10 Things to Consider Before Changing Jobs

Deciding whether you want to stay with your current employer or accept a new position with another company can be a difficult decision. It's important to take your time and evaluate the advantages of both leaving and staying. Here are some things to consider:

Advantages of Staying:

1. You will not have to adjust to new surroundings, because you already know your company's culture and office politics.

2. You are trained in your position and will not have the learning curve that comes with every new position.

3. Staying is less risky if you've established credibility in your position and have earned the respect of your supervisor and colleagues.

4.  Accumulated benefits: Paid time off (vacation/sick), retirement, profit sharing, etc. Starting with a new company often requires a wait time -- especially with retirement.

5.  If you've changed jobs frequently in the past, it may be beneficial to stay a while to avoid being labeled as a job hopper. In fact, a friend of mine who is a hiring manager in the Chicago area, told me the first thing she looks at on a resume is how many positions the person has held in the last 5 years.

Advantages of Changing:

1.  New challenges. If you've been unhappy for a long time and have tried to make changes but nothing happened, then it may be time to look elsewhere. (Note: If you like your company, but are unhappy with your job duties, discuss this with your supervisor before resigning. Perhaps he/she would be open to making some changes in order to keep you.)

2.  Better pay and benefits. In many cases changing jobs can result in a higher salary that would take years to achieve at the former company.

3.  Career growth. If you're currently in a dead-end job, and the new position offers more responsibilities (and a stronger job title), then changing jobs can be helpful in moving up the career ladder.

4. Flexibility. A position that allows flexibility is very attractive to many people, especially employees with children or employees with aging parents.

5. Starting with a clean slate. If you are looking to gain credibility, a new job will provide you with an opportunity to start fresh and develop a reputation for performing well on the job.

Take your time and really think about the advantages of both leaving and staying. In addition, during your interview ask questions that address some concerns you may have. For example if you are concerned if the position has been a high turnover position, you may want to ask, "How many people have held this position in the past 5 years?" 

LinkedIn can also be a valuable tool in researching current/past employees of companies. If you know any of them, reach out and ask, "What do/did you like best about working there? What do/did you like least? Do you have any insight on the department where I would be working? Would you ever work for the company again?"  As the saying goes, "look before you leap." Doing so, will minimize the chances of accepting a position, only to find out later it was the wrong fit.

About the Author:  Connie Hauer, Owner of CareerPro Services, has 10+years of experience helping clients navigate through career changes, jobs changes, workplace challenges, and interview and job search dilemmas. To find out more about how Connie can help you, visit mncareerpro.com or call 320-260-6569.