What would it take for you to change your job?
I have been hearing a lot of individuals stating they are not happy in their current position. Some are having a hard time to face the reality they are not going to be promoted or get a nice raise at the end of the year.
If you are in the situation what can you do about it?
You can stay at your current position becoming the disgruntled employee of the year or the month. Or you could choose option B which is to start looking for new opportunities.
Opportunities will come to you if you are willing to take the first step. A lot of people like to complain about their situation, but they are not ready to even take the first step in the right direction.
A few things I have learned during my time in the corporate world is how to approach a new situation, like searching for a new job but also how to negotiate every step of the way.
You have updated and formatted your resume. You diligently posted your resume on job boards for the recruiters to find you. You are now looking at applying for a new position. Instead of targeting everything, take the time to narrow it down to what you would like to do next. Apply only for a position you feel you are qualified for but foremost, that is interesting for you.
I would like to share another piece of advice, at this point it is in your best interest to create at least four resumes that are tailored to different job positions. For example, you are a financial analyst you are going to create one that will show you have the skills of an analyst. You are looking at a project manager position you are going to tailor resume #2 towards project management, you are going to do the same for the last two resumes if needed. When the HR or recruiting manager is looking at your resume it will showcase what you can do. You are going to be most likely contacted for an initial interview.
Cover letters are as important as the resume when you are applying for a job. They should be a story-teller to grab the reader’s attention but also wanting to know you more after reading it.
I have never discussed money in the first few interviews. The simple reason is to make your audience understand you are not coming on board for the money, but you are actually interested in the job and the company. I have listened to HR telling me about the position salary, I acknowledge it briefly with them but kept my focus on the job description. It is a golden rule to never negotiate your salary right way. Instead you want to go to the next round of interviews with the hiring manager. When meeting him/her for the first time, again, the focus should be on the company and the job not the salary.
If the hiring manager becomes interested in you and your skills, you can let them know you would like to discuss the salary directly with them.
Thank you notes, and emails are also as important as your resume. You should always send one afterwards to the person you have met. If that person did not give you their credentials send it to HR for them to forward to the recipient.
Now the last piece is the salary, a lot of people will not negotiate their salaries or vacations. To be honest you should do that, but I have done that when I actually have received the Offer Letter I always do a counter offer.
I also take the time to break down the job position while providing constructive arguments that showcase my skills. I would add additional information of what I could do in that position. The salary part of it is always a challenge for some of us to negotiate. I use the fair market value for the position adding the years I have been doing it. I will increase if necessary the initial offer. I always do the same for vacation time. It can be stressful to take the time to go through that Offer Letter. But if a company is fair and pay their employees within the fair market, they should be open to meet or come close to the salary you are asking.