Changing employer

Changing employers  

Fed up with your current job? Not going anywhere on the career ladder? Tired of doing the same thing year in year out? Not getting appreciated for your hard work? Why not change employers. 

Perhaps you are happy with the work but don't like - some of - your colleagues or your boss. Or perhaps you are not getting the benefits you should or are entitled to. Perhaps you simply want to do different work altogether or work from home. 

All very good reasons to leave your current employer and explore the job market for new opportunities. 

Step by Step  

Once you have decided you want to change employer there are a number of steps to take. Use the following check list to see whether you are ready to start looking for a new job elsewhere. 

	Yes, I've made up my mind to change jobs. Now what?
	Yes, I still have good  qualifications.	No, I'm not sure, I want to know more about qualifications.
	I have all the expertise I need to get a job.	No, I'm not sure, I want to know more about job training.
	I have looked around and there are good jobs available in my field.	I want to see what is out there on the job market and browse through some databases.
	Yes, I've got a great professional resume or CV.	No, I'm not sure if my resume or CV is as good as it could be.
	Yes, I'm ready for any interview.	No, I'm still a little unsure about undergoing job interviews.
	I know what I want in salary and other benefits.	I want to make sure I know what to expect in pay and other benefits.
	Yes, I know all about work environments and how I want mine to be.	I want to make sure my new work place is safe and ergonomically sound.

How about personal issues? This site is not about your personal life, in fact that is something we try to avoid getting into explicitly, but career changes can have a significant impact on your personal life and the people in it. 

Self examination and motivation  

So before you hand in your notice, take a moment to reflect and organise. The following negative thoughts triggered by fear and uncertainty may come up: 

• I have been at this place so long I wouldn't know how to go about looking for work some place else.

• I'm not really confident I'm worth all that much on the job market. 

• I'm too old to change jobs now. 

• I probably don't have the qualifications anymore. 

• When I mentioned it to my family they said I was crazy. 

• I've thought about it so long but I haven't really done anything about it. 

This negative defense system gets triggered whenever we contemplate uncertainty or a major change in our lives. Doubt sets in, often fuelled by people around us, from whom we really want encouragement rather than - loving - depreciation. 

Yes, a good hard look at yourself could be in place here. It may be a good idea to take a few days off and spend some time at a favourite hobby, location, family member or friend, to think things through. 

If this is not in your realm of possibilities get some books or other material from a local library or on line and do some reading on how you feel. When faced with an important decision it is equally important that you try and make it calmly and well thought over. 

But don't let anything or anyone change your mind if you are sure. 

Career Assessment  

Right. So you are still certain that you want to find another place of employment. Great. Congratulations. Be positive about it. A decision to change jobs is leaving behind something negative, even if it was only boredom, nothing more serious, and starting something new and positive. 

The next step is to assess your position on the market place. 

• Do you still have career possibilities? 

• Do you need training? 

• Can you still write a resume or cv? 

• Do you know where to look? 

• Are you ( considered by others or yourself to be ) too old?

• Can you travel for a new job? 

It is helpful to answer these and other questions that come up because approaching the transition from one job to another in an orderly, rational and calm manner will greatly improve your chances of success. 

Differences between changing jobs at a current employer or finding a new job elsewhere

Looking for a new job within your own company is different than looking for a new job at another company. We list some advantages and disadvantages here for you to think about. Some points fall in both categories depending on your point of view. 

As you can see there are advantages and disadvantages in changing your work environment. Have you given each good thought? Generally, the excitement of a new challenge and the knowledge of leaving something negative combined help you approach the change in a positive frame of mind. 

New people  

Getting to know and work with new people can be both positive and negative. However, if part of the reason for changing jobs is because of your colleagues you should look forward to meeting new people. 

While it is next to impossible to assess your social skills yourself, ask yourself the question whether people are generally friendly or unfriendly to you the first time you meet them. Take it from there. Getting along with people is not a question of physical beauty but of frame of mind. You get as good as you give.

Enemies old and new  

No matter how hard you try and no matter how correct you are in your dealing with colleagues and people you meet, there will always be people you simply don't get along with. 

The level of animosity between you and that other can take many degrees of severity. There may even be open hostility, back stabbing or harassment involved. Your working life takes up a good portion of your day. 

You should be aware of your position within the social order. No point in sticking your head in the sand here. Avoid the people you dislike and need not deal with at all, minimise your dealings with those you dislike but have to deal with. Be professional and job orientated at all times. 

It becomes that much more difficult for others to put you down if you are good at your job and behave in a professional manner. In the end they will avoid you! 

Travel issues  

If you hate commuting as much as everyone else does, this is your opportunity to look for that new job closer to home! 

If you feel you have been working too close to home and it has interfered with your professional life, now is the time to look for a job further away! 

If you like to travel for your work and haven't been able to do so, again, this is the time to find out whether your career move can involve traveling. 

If you needed to travel too much and it interfered with your private life or you simply are fed up with being on the road too much, look for a job which involves less or no travel. 

Wages and benefits  

As with travel issues, wages and benefits are part of the equation in changing jobs. As a golden rule, you should always try and get more than you had in your old job. 

This threshold of changing jobs opens up a whole world of opportunity to try and get the work you want with the pay and benefits you deserve! Don't miss up this prime opportunity. And make sure you find out during the interview exactly what you can expect from your new employer. (See our Interview section.) 

Make it a point to ask about promotional possibilities. This helps you decide whether the job is right and also gives your prospective employer two messages; (1) you like to improve yourself, and (2) you may stay a long time if you get chances at promotions. 

No holding back  

So you have made up your mind to find a new job at another employer. You have checked that everything is set up and that you are emotionally ready to go for it. Great. All that's left to do now is find that job! 

While we can't help you scout newspapers and other non-internet information, we have plenty of quality databases for you to search through. Make it your first stop on the road to success. Good luck!

Yes, I want to see what great jobs are out there waiting for me.