Following on from my last blog (how to prepare for your salary review) I wanted to move onto how best to prepare to approach the market if you have decided to consider your options.
The first thing to do is jot down what it is you like and dislike about your current role and company and why it is that you are looking. Is it the case that you like your company but are disappointed with your salary or quality of work. It maybe that you have limited progression prospects or that you love your role but don’t like the culture of your current organisation. The main reasons people tend to move jobs typically falls into one or more of the categories below;
- Salary
- Career Progression
- Location
- Work life balance
- Culture
- Quality of work
- Change of specialism
When you have ascertained what it is that makes you unhappy and consequently what you are looking for you now need to grade them in order of importance. The reason for this is that no job is perfect so what you are trying to do is continually move towards a situation where most of your key criteria are met. If you know what is of most importance you can apply for roles that satisfy these needs and trade off against criteria that aren’t of the same importance.
Now you have graded them the next thing I would ask a job seeker is if have you spoken to your current employer about your concerns? For example if you are thinking of moving primarily for money or progression it is a good idea to speak to your employer in advance of starting your search. This is important for 2 reasons:
- If there is scope to have your salary increased or be promoted in the next round of promotions then you may not need to look at the market at all.
- If there is no scope to have your concerns addressed adequately or in an appropriate time frame then it will reconfirm your thoughts about looking for a new role
Once you have gone through this process and established a hierarchy around your expectations you have a starting point from which you can engage with the market. Experienced recruiters will be able to align your expectations with employers and opportunities that reflect your needs more specifically.
In my next blog I will discuss how to write your cv and engage with the market via recruitment agencies, job boards, networking and LinkedIn.
For jobs, insights and more visit Accountancy Jobs Ireland. Amicus Accountancy is led by Ross Wynne, Director – ross@amicus.ie
