Tips for Changing Jobs While Employed

Changing jobs more than once in a career is no longer a big novelty, especially for younger generations, unlike their parents and grandparents, who often reached old age having completed a professional career developed at a single company.

The new labor market landscape

Furthermore, today we are more aware of our rights, we defend personal aspirations, and we can detect if it's time to change jobs. This is why we see studies revealing that only 50% of workers in Chile are satisfied with their jobs* or that in Spain, 86%** of employees are unhappy in their offices and want to change the direction of their careers.

Now, we don't just look for jobs when we're unemployed, and it's normal to explore or accept offers while still employed. This could complicate things personally or raise fears of having problems with our bosses and colleagues. That's why here we'll review expert advice on the matter, to proceed appropriately if you want to change jobs while employed.

Don't feel disloyal

Looking for better opportunities is not wrong. In fact, Inés Temple, president of LHH – DBM Peru and Chile, and author of the best-seller Usted S.A, states that if, after evaluating your current situation, you decide to go out and find a new job, "our recommendation is to do it while you still have one. It is always easier to get a new job when you have one than when you don't."***

Looking around doesn't mean being disloyal to bosses, colleagues, or the company that is paying us a salary. On the contrary, Martha Elena Franco, a psychologist at the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM), states that "listening to offers should not be a cause for anxiety for the professional." However, she admits that some people do not dare to admit to others that they are looking for a job for fear of being betrayed or causing conflicts.

Given this, the academic says that "it is important to be reserved, for example, with colleagues who might spread rumors. But, if there is a conviction to change jobs, it is vital to start moving your network of contacts to generate new interviews."****

Of course, starting this search does not mean neglecting current work obligations, because it will be precisely the time when we will need as many good references as possible. Therefore, while you think about how to write a voluntary resignation letter, it is essential to "maintain the same level of professionalism until the last day in the current job, because the mistake many people make is that they neglect their performance because they are bored with their current workplace or feel secure about changing companies," Franco concludes.

The strategy for changing jobs while employed

1- Self-exploration: Start by dedicating time to thinking and doing exercises that allow you to discover or confirm your skills, experiences, aptitudes, strengths, and weaknesses. Also, explore your aspirations, what kind of job you would like to get, and the salary you would like to receive (the Career Planner includes several diagnostic activities). With all these ideas clear, you can plan your next steps and know which positions to apply for and which not, since having a job to fulfill will leave you little time for searches.

2- References: Recruiters will want to speak with your former bosses or colleagues from recent jobs. If you choose to tell your employers that you want to change jobs, ask for their authorization to provide their contact information when you enter recruitment processes. Conversely, if you prefer to keep it a secret, reach out to trusted former colleagues who are not associated with your current company.

3- Prudence: If you have chosen to keep your job search a secret, you must remain inconspicuous in the office and be careful with attitudes such as arriving in formal attire if the custom is semi-formal, or asking for time off at hours that could raise suspicion. Also, do not use your office to conduct job searches; do them exclusively during your free time. Do not comment on the progress of your searches until you have secured the new job.

4- Help: Consider hiring a human resources company to facilitate the process, help you design the career you dream of, and guide you on the best path to achieve your aspirations.

The tools

As we saw, there are two key activities you can do if you want to look for options to change jobs while employed:

1- Explore your skills, strengths, and weaknesses, something you should do periodically, as Inés Temple recommends: "it is crucial to periodically stop and reflect on our career, whether in the current company and in the position we have, we are moving towards our real goals or if, on the contrary, circumstances are leading us in the wrong direction."

2- Create your network of contacts or networking and start communicating with its members to tell them about your intentions to change jobs, share your aspirations, and receive feedback. This is crucial because 80% of professional hires in Chile are made through contact networks. That is, most vacancies are filled by people who have been recommended to bosses by their peers and even by collaborators within the same company.

Both activities can be done right now with the Career Planner, where you will find diagnostics that will help you in self-exploration to discover how you feel about your current job and what your skills are. You will also be able to create your Personal Canvas, to develop the value proposition that will distinguish you when new opportunities arise, and, of course, it will teach you how to build a network of contacts that supports you in achieving the job of your dreams.

References

(*) Sodexo, Quality of Life Index 2019 (ICV). Source: Tele 13.cl. Page consulted on September 11, 2019.

(**) Staples Report. Source: Gabiteco.com. Page consulted on September 11, 2019.

(***) Inés Temple, When is it time to change jobs? Page consulted on September 11, 2019.

(****) Expansión.mx, Are you disloyal for looking for another job? Page consulted on September 11, 2019.