If you feel like you are stuck in a job that you don´t like or that doesn´t offer you enough challenges (or enough pay!), it might be time for a change. However, what kind of change are you looking for exactly? It´s easy to say you want a “better” job or “better” pay, however, what does that mean? “Better” is quite an abstract concept, do you have clear what you want?
Here are 5 steps to get you started and set you up for success to find that better job.
- Reflect on who you are and what you want
Before starting your job search for a “better job” with “better benefits”, you need to have clear what this is. Do some serious reflection on who you are and what you want out of a job. What does a better job with better benefits mean for you specifically? For some it might mean a promotion with higher pay, for others, it might be more flexibility in working hours and working location so you can be at home with your kids a lot. In the first case, you might not care so much about flexibility or working hours, whereas in the second case, flexibility might be much more important than higher pay. With these two examples you can see very clear that a better job can mean something completely different for everyone, and so do better benefits. Define for yourself what you want and what your priorities are.
- Research companies
Now that you know what you are looking for, you can start researching companies. For example, if you are looking for flexibility in working hours and working location so you can be at home a lot, you probably should not apply to the bigger strategic consultancies. Research companies that appeal to you and figure out if working at these companies can be in line with what you are looking for. Look things up online but also don´t forget to use your network, the best way to find out how working at that company is, is to talk to the people actually working there. If you don´t know people working there, check on LinkedIn if you have any shared connections that can bring you in touch.
- Identify desired company and position
After your research, make a list of your desired companies and positions. This will be the base of the plan for your job search. By limiting your job search to this list, you will make sure that you only target companies and positions that comply with what qualifies as “better job, better benefits” for your specific situation.
- Make a job search plan
You have your target list, now you need a plan. What steps are you going to take to get your new better job? How are you going to tackle this job search? Make a plan with clear milestones and deliverables for the upcoming weeks. What actions are you planning to take each day or each week to get successful in this job search?
- Dedicate time to your job search
When you are making your plan, make sure to block enough time to be dedicated to your job search. The saying “finding a new job is a full-time job” doesn´t exist for nothing, job searching takes a lot of time. At least if you want to do it well! So if you really want to find a better job and better benefits, make enough time free to achieve this. Especially if you are still in a job this will be a challenge, working during the day and finding enough time during evenings and weekends for your job search. However, you know what you are doing it all for: a better job and better benefits for your circumstances.
What are your key tips for finding that new job?
