With tens of millions of Americans in the workforce, it goes without saying that some of them are likely unhappy with their current positions. Whether they don’t feel challenged, would prefer working in a different industry or are simply not fans of the business practices their employers use, there’s no reason to stay in a disliked job. At the same time, it can be difficult to know where the potential breaking points may be, or how to undergo the search process. That said, taking certain steps into account can be very helpful, leading to new and improved things with just a few steps taken.
US News and World Report found that if you’re not happy in your current situation, you shouldn’t stick with it – at the very least, put some job searching gears in motion. These moves can be small or large ones, ranging from simply checking job listings, researching companies you’d be interested in working for, or reaching out to people in your network for an initial glimpse into their industries’ current practices in place. Launching a large-scale search can be a daunting task, especially if you’re still working full-time. Doing things slowly and putting one foot in front of the other will be much more reasonable and will give you a chance to ease into the job search.
That said, make sure you work to cover your tracks to a reasonable level. If you’re job searching and your employer finds out – especially if they do so of their own accord – you might find yourself in trouble. It’s fine to tell some people in your network that you’re planning on moving on. Just be careful and don’t spread the news too far. Some bosses will understand, while others may not be happy to hear about the change. No matter what, you’ll want to be proactive about protecting your chances.
Know what you’re looking for
The news source added that you’ll also want to make sure you put your best interests in motion as early as possible. Figuring out what you want to do and how you’ll go about doing it will be a good plan, as you’ll be able to better plan out what your immediate and long-term hopes for the future will be. US News and World Report also mentioned that discussing the decision with a trusted mentor can be especially effective, as they will be able to use their experience to determine what your best options are in this situation.
That said, the Huffington Post warned that sometimes in this situation, reaching out to others for advice can lead to what it referred to as the “happy talk.” In starting a new job search, you’ll often hear only positive things about the search, in many cases giving you advice that could be outdated, irrelevant to your current industry or even potentially harmful to your search. As great as others’ advice can be, make sure you take it with a grain of salt every now and again, allowing yourself to think about it critically.
One way to do so is to compare the advice you receive to others’ advice. If multiple people tell you the same thing, there’s a chance that it might work for you. Of course, if four people give you four different answers to a question, you’ll find that it’s more likely you’ll have to determine it on your own. When you’re starting a new job search, things can be difficult, but making sure you cover all of your tracks can be highly beneficial toward the bottom line.