Some Common Pitfalls During a Job Change!

With the improving job market and exploding new technology areas in which new talent is desperately needed (Big data, HTML-5, Mobile Payments, Gaming, Social Media, to name just a few in the technology space alone), many are seeking greener pastures and are aggressively looking to change their jobs. As a career coach what frustrates me is when people call me to rectify something in the middle of their job transition—most often when the process is in its terminal state. They desperately want me to get their job transition back on track and to help them get what now seems to them a lost opportunity!

During the past few months there have been so many “9-1-1” calls from new prospects to me, operating out of their “unconscious incompetence,” that I decided to write this blog as a compilation of these experiences. I am listing below the most common mistakes in a job transition:

1. Before you embark on your transition be very clear about your objectives. “I hate my job or my boss” is not good enough! You might soon run into similar problems at your new place!
2. Look at your career trajectory, your age, and where you should have been at this stage of your career (do not compare yourself with your colleagues). Most people feel that they should be doing better than they are. Make a realistic audit of your career and take a look at a typical job description of a position where you think that you should be. If you do not meet most of the requirements for that job, then you are just dreaming.
3. After the audit and making a list of the gaps gleaned from that audit find some ways to get your résumé upgraded to match the needs of the next position. You can do that first by seeking some opportunities at your current place, and by learning how to package your message better (see my blogs on Inductive résumés).
4. When embarking on a job transition identify your “A” jobs and companies. Find connections (from LinkedIn and other sources) that can help you get access to inside connections (hiring managers, recruiters).
5. Learn how to interview well. Merely preparing to give good answers is not enough. You must learn all the finer details of good interviewing skills. Practice job interviews with a coach or ask someone to help you.
6. You must build a pipeline of prospects where you are in different stages of the hiring process at different companies. You must learn how to leverage the action on one front to accelerate actions on other fronts. This requires some conscious effort and diligence.
7. When you get a rejection make every effort to learn what you need to do better. Asking properly the people with whom you have interviewed can be a great channel for this. Also, ask your inside contact to find out and tell you.
8. Do not worry about your current salary to claim your next paycheck. If you focus on your value at the new place of work you can negotiate a more equitable package somewhat independent of your last. This requires confidence in your own value proposition and an ability to negotiate based on it. Never lie about your past salary or anything else; employers often ask for your W-2s or pay stubs.
9. When you have multiple offers manage the acceptance timelines so that you are not compromising your most desirable landing. Learn how to convey your rejection to others. They could be players in your next job search.
10. Learn how to leave your current employer gracefully, and always leave with class!

Good luck!