Switching jobs needs thought

Edwina Cameron

POTENTIAL job seekers should assess why they are unhappy in their current role and what they want in a new one before completing any job applications.

Melissa Mahoney, from Melissa Mahoney Recruitment, said candidates should stop and question whether the role they were considering stepping into was an improvement on the role they were leaving. “Think about the reasons behind your decision to leave your current employer,” Ms Mahoney said. “Is the role you’re stepping into really likely to be better?”

Ms Mahoney said that candidates often lost their focus through the job-hunting process and ended up applying for roles that were not a significant improvement on the role they would be leaving. “An employee may identify the key reason they are leaving their current employer as a lack of career progression opportunities but then they can become dazzled by factors like higher salaries and apply for roles that offer them no career progression at all,” she said.

Ms Mahoney said that, before making a decision to leave, people should write down what it was about their position they did not like such as the wages, actual duties, personal conflicts, career progression and company size. From this, they could identify attributes that the position for which they had applied should possess.

Job-hunters should regularly revisit that document to ensure they were staying on the right track. “I often take candidates through a few hypothetical situations to identify their key motivating factors,” Ms Mahoney said. “From this, it’s easier to match the person to the right job.

“I also make sure they’re not leaving their current role due to a knee-jerk reaction such as a conflict with their boss. “Looking through a person’s resume also gives an idea of their past employment patterns.” Ms Mahoney said it was common for job-hunters to lie to themselves about the type of person they were and the role that would suit them.

“A candidate may be so dazzled by the array of jobs out there that he starts lying to himself about his capabilities and strengths,” she said. “It’s a common issue in the legal profession, where people are very quick to jump the fence. “I’d advise candidates to consider moving if they’re unhappy in their role but to be selective with the roles they choose.

“The big question that needs to be answered is: `Will moving to a new role resolve or eradicate your current concerns?’ ” Ms Mahoney said the rise of electronic job applications had contributed to the problem.

“Now, people can apply for jobs with the click of a button and they’re less likely to really think through the application,” she said.
Before moving on . . . Melissa Mahoney.

• Ask yourself why you really are thinking about leaving. Can these reasons be overcome?
• Ask yourself whether you are likely to find the same problems in a new role.
• Consider “temping” as an option to test out a new role before permanently committing to it.
• Write down a pros and cons list of leaving your current role.
• Don’t be swayed solely by salary. Consider factors such as company culture.
• Be honest to yourself about what work suits you and stick to that idea.
• Run any potential jobs through a set of criteria and do not consider applying unless the job meets those criteria.

By Edwina Cameron, The Courier Mail, July 1, 2006.