Determining the right time to change jobs and doing it
In the old days, people stayed with a company for anywhere from
25 to 50 years and then retired with a nice little nest egg and
a small pension. In today's ever-changing and dynamic job
market, people are seen changing jobs at the drop of a hat. I
assume the volatile nature of the job market today has forced us
to continuously look for and change jobs whenever we find
something that pays a little more or offers what we believe to
be a little security.
Should you consider jumping ship?
There are many factors that affect a decision to change jobs.
Some of them are: lack of security, not getting along with
coworkers, low salaries, no chance for advancement, company
doing poorly, layoffs expected or abysmal benefits. Do you fall
into one of the categories? Do you have another valid reason for
wanting to change jobs?
If so, it may be time to consider looking for a new job. Twenty
years ago, if you changed jobs more than every five years, you
were considered untrustworthy and you would find it difficult to
get hired. Today, it is not unusual to change jobs after a year
or two. So, if you have been at your current position for a
minimum of 12 months, preferably at least 24 months then
changing jobs should not impact your reputation or the look of
your resume. It could look bad if there's a pattern of staying
at jobs for only a year or two, but if it happens occasionally
in your work history, it's ok.
What are the factors to weigh?
If you decide that you fall into one of the categories above
that indicates you are ready to leave your job, there are
several factors you should consider. First, how is the job
market? Has anyone close to you recently changed jobs or is
everyone battening down the hatches and doing everything
possible to keep their job? If the job market is tight you may
want to consider waiting to jump ship.
Another factor to consider is whether you are ready to start
looking for a job. Is your resume in tip top shape? Do