Are you thinking about changing jobs? It’s not an easy decision. To make sure you’ll be happy, make the right choice for the right reasons.
Being happy in the workplace is essential, but as the grass is always greener on the other side, you need to be careful of your first impulses. Our human resource specialists present 10 mistakes to avoid and the right questions to ask to truly boost your career.
1. Should salary be the only criterion that counts?
Obviously, you would like to make more money, but salary should not be your sole motivation for changing jobs. There are several points to consider, such as promotion opportunities, your tasks and responsibilities, employee benefits, team spirit, available training, etc. All of these have a considerable monetary value.
2. Should you accept your employer’s counteroffer?
Your current employer makes a counteroffer to keep you. Before accepting, know that when your employer is aware that you’re ready to leave for another employer, your relationship could suffer. So, it’s important to properly weigh this aspect before saying yes.
3. What are your objectives and values?
Ask yourself: what’s important in a job? What tasks take priority for you and under which circumstances? What counts for you on a daily basis? The answer will lead you to choose the organization that best meets your expectations and whose values you share. Also, find out about the business culture, whether during the interview, through internet searches or by asking employees in the business.
4. Is the job description enough to give you a proper idea of the position?
Investigate further. Is your new job really what you believed it to be? During the job interview, ask relevant questions about the challenges and responsibilities pertaining to the position, the workload, expectations and everything that matters to you.
5. What are the promotion opportunities?
It would be useful to know whether you can progress within your new organization. Find out about this and be clear about your ambitions at the job interview.
6. Have you applied for a position that is beyond your skills?
You’re tempted to apply for a position with the idea of eventually getting another position within the organization. This is risky business that could tarnish your reputation. Sooner or later, your new employer will discover that you weren’t honest when you expressed an interest in the position. Instead, always apply for a job for which you are qualified.
7. Did you involve your family in the decision?
Your new job will have an impact on your personal life and family. It’s better to have a serious discussion with all those concerned at the start of the process, otherwise you might have to turn down the new job at the last minute.
8. Are you well informed about your manager’s approach?
Being on good terms with your future boss is one of the keys to your success. During the interview, find out about his/her management style. Does the manager run a tight ship or allow his/her employees lots of leeway? Based on your personality, you surely have a preference for one or the other of these management types.
9. Are you well informed about the company and team?
Make sure that your future work environment will suit you. Ask if you can visit the offices and meet some future colleagues to get a feel for the team.
10. Have you determined how long it will take you to get to your new job?
It’s your first day on the job and you’re brimming with enthusiasm. But unfortunately, getting there is a nightmare. Before accepting a new job, test out the trip at peak hours to make sure travel time is suitable.
Many things come into play when we’re talking about happiness at work. Make sure you examine the job offer from all angles before accepting.
We’d like to thank Aurore Bonifay, Talent Acquisition Consultant, and Éric Bélair, Manager, for their valuable contribution to this article.