Crush Your Next Job Change

This tight labor market is now known as The Great Resignation. It’s not just about people choosing to not work at all, but the reality is a lot of employees are considering changing jobs and even careers. For some, this season has caused them to re-evaluate their priorities and recognize that their current role and current organization does not match those priorities any longer. For others, they have narrowly avoided lay-off after lay-off and are anxious to consider something they might consider more secure. The pandemic has created some cultural shifts in some organizations and employees find they know longer align with the culture of the organization.

On March 13, 2020, when everything in the U.S. shut down, I immediately told my own sons to hold on tight that the job market was going to change in ways they could not imagine. It did. In the early days of the pandemic, we saw historic unemployment in the U.S. But soon after, we saw the phenomenon that often happens in a crisis: the rise of new jobs. There were new problems to solve and new problem solvers needed. If you are a problem solver, you could actually be in demand and might want to think about what is next for your career.

If you are considering changing jobs in this season, there are some key questions you need to ask:

1.     Does my current job align with my priorities? During the pandemic, all of my priorities changed. Prior to the pandemic, If you had asked me my priorities, I certainly would have told you faith, family, friends and then maybe work, but that would not be what the calendar would indicate at all

When Covid hit in March of 2020, I immediately created goals for who I wanted to be in each area of my life when this chaotic season ended. At the time, the most pressing need in my life was actually to focus on me. Setting goals for more exercise, more quiet time and more reading fueled me to also be more creative. Working from home and locked down,  I easily could have worked every waking hour. However, I decided to be intentional about ending my day at an appointed time so that I could attend to the other priorities in my life.

With so much change, the question is for all of us, can we meet our re-imagined priorities in our current job. Is there enough flexibility to continue to invest in what is most important to us? If the answer is no, then it might be time to consider a job change, even in these circumstances.

 2.     Has the pandemic changed the culture of my organization? The stress of poor financial performance, lay-offs and an unknown future have done damage to the culture of some organizations. In some cases, so much so, that the organization they once were is hardly recognizable. They are no longer living out their purpose, pursuing their mission or demonstrating the core values of the organization. 

 Some organizational cultures have flourished in this climate. They were poised with the technology and service model to pivot and successfully navigate the landmines that presented themselves in the past eighteen months. Many others faltered, lost their way and abandoned the foundation their culture had provided.

 If you find that you no longer recognize your organizational culture and feel like a misfit, then it may be time consider a job change even in these circumstance.

 3.     Have you personally survived multiple rounds of layoffs in your organization?  If your organization is financially under-performing, highly leveraged and significantly reducing its workforce, it’s likely only a matter of time before you will be without a job. 

Give your current employer your best effort and hope for the best, but also prepare for the worst by updating your LinkedIn and other on-line profiles, engaging in networking events in your industry, checking Indeed and other jobsites for openings and asking friends and colleagues about job openings. It might also be a could time to establish a relationship with a recruiting firm. 

Be prepared to spend more time investing in your job search than ever before and making yourself the most competitive candidate possible.

 If your organization is in deep financial trouble, then it may be time to consider a job change.

 4.     Is your sector and industry actually growing as a result of the pandemic? There are a number of industries who are soaring because of the pandemic. If you are fortunate enough to work in one of those industries, it’s a good time to ask yourself if there are better opportunities out there for you.

Perhaps the current circumstances provide you an opportunity to bump up compensation or find a job with a better benefits package. With unprecedented flexibility in where we work and a booming housing market, many employees are freed up to pursue their dream job at a very unexpected time.

 If your industry is hot for employment right now, then it might be time to consider a job skill and take advantage of current circumstances.

None of us would have chosen to spend the last 18 months isolated, disconnected and uncertain. However, if we look past the things we cannot control, we often find unexpected opportunities to not only help us survive, but actually to also grow and thrive.

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