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Job Hunting

Thinking about changing jobs? Think about these questions first.

1. Are there due diligence gaps?

Nobody wants to join a company that is going to go bust. What can you find out about the company:

  • Financial health – are they a listed company – what is their share price?  Is it rising? 
  • What have you heard about them in the news?  Did you do your Google search?
  • Could they be a merger or takeover target – what would this mean for your new job?
  • Are there career paths and development opportunities – what do their staff say about them on forums such as LinkedIn or Seek Company Reviews.

2. Do you correctly understand the role being advertised?

  • What is the role really about?
  • How can you clarify what the performance expectations of the new role are?
  • Have you called or emailed the contact officer?

3. Can you really get results in this new job?

  • Can you hit the ground running and perform to the desired expectation in the new setting or will you need to time to find your feet and then prove your capability?

4. What support will you get?

  • You’ve probably built up a strong network of positive work relationships in your current job including managers, peers, and direct reports.
  • Will you be able to find out where any resistance to your appointment will come from (such as an internal staff member that may have missed out on a promotion); and how will you deal with that?

5. Should you change jobs just because of the money?

  • More money and an attractive proposition or fancy new job title doesn’t make up for lack of job satisfaction or greater pressure.

6. Are you feeling pushed or being pulled?

  • Are you moving ‘from’ a situation or going ‘to’ the right opportunity.  Are you leaving you job for the right reasons?  Being unhappy or stressed or desperate to get out leads to poor decisions.
  • Being stressed also starts to close-off lateral thinking and you may miss other possibilities that might exist in your current company.

7. Will a quick-fix backfire on you?

  • Being overly influenced by short-term pressure can significantly cloud your job search.  You may no longer strategical assess options, but jump around from application to application just wishing one would land.

8. Are your blind spots closing off other options?

  • Sometimes the best strategy is to say where you are.
  • Find out what needs to change in your current situation.
  • Explore how to enrich your role, move laterally or take a transfer.
  • Initiate some changes yourself or start learning some new skills to make yourself more job ready and marketable.

Need some help with your resume or interview coaching? 

Contact me for assistance.

Email: kate@professionalresumesandjobapplications.com

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Cheers for now, Kate.