I’d like to discuss why you should always be prepared for a career change whether you are currently employed or are unemployed.
What happens when economic confidence drops
When people don’t feel confident about the economy, they don’t invest in services and products. You see less people buying new cars, building new homes, taking extravagant vacations. This is true of job seekers and career movers too. There is always a number of both unemployed and forward-thinking careerists who know that preparing for opportunities in any economic climate is wise. Those people understand that investments yield results. But the numbers of those are less when the economy is bad.
How to determine if it is time to change your job
Ask yourself these questions if you have been mulling over a career change:
- Are you feeling fulfilled with your current company?
- Are you meeting the career goals you set for yourself?
- Do you like your coworkers?
- Is there potential for advancement?
- Is your company likely to merge in the near future? (Mergers aren’t necessarily bad but they do impact your roles and restructuring may occur.)
- Is your company thriving or struggling?
- Is the company I am targeting secure? Tip: check their stock prices if publicly traded on sites like CNNMoney.
- What are employees saying about the company? Tip: using glassdoor.com to look at what employees have posted about the company you are targeting.
- Conduct informational interviews with former and present employees to get the inside scoop.
- Review LinkedIn to see if they have a company page and see if you can determine the numbers of employees who are being added.
- Read media reports about the company. Don’t just read press releases. Google the company and assess the links to see if there is anything in the news (good or bad) that can help you make a decision.
- Is your resume professionally written with keywords and value-filled accomplishments that clearly tell your career story?
- Do you understand the impact of social media marketing on jobsearch?
- Are you prepared with a robust LinkedIn profile?
- Do you feel confident in facing an internal or external interview?