| The first job change is for most financial professionals a process
filled with mixed emotions, uncertainty and anxiety. Fortunately, we only
have to do it once in our career!
But we all have to do it, sooner or later.
You will be entering uncharted territory, with many things to consider:
- Timing
- Inconvenience
- Loyalty
- Familiar surroundings
- Lack of self-confidence
- Fear of failure
- Fear of rejection
- How to interview
- How to negotiate
- Resignation process
These job change factors are best thought through proactively.
Otherwise, they will add significant tension to an already stressful time
in your life, a time that you should be excited about and looking forward
to.
But before thinking too much about these issues, you will need to ask
yourself 4 questions:
_____
Yes |
_____
No |
Do I like where I work? . . . the company
. . . the people . . . the environment . . . |
_____
Yes |
_____
No |
Do I like what I do? . . . job content . .
. level of challenge . . . level of training/development . . . |
_____
Yes |
_____
No |
Have I adequately discussed my aspirations with
my current employer? . . . advancement opportunities
. . . recognition/compensation issues . . . career plan/company
business plan issues . . . |
_____
Yes |
_____
No |
Have I discussed with family members/business
associates/close friends my goals and plans to achieve them?
. . . are expectations realistic . . . will current skills be
properly leveraged . . . will next step in plan add new
skills/value . . . |
Once you’ve answered these questions in writing and determined
that your first job change is pending, dealing with the process is next.
Consider this:
- Timing . . . Some times are better than others, but the best
time is "being in the right place at the right time." . . .
(which is often at a bad time!).
- Inconvenience . . . Preparing a resume takes time and effort
. . . interviewing takes time and effort . . . what worthwhile
activities in your life don’t take time and effort?
- Loyalty . . . Loyalty is important – especially to yourself
and your family! . . . never burn bridges, but don’t think you’re
the first person to resign from your current employer . . . life will
go on.
- Familiar surroundings . . .Friends stay friends, if they
really are friends . . . (It just takes a little effort) . . . new
surroundings = new friends . . . and the expansion of your network.
- Lack of self-confidence . . . Relax; nervous is normal . . .
(the person you’re talking to is nervous too!) . . . don’t be too
critical of yourself – other people aren’t.
- Fear of failure . . . Give yourself some credit for your
accomplishments so far in your career! . . . why will your pattern of
success all of a sudden change?
- Fear of rejection . . . Get in line! . . . we’ve all
experienced it . . . consider it part of your career development
process.
- How to interview . . . It makes a huge difference . . . talk
to people with the experience, do some research . . . a recruiter can
help.
- How to negotiate . . . It could make a difference . . . ditto
above.
- Resignation process . . . Prepare the letter . . . prepare
for the counter offer . . . and think about everything you’ve gone
through to get to this point . . . refer back to your written
responses to those 4 questions you asked yourself several weeks or
months ago . . .
Making that first job change is what may be the most important active
decision that you’ve made up to this point in your career. Proper
planning and preparation for executing that decision will dramatically
increase your comfort level with the decision-making process.
- Your career is like a business.
- A career decision is like a business decision.
- A career decision viewed as a business decision will likely result
in a good decision.
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