What criteria will you use in seeking your next job, and how can you prepare? Here are some important things to keep in mind.
Don’t chase the money: This is the most fundamental advice of all. The more your focus is on the money, the more you are playing into other people’s ideas about your career and career success. There are many other considerations you can apply in owning your career. How about having a more engaging job? Or what about a more worthwhile or socially useful job?
Look for new learning: One of the many important things to keep in mind when looking for that next step is to look for new learning. A successful job change will close one learning chapter in your career, and open another chapter. If you look after your learning, the money will often follow. What learning can you expect to gain from your new job? What career trajectory will that take you on? Will you become more skillful in your occupation, or gain more opportunity to apply your skills in the marketplace? What can new learning mean for you?
Show your commitment: Showing your commitment can make an essential contribution to gaining a job offer. Many young accounting graduates, for example, look alike. Many applicants for CEO positions can look alike, too. A primary concern of the recruiter is whether you will invest the necessary hours, and show the required initiative to get the job done. You need to make sure you emphasize what your commitment will be, and illustrate that from your past experience.
Say what you would like: This is something that either deferential or cavalier job seekers may avoid. They don’t want to speak out of turn, or haven’t thought things through, so they don’t express their own career interests. If you behave like that, it will work against you. Show an interest in where the recruiting company would like to go. Expect them to show an interest in where you would like to go. If you both do that, you will each be able to recognize a good match.
The issues of money, learning, relationships, commitment and your career future will all be in play in any recruitment process. Making sure you are clear about what you would like from your next job is important to your career. You will be able to quickly respond to a new job opportunity when it is advertised – and also to network in search of new opportunities before they are advertised!