Yes...is the short answer.
The job market at the moment is the busiest that it has been in years, companies are looking to hire again after making cuts during the pandemic as well as adding to already established teams due to rapid growth.
Needless to say, there are opportunities aplenty out there, however, there is a real lack of people looking to change jobs. Which means - in the words of 'Take Me Out' - the power really is in your hands! You have the chance to be super picky in your job search. This means both finding the right opportunity for you and, more importantly, you have more negotiating power than you have ever had before. So be that flexible working, salary or other benefits that are important to you, you can afford to be choosy.
But, still, even in this busy market with very well-paid jobs out there, people are not wanting to move. A big part of this comes down to loyalty. People have stayed in a role or business much longer than they should have done, with no promotion or salary increase purely due to the fact they were not put on furlough and feel happy/grateful to still have a job during the pandemic. Whilst I understand this to a degree, how long can you seriously put your career and development on hold?
Some people are also still worried about the effect that Covid is having on the market and there is still some trepidation. In response to this, all I will say is that at the end of last year, job vacancies hit a record high of 1.25m and unemployment levels were only 0.1% higher than pre-pandemic - so the time to look for a new role and further yourself is NOW!
If you are one of those people that is thinking to themselves after reading this - have I stayed where I am too long? Am I developing where I am? Could there be better opportunities externally for me? Then maybe you need to ask yourself the below questions to get your answer about moving on:
- How fulfilled am I? - Core values don't necessarily change over time however the importance of them does - are you still finding meaning and purpose in your work?
- How am I learning and growing? - Learning brings an immediate sense of achievement - has your learning been stunted recently? What competencies do you want to develop over the coming year and can you do that in your current business?
- Am I overworked for what I do? Do you feel like you are expected to achieve too much in a single day?
- Have I reached a glass ceiling? - A career should have a steady upward trajectory but it isn't available at every business - if you have got as far as you can, is it time to move on?
- Do I like the culture I work within? - Culture is a funny one - it can change on a daily basis - however if it is affecting your productivity, mental health, and home life it may be time for a change.
- Would I benefit from a better work-life balance? - This doesn't have to just be down to workload - how long are you spending travelling to an office? Are you expected to be in the office 5 days a week? In the current climate flexible working should be at the forefront of your decision-making.
The above is just a starting point. There are lots of other reasons why you may want to look at a new job - for example, quality of leadership, an ignorant boss, or you just simply no longer enjoy it but you are just doing it because it is easy and it is what you know.
What I am trying to say is, if you have the slightest feeling it may be time to consider a move - challenge yourself - step out of the same old same old just because that is what you know - now is the best opportunity you could have to find yourself something bigger and better!
And who knows, it may just be the best thing you have ever done! If you need help or just a bit of advice feel free to drop me a confidential message - I'm here to help!
Why motivates you to change jobs? For most people, the answer is: a variety of reasons.
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