How to make your move
pharmafile | September 1, 2006 | Feature | Business Services |Â Â career, planning, recruitmentÂ
According to a recent survey, four out of every 10 employees are thinking about changing their job in the next 12 months. But do they really appreciate exactly what they're letting theirselves in for before taking the plunge?
Changing jobs is a stressful time for everyone involved, but the process can be made smoother by anticipating and preparing for any eventualities. A little knowledge about the various stages that job-changers go through and the problems to be overcome helps to focus the mind, and even those who have changed jobs before can benefit from some extra guidance and food for thought.
Life and career coaches report that September is the busiest month of the year for them, with clients wrestling with the decision of whether or not to change jobs. This is because many of us come back from our summer holidays having reassessed our lives, when we have had the time and distance to take a fresh look at our career. Similarly, another busy time is January – how many of us have made that new year resolution to make a fresh start?
Moving jobs is not a decision to be taken lightly. It triggers a process of change that could be traumatic not only for you but also those around you, especially if your new job means you have to relocate. And once the decision to move is made, you're faced with a host of new questions and situations to manage, such as: what are you going to do next; where should you look for your new job; how do you leave your old job gracefully, without burning any bridges and without losing goodwill; and how do you prepare yourself to start your new job?
The key to managing the process is to think everything through carefully and make sure everyone involved is on board, so that taking the next step in your career goes as smoothly as possible.
Reasons for change
There are many reasons for changing jobs, these can range from a feeling that your career has stalled to personality clashes with work colleagues, or a company reorganisation that affects the promotion pathway. Financial and family reasons also play a part, as does deciding to make a career switch. Typically, it's a combination of events that triggers the desire to move.
Timing is a crucial factor in this process. Think carefully about whether a move would be right for your career and personal circumstances at this time. You do not want to appear to be a job hopper by moving too frequently or appear risk averse by not moving at all. The job you do will make a difference here. The expectations of hiring managers and HR managers will differ when reviewing CVs from sales and marketing personnel and regulatory affairs managers.
Whatever the reason, don't waste all your time daydreaming about the wonderful, new job you're going to get; it is crucial to examine exactly why you want to move on. There's no point in changing jobs just to go somewhere different – your new job should be part of an overall career strategy. Assess what it is you need from a new job, and how it reflects your long-term career goals. You might want to acquire new skills, broaden your experience, or try something completely new, but it should fit into your plan of where you want to be in five, 10 or 15 years' time.
Having a career strategy also prepares you for the unexpected – a call from a headhunter or contact that comes out of the blue can be assessed against your plan and this can save you valuable time if the position they're offering is not a good fit with it.
There are a number of tools on the internet, such as those found at www.jobhuntersbible.com and various psychometric profiling sites. There are also plenty of books to guide your thinking, and in addition, mentors, coaches and recruitment consultants can all be useful, particularly those with a strong knowledge of your industry. By clearly identifying why you need to move and what elements of your current job you are finding unsatisfactory, you're in a much better position to consider all the available options.
Whether it's your own decision or a telephone call that starts the process, always begin by considering where you are now, because you might find you are able to grow your existing position into the job you want, or, alternatively, move within the same organisation. If you have an appraisal or performance review coming up, you can use this as the perfect opportunity to discuss your ambitions with your manager; but if not, you might need to arrange a meeting with the appropriate people specifically to review your career progression.
If your present employer can't provide what you want, then it's time to look elsewhere. The ideal job probably won't appear immediately, so, in the meantime, keep your CV up-to-date and your eyes and ears open. Remember that the market plays a part as well, and your ideal position may be in a slow-moving segment, so it pays to be patient.
Starting the process
Not surprisingly, different employers have different selection methods. You might face two short interviews a few weeks apart, or a marathon schedule in several countries with a number of meetings, presentations and assessment days. Always bear in mind that jobhunting is a two-way process and that your instincts and first impressions of the position and your potential new employers are just as important as their first impressions of you.
Once you have secured a verbal offer, the fun really begins. I truly believe that good recruiters can give real added value at this stage. Negotiating pay and benefits can be quite delicate, and recruitment consultants can provide that essential bit of inside knowledge; for instance, does the employer tend to offer their best package straight away, or do they put in a low offer and expect you to negotiate it up to an appropriate level? They can also help you to differentiate between essentials and desirables in your pay and benefits package, and facilitate the negotiation process through regular information exchange.
How you deal with this part of the recruitment process may depend on the level of the position, your knowledge of the parties involved and the current market, but taking advantage of any worthwhile help you can get is always a good idea.
If you accept the verbal offer, make it clear that this acceptance is provisional, subject to the terms and conditions of the contract of employment, and ask for a written copy to be sent to you immediately. Your new employer should be comfortable with this as their offer to you is probably provisional as well, being contingent on verifying your background, qualifications and CV details, following up your references and perhaps obtaining medical clearance.
