Now, suppose that is not the case. Suppose, rather, that, for whatever reason, you want to quit your present job and find another. This article explores the factors involved in that situation, beginning with certain myths.
By now you realize that getting a new job involves effort and risk, and that is usually even greater when you're employed. When you have a job, even though it may not be satisfactory, obviously you have the option of staying - something a person unemployed doesn't have. Therefore, as bad as your job may seem, you're giving up something very important.
Moreover, when you're on a job the opportunity for conducting a comprehensive job search doesn't exist. The number of people you can see, the number of offers you can develop, and the opportunity to get the exposure to refine your list of job priorities (and thereby reduce the risk) is extremely limited.
There are a lot of myths about changing jobs. Let's examine some of them:
- Success in one company means a strong chance of success in a new one. Though success in one organization seems to follow prior success, there could have been unusually favorable circumstances in the prior one. For example, your success may have been due to the climate within the organization, or you may have brought a specific expertise to the company at the time it was needed. Furthermore, even though a new company may need the changes you can bring about, it may not be willing to pay the required price. In addition, there are numerous instances where a newcomer has effected considerable improvements, but at a price that resulted in superiors not wanting him or her to stay on after the improvements have been achieved.
- If you've been unsuccessful in one company, you'll probably be better off changing to another. Such a change works for the better sometimes, but certainly not always. Your lack of success in your current company may be due mainly to you. If you don't correct what's causing it, you're probably not going to achieve what you want in making a change. And you may end up worse
- In spite of the odds, you will be able to get a better job. You feel that you are special, and you are. And you may feel that others who didn't make satisfactory changes committed errors you're smart enough to avoid. You may be right - but chances are you're not. Take a realistic look at a cross-section of people you know who've been through a voluntary change and see.
- You'll make more money. This is appealing, but how realistic is it? You have undoubtedly heard of people who have made job changes and gotten big increases. It does hap pen - but much less frequently than you think, particularly at mid-career and beyond. Even if you get it, what will be the real cost? The fact that you'll probably get your next increase at your present company long before your first increase at the new company will offset part of the increment. What is the cost in fringe benefits? If you're well along in your career, you may lose your potential pension. Also you may lose other benefits like the length of vacations, and so on. If a move to another city is involved, will the increase really cover a higher cost of living or moving costs (including the cost of selling your current house and buying a new one) that aren't paid for by your new company? Will a move upset your family?
- Dissatisfactions with your current job will be corrected in the new one. This may be true to some extent, but additional dissatisfactions are likely to come up in time. And, in fact, if the key dissatisfactions stem from problems you could have corrected on your current job, you will probably carry them to the new one. And you may well find yourself, after a year on a new job, with a weak power base and in the same doldrums in a brand new company.
- You're ready for the next promotion but are blocked by a boss who isn't going to move up or retire soon. This may be true, but it is also true that this situation will change sometime. Thus, the real issue is when will it occur? And when it does, will you get the promotion? You probably will get it in your current company in time, if you're doing an outstanding job. If you're not, your chances of making a move to get a job equal to the promotion are limited. So the issue may narrow to timing. Remember the rate of change of personnel in key positions is accelerating. And the changes which can open up the next step in your company can come in one of numerous ways - your boss leaving or retiring, a change in management above him, or an equivalent opportunity elsewhere in the company (say, as a result of an acquisition). In view of these possibilities your best chance may be to wait, and in the meantime to continue to do a good job.
