident that your skillset reflects the job description for the role you’re applying for. Although it will take some additional time, you could re-write your CV to pull out relevant experiences. Ultimately, this can be the difference between being shortlisted for interview and not.

Make sure you are focusing on where you have added value in your role (you specifically – not the wider team) rather than just a list of duties. This will enable you to really stand out during the application process.

It could be by highlighting that you worked with the commercial team to refocus their efforts towards high margin items rather than high revenue with low profit, to increase company earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA).

The interview process

Interviews can be intimidating for most people. However, it is always worth reminding yourself that you are interviewing the company to make sure they are a good fit for you, just as they will be. If you have taken time to consider what you want, applied for the roles that suit your skillset and have prepared by researching the company as best you can, then you will be in a good place to interview.

You need to understand and establish some points that relate to the value you add against the job specification - how you can deliver this succinctly and allow your experience and skills to shine through.

Because this is two-way process, make sure you have a list of things that are important to you and ask the interviewer things such as ‘what opportunities are there to progress in this role?’ and/or ‘where do you think the company is headed in the next five years?’ This could enable you to decide if this is the right fit for you. Take a look at our guide on the best questions to ask during an interview.  

On a final note, what to wear for your interview - particularly if you have no idea whether there's a dress code and haven't visited the office. We would always advise candidates to err on the side of caution and dress smartly, regardless of whether this is an in-person interview or a video interview.

Offer and acceptance

The offer stage can be equally as daunting as the interview/s and you want to get the best offer possible, which is where going through a recruiter pays dividends. Not only will you understand from the first discussion what the market is paying for your skillset and what the prospective employer can provide (including benefits), but you will also have had a serious discussion about the salary or package that you would be happy to accept.

By using an experienced recruiter, you mitigate the risk of lower offers and have a trusted, highly skilled consultant to negotiate that on your behalf. This way you know you have received the best offer possible.

Handing in your notice

Handing in your notice is never easy but the best course of action is to clearly explain your reasons to your manager. When your company realises you are leaving for the same reasons that you had addressed previously, and they understand that the new role offers you those solutions, they should accept that there is nothing that can be done. Alternatively, they may realise that they should have corrected any issues before you got to this stage.

Having said that, be prepared for a counter-offer if you are still adding value to your company or team. This is particularly important at the moment, when finding talented individuals is difficult in a candidate-short market. However, although more money and other incentives may seem appealing, try to remember your initial reasons for handing in your notice.

We have a blog on the top things to consider when you receive a counter-offer.

Alongside moving house, getting married and becoming a first-time parent, changing jobs is seen as being one of the top four most stressful periods in your life. Make sure you know exactly what will make you happy and what you want to achieve with a job move. The final decision often comes down to your gut feeling: if it still makes sense after gathering as much information as possible and weighing up the pros and cons then it probably is.

If you would like any advice on your next move, whether it's deciding what is right for you, how to write a good CV or general interview tips, then get in touch with Sellick Partnership today.