When you receive the offer, seek legal advice to check the new contract and to review your existing one. Items worth checking include non-competition clauses, restrictive covenants, probationary periods, bonus payments, notice period information and anything a good employment lawyer might spot.
It is also worth checking the number of accrued holidays you have left under your current employment as this can influence the exact date you can leave your old position. Good advice is a sensible investment and may make a big difference in how you decide to manage your departure.
Once you have reviewed and agreed the details of the offer, make sure you have a signed copy before you resign from your current job.
Leaving on a good note
Your recruitment consultant or new employer can help at this stage, and they may even have a resignation letter in template form. The best resignation letters are fairly short, thanking your current company for the time you have spent with them and wishing them well for the future, but also making it clear that your decision is final and that your notice period is to start from the date of the letter.
You should try to resign by handing over the letter at a face-to-face meeting with your manager, and perhaps a representative from the HR team, and it is crucial to consider how your manager may react before you do this. The initial reaction is typically fairly pleasant and positive, but things can change when the implications of your departure and the ramifications for the business are thought through. Spending a few minutes playing it over in your mind will help you prepare for the emotions and questions you may face during the actual meeting. The strength of these feelings can often take you by surprise, particularly if you have had a good working relationship in the past.
You can expect to feel guilty, upset, relieved or elated (or even all four at once!) when your resignation has been announced and accepted. Your recruitment consultant or new employer should talk you through this period. It is an unusual time as you can often feel happier in your old job than ever before, probably because the pressure to perform at top level is off and you know you have a limited period of time left at the current company.
Big decisions are often followed by buyer's remorse. Since most decisions are actually based on emotional choices, it is normal to hesitate and question yourself in the immediate aftermath, until your analytical mind catches up and agrees that you have made the right decision after all.
You may get a counter-offer from the company you are leaving. Consider this in advance. But this may simply be a sticking plaster approach as in more than 80% of cases, candidates who accept a counter-offer, in fact, go on to leave within the following 12 months.
There are numerous reasons why accepting a counter-offer can be a mistake, including how staying might affect the way you are perceived. Colleagues might wonder if you are to be trusted and proving your renewed loyalty is very difficult once you have resigned. You also might consider that if you are worth the value of the counter-offer, perhaps that is what you should have been rewarded with anyway?
Hence, this stresses the importance of thoroughly exploring all the options with your current employer before you begin to look outside – what they have presented as a counter-offer may have been available all along, but just waiting for you to push the button.
Gardening or holiday?
The notice period can last from a few days to three months or more. It is worth checking how other leavers have been treated, and thinking about any projects that you may need to finish before your departure.
It could be that your employer asks you to leave immediately as in some cases, employees leaving a sensitive project or position are escorted directly to their desk to collect their things and then out of the building immediately after they resign. Equally, your employer might insist that you work out the full notice period. If there's a gardening leave clause in your current contract, you might effectively find yourself on paid leave for a while. But, unfortunately, this isn't always the easy option it sounds as your old employer can call on you at any time to fulfil your duties during this period if they wish. Hence, gardening rather than holiday leave, perhaps.
Both you and your old employer should do everything possible to keep the leaving process smooth. In most cases, a reasonable agreement can be reached that gives you time to finish things off while avoiding the scenario of you hanging around as a disgruntled soon-to-be-ex-employee. Both sides should remember that if you are all remaining in the same sector, you may find yourselves having a working relationship again in the future, especially given the continued growth in company mergers and acquisitions. Consequently, it is crucial to keep things civil between all parties.
It is a good idea to follow-up with your mentor or recruitment consultant while working out the notice period. Leaving a job can be an emotional time and they can reassure you about your decision and also help guard you against the inevitable wavering. You may have to deal with a leaving event, too, which can trigger a range of emotions, but don't forget that you can always keep in touch with any former colleagues with whom you really get on.
Your new company should keep in contact, too. This might be in the form of an occasional call or email, or even a social event where you can start getting to know your new colleagues.
You can also use this time as an opportunity to build your knowledge about your new employer, and further researching any information on your new position, all of which will help you settle in when you eventually join the company. This creates a positive impression and may help you get off to a flying start.
Lastly, it's a good idea to take a break between finishing the old job and beginning the new one, if possible. This is the ideal time to recharge your batteries and gear up for the new position. Employers always like someone new to start as soon as possible, but the many benefits of getting a well motivated, energised and rested new employee will soon make up for the short delay in the start date.
Tarquin Bennett-Coles is the UK Business Unit Director for Clinical and Medical, DOCS International, a staffing organisation specialising in the healthcare sector across Europe.
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