Changing employers can be exciting and represent a way to reinvigorate your career, but premature employer change can also lead to missed opportunities. You may want to review if the fundamentals that originally attracted you to the company remain in place. Examples include company culture and mission, products and services, work/life balance, etc.
Changing employers can be easier – in the short term – than the painful process of asking yourself about what you can control that may improve your circumstances. Do you see consistent patterns of your not understanding what is expected of you? Do you have reasonable expectations of your manager, peers, and company? How many enduring relationships have you developed with peers and managers from previous companies, are you effective in building relationships and communicating?
May adjusting your own behaviors and expectations allow you to find more satisfaction at your current company/
Below are five considerations before changing employers
- Do you feel your manager does not appreciate your value or you lack chemistry with your manager?
- Have you summarized your understanding of what your manager wants of you to your manager? Is it in writing, does it include the timetables, and any specifics of what success looks like?
- Does your manager’s manager have visibility to this document?
- Have you evaluated your “accomplishments” versus how they compare to what your actual assigned performance metrics?
- Have you proactively used the document to discuss with your manager if any company priorities have changed and how they may impact your role’s performance metrics at this time?
- Have you identified obstacles to your success, i.e., other team members not delivering what you need to execute, missing skills and required training, required tools and resources, etc.? Have you communicated these obstacles in a non-emotional manner during a scheduled discussion with your manager?
- Are there specific behaviors from your manager that hinder your motivation or job execution? Have you tried to communicate to your manager about how they impact you?
- Have you identified different roles within the company that would enable you to have a different manager?
- Are your current employer’s mission, products, and services still relevant?
- Are they competitive?
- Do you find their value to be stimulating and worthwhile?
- Are your compensation and benefits competitive?
- Is compensation your only point of dissatisfaction?
- Are you measuring your satisfaction with your employer by how your compensation compares to what you perceive others in the industry are earning? Have you confirmed your perception?
- Would another 6 – 12 months with your current employer potentially lead to an increase in compensation?
- Have you asked your current employer how you could change roles or add more value within your current role to enable you to earn more $?
- Are there unique benefits you are not taking advantage of, or you take for granted, i.e., tuition reimbursement, travel to industry events or tradeshows, gym memberships, 401k matching, stock purchase plan, stock options, personal time?
- How fulfilling are your current work relationships?
- Are you learning new skills from your current peers?
- Are you compelled by your current coworkers’ integrity, work ethic, diversity, skills, intelligence, and outside interests?
- Are you motivated by your current working relationships?
- How long did it take to cultivate those relationships?
- What is the likelihood that you can replicate your current work relationships with a new employer?
- Is your current company stable?
- Do you have to worry about your company being solvent in 6 months?
- Is your company acquiring companies or at risk of being acquired?
- Is your company investing in innovation?
- Is your company investing in employee development? Are you taking advantage of it?
- Does your company have reasonable retention of their senior executives, resulting in reasonable consistency in strategies and expectations?
A sober review of potential opportunity loss, stepping into something worse, or how your own detrimental behaviors and expectations may be worthwhile.
You may want to review these considerations before making a change.
Employment change can be good and is often necessary. However, new employers represent a big adjustment with potential for anxiety, for you and your friends and family. Make sure it is worth it.