How to spot the signs that it is time for change.

Important topic this. One that I think defines why the recruitment market is the way it is and why companies are the way they are. Big statement, I'll do my best to explain my rationale during this edition.

Introduction

The entire infrastructure of most organisations and industries is held up by people who would rather be somewhere else. Or at least have a desire to explore opportunities outside their current job to see if the grass is greener.

I am obviously not saying this applies to everyone but a majority of people in businesses would explore external opportunities or should be.

Because with change comes innovation. Both for companies and for your career.

What to expect from this edition

The primary aim for this edition is to help you be in the RIGHT company or the RIGHT role which gets the best out of you from a skillset and mindset point of view. The cherries on top will be salary, working from home, travel etc.

I will go through all the classic signs that I have either experienced or discuss with my clients as their reason for looking for a new role.

I will also give examples of the non-negotiables that you should expect in a role/ company where you should be working and driving your career forward.

The signs that you need a change

1 - You have been in the same role for over 3 years

Unless you have avoided a promotion/ job change and you enjoy doing the same thing over and over, no one should be in the role longer than 3 years.

Your organisation and you have a responsibility to be moving forward whether that is skillset, responsibility, markets or just job title. I say both because you are also responsible for your career (we can go into this later).

Promotions and job changes should be between 18-30 months depending on the role and the person. And you should ALWAYS have a progression plan in place to understand your pathway to that job change (again I will go over at a later date). Progression plans should be provided by your company as a non negotiable as a good employer.

2 - You are often one of the last to know about things that impact your job

This subject often goes without much attention and is definitely not spoken about enough. Whether it's your role has changed, they need you to help cover someone else's work, you are required to come into the office an extra day or a deadline is hard to meet etc etc. The amount of key decisions made that you are not asked about or prewarned is a clear sign that you might need a change.

Naturally we are all very easy going and accommodating, especially when that comes to our jobs. When someone is paying our wage we seem to roll over and take whatever is thrown at us, often followed by a thank you because we are polite like that.

3 - You do not like the job, the company or the people

Completely obvious I know, but do you have any idea of how many work somewhere that they actually really dislike it?! It's many many people.

If you dread getting up to have to head into the office to do work you do not enjoy with people you do not really like for a company you don't really care for then you should definitely be looking for a new job. No one HAS to work in an environment like the above, I know sometimes your options are limited and money is money, but that's why someone like me is around to help you.

We do not live to work, remember that. Find something you kinda like :)

4 - There are not any role models to look up to

A role model is someone who sets an example to be imitated where people can relate to and inspire to be like.

The number one reason people leave companies is because of bad managers.

This subject is important for companies because you will attract great talent and keep them engaged and motivated if they are working with and looking up to amazing role models.

It is proven that companies who have role models are more productive, profitable and have more engaged staff that stay longer.

Why would you want to work somewhere that you do not look up to, admire and want to imitate the leadership?!

5 - You don't have work-life balance

If you are working too many hours and/ or days and take work home with you there could be a few reasons for that, either way something needs to change.

This could be a great opportunity to work with a coach to look at how you structure your working day to be as productive and value adding to your career as possible.

Often companies do not replace leavers in your team for quite a while because it means they can save money on that salary but it also means you are doing the job of 2 people.. Stop now, save yourself!

6 - Your health is being affected

We are in a time where we are starting to understand how work and our mental health are linked and companies are putting in more and more support for our well-being but there is still a long way to go. And there are still many companies who have nothing in place to support it's people, if you work for a company like that you are not alone.

If your physical or mental health is being affected by work then you should be looking for support either from your company or externally ASAP. Your Recruitment BFF can give you guidance and support with this.

Remember you do not live to work, we work to afford the things we want to do in life as well as have fulfilment and joy where possible.

7 - You are not challenged and find your job very easy

Ok well done you, you are acing life.

You may have worked really hard to be enjoying this moment of auto-pilot / downtime at work so enjoy it. But how long can you keep it up where you then start to resent your job and become disengaged, unmotivated and ultimately an unproductive employee.

It is important to always be pushing yourself forward in your career, having a progression plan to a promotion or development. Don't get me wrong, sometimes it's nice to just enjoy the status quo but not for too long so if the above sounds like you then it could be time for a change.

8 - The compensation & benefits

This is the second most common reason why people leave companies. The difference between a few thousand is extremely important to people, especially in the current climate. How much you earn is often associated as recognition of your importance to a company so the more we are paid the more important we feel which is obviously something people desire alongside being more financially comfortable.

There are many route courses why people are under paid and there are lots of tips on how to secure as much money as possible, I will address all these in a later edition.

9 - Your company are not accommodating

Have you ever thought about doing your current role part time? Or being able to to do the role remotely? Or somewhere abroad for a period of time? Yeah we all have right, and that is the reality for some people, being able to justify their working conditions to suit their lifestyle..

Companies are slowly starting to loosen the grip on where and how we work but there is still a long way to go. It starts by asking the question, going to your company with justification (I can help you do that).

10 - The company culture does not represent you

The C word, takes such a long time to get it right but seconds to break it. Cultures can be super toxic where it is either sink or swim. Using the term 'family' etc is seen as a good thing, but what if you do not fit into the family?

It is proven the the more diverse the workforce the more profitable the business. Diversity is not just what you look like but is such a wide range of factors which is why the word diverse is used.

But by nature us humans look for belonging and to 'fit in' it is amazing when you find it but horrible and isolating when you don't fit in.. So take a look around you, if you do not fit in and feel alone, reach out to me.

11- The role you are doing is not future proofing your career

Ok so you kind of need to see in the future for this one, or at least be inquisitive to spot the trends or hire someone like me to help..

Are you in a role/ company/ industry that will be redundant in a few years?! For example, print, a dying industry which it is challenging to find something comparable to naturally change careers into..

You are all smart people reading this, if you are hearing that your company is struggling to win new clients or is having financial difficulties, ask yourself why that is.. Really ask yourself will your role be around in 5 years time or is now the time to look for something else which will future proof your career..

12 - You do not have the tools/ training to succeed in your job

I speak to so many people who say that the tools and training they have been given is at a very basic level but the expectation is so high. There are still so many companies out there that have a sink or swim mentality. If you do not have it about you to find the answers and be self-efficient then you 'are not culturally right for us' and that has to change.

Minimum requirements to do your job are the tools and equipment and then a thorough training system in place which is ongoing, not just for the first few weeks. If you are someone who works in a company that neglects any of this you should absolutely be looking for a new job.

Summary

Whether today, tomorrow, this year or next you should ask yourself do any of the above sound like the situation you are in.. If yes, what are you going to do about it? You need to stop being a passenger in your own career and take ownership..

To achieve positive change and to make a change it takes bravery and knowledge. The knowledge you can gain through lots of sources including people like myself. The bravery is something you need to find yourself.

Next steps

To have some hands on support with an expert coach and BFF then get in touch, my diary is here to book yourself an intro call with me: https://calendly.com/dan-bff/30-minute-meeting

Because everyone should have a Recruitment BFF.