The Great Regret: Avoid a job change that will hurt your career
An incredible number of people left their jobs in March of this year. While many made a choice due to the pandemic’s impact, burnout or higher compensation, only 26 percent of those who switched jobs during The Great Resignation liked their new job enough to stay.
No employee wants to experience regret, especially after accepting a new position. The Great Regret following The Great Resignation demonstrates that many workers need to take the appropriate steps to avoid feeling like they made a career misstep.
How can you avoid a job change that hurts your career?
Create a decision-making process.
Outline your career goals before you seek a new position. Where do you see yourself in five years? Ten years?
During this process, you should focus on identifying what is most beneficial for you and your career. You’ll want to properly assess your short- and long-term goals with that of the potential organization by thoroughly researching the company’s credentials, culture fit, financial position and internal goals.
Ask questions.
It’s important to ask questions during the interview process. At imatters, we train our eye care professionals on the best questions to ask their potential employers to gauge whether a new position is the right fit for them.
Here are a few questions to ask during an interview that can help:
- What does your onboarding process look like?
- What are the company’s current goals?
- How does the team work to support those goals?
- Are there opportunities for advancement within the company?
- Describe the work environment—is the work typically more collaborative or independent?
These questions aim to understand employee engagement, expectations, growth potential and how long people historically stay in their roles. Asking these questions will also help you stand out against other candidates because it shows that you’ve taken the time to research the organization.
The Inside Scoop
Before or after the interview, research people at the company you’re interested in working for. Explore LinkedIn and make it a priority to network with employees already working there. What are their duties and responsibilities? How long have they worked there?
You want a preview of what the company is like on the inside, which is hard to determine from the interview.
Beware of confirmation bias.
Take note of your cognitive biases as you don’t want to overlook any glaring red flags. Confirmation bias affects everyone from office managers to nurses to doctors. When it comes to the workplace, your own biases can lead to flawed decision-making. You may come to discover that perhaps the grass isn’t always greener on the other side.
Thoroughly examine whether a new position is right for you before you leap.
If you end up in a position where you are not a cultural fit, you are more likely to regret making that career move. imatters is your eye care recruiter for when you’re unsure of your next career step. Contact one of our recruiters today to discover the right job switch for you.