Does this sound familiar? If you've found yourself in this situation, a recruiter isn't necessarily the first person you should call. Obviously that statement may seem controversial, however, if you want to get the most out of a recruiter and put your best foot forward, it's a good idea to fully understand your professional wants and needs before you get in touch.
We view ourselves as career matchmakers, bringing two parties together to form a mutually beneficial business relationship where both the candidate and their new employer will thrive. The best way to help us do that, is to do the following:
Consider if Leaving is the Only Option
Before you make any drastic changes, it's important to understand exactly what it is about your current role that is making you unhappy. Does it lack challenges or the chance to develop your skills? Is it a mismatch of communication styles with your manager or perhaps something more intrinsic to the company, like a clash of values?If it's something inherent to the company there's a good chance it’s not possible to fix it, but if it's a simple case of not getting along with your manager there are ways you can approach this. Think about sitting down with your manager and possibly a mediator (preferably someone more senior to the both of you) and talking through your issues to find a solution. There are many things to consider when working through issues with a manager, and a measured approach will benefit everyone.
If, despite your best efforts, you are not able to work through the problem it may well be worth looking at other options such as another position elsewhere.
Set Your Sights on the Future
One of the most beneficial things you can do before a career move is to work out what you actually want and need from a role. The easiest thing to do is take some time for reflection before moving forward. Make a list of all the things you like about your job and cross reference it with the things you're good at and passionate about. The goal should be for your next job to encompass as much of what you like and are passionate about as possible.For example, are you the kind of person who needs the structure of 9-5 or do you think more flexibility would help? What are your core values and how important is it to work somewhere that aligns with these? Once you've a clearer picture of the way forward, it's a great time to get in touch with a recruiter.
Be Open Minded
We often find that applicants who have had a period of retrospection before coming to see us and who approach the process of using a recruiter with an open mind are often the ones who see the most success. If you've been honest enough to tell us exactly what you are looking for in a role, what your expectations are and what you want to achieve, it's much easier for us to move forward and make sure that your next position is one you will find much more fulfilling.Being open also means giving recruiters a certain level of your trust. Good Recruitment Consultants know their clients inside and out and based on the information you've provided the next step is to ensure that everyone is happy with the pairing. Sometimes you may find yourself with the opportunity to interview with a company you feel a little hesitant about. It’s a good idea to talk through any reservations with a Recruiter, because often initial concerns may be due to a lack of information or a cultural change you may not yet be aware of. More often than not, once the introduction is made it will be clear to you why your initial impression may have been flawed.
However, you don't need to be open to everything, particularly a counter-offer from the company you’re trying to leave. If they really valued you, shouldn’t they have increased your salary sooner? Of course, money is an attractive incentive, but for many it's not the be all and end all. Things like company culture, values and workplace wellbeing are equally, if not more, important. More money is unlikely to fix what you don’t like about your current job and if you choose to stay you may find yourself itching to leave yet again in a few months’ time.