When to Look for a New Job

How Do You Know When to Look for a New Job?

Whether you’ve been at your job for a decade or you’ve recently joined a team just to find out it’s not the healthiest working environment, you may find yourself considering when to look for a new job. But where do you start? Luckily, in today’s digital age, there are many fast and efficient ways to look for a new job to seamlessly transition from one position to the next, including talent acquisition firms such as Brightwing. In this article, we’ll describe more signs that you need a new job, the best time to look for a job, and what to look for in a job, so you enjoy your next adventure!

Signs That You Need a New Job

Even if you enjoy where you work, seeing what open positions there are in your field can help you decide if you’d like a change. As we see soaring inflation, one way people have been mitigating its effects is by finding a new but similar job that pays more. Beyond this example, if you’re considering when to look for a new position, here are some other signs that you need a new job:

No Upward Movement

You can love your role, but if your current company doesn’t recognize your talents and won’t promote you, then perhaps you should start looking for your desired promotion elsewhere. If you’ve gotten used to your usual workload and you’re ready to take on more of a challenge, and the pay raise that comes with it, consider getting hired somewhere that acknowledges your skills and experience. This way, you can enter the next chapter of your career feeling appreciated and seen. 

Your Job Is Unfulfilling

Depending on how long you’ve worked at your current job, it is normal to realize that what you’re working on may not align with your interests anymore. This is another sign that you need a new job, and one you look forward to doing! If you’re uninterested in your work, the workday may feel much longer than it is. However, you can explore your interests and see what positions are open to transfer your already-acquired skills. When you work in a field that you enjoy, you’ll often feel happier!

Management Is Disorganized

A healthy workplace environment requires good management, one that employees can trust for effective leadership. When your management is disorganized, it might be time to look for a new job. Disorganized management could look like frequent changes in leadership or inconsistent feedback. Hostile work environments can lead to decreased productivity. Employees thrive in a positive and consistent environment, not when management is in disarray.

You’re More Stressed Than Usual

Everyone gets stressed. It’s normal, especially when some fields have high-volume times of the year, such as retail around the holidays or accounting firms during tax season. However, if you notice that you’re more stressed than usual, this is another sign that you should look for a new job. It could be that you had to take on more work, or your workplace is toxic. Feeling more stressed than usual isn’t fair to you. Consider taking the time to see what other positions are open and if they have a better workplace culture. 

The Best Time to Look for a Job

There are specific times of the year that might be the best time to look for a job! Sooner is better than later, especially if you’re recognizing the signs that it might be time for a new job, but you can also coordinate your job search to the times more employers are hiring. The best time to look for a job is in January and February. For most companies, businesses finalize their budgets for the new year in Q4. With a new budget for Q1 at the start of the year, these companies are looking to fill the positions that they’ve budgeted for.  There are also certain days of the week that are the best times to look for a job. Look for job postings near the beginning of the week, like Monday and Tuesday. There are a high volume of job postings on Tuesday. You should also plan to apply to jobs midday around 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. when the day’s new postings are the freshest. Now you know when to apply, but what should you look for in a job?

What to Look for in a Job

You made the decision to find your next job. This gives you a great opportunity to think about what’s important to you in a new role and company. Here is what to look for in a job as you begin applying:

Salary and Benefits

Of course, when you look for a new job, you can use this time to negotiate a higher salary and better benefits than what you have at your current job. Benefits include a signing bonus, better health coverage, more paid time off, stock options, and hybrid/remote working options. 

Onboarding Process

As you interview for jobs, another aspect of what to look for in a new position is what a company’s onboarding process entails. Some onboarding processes can take a long span of time, potentially upwards of a week or month. During this time, your hiring manager or other team leads will train you on company policy, client accounts, and your job requirements. You’ll be able to meet your team and learn more about your new role. While this gives you a dedicated time to learn, this process can be lengthy.  Other onboarding processes aren’t as lengthy. Companies may hire you, provide a short time of training, and allow you to get working full steam ahead. While this type of onboarding process is fast, it requires swift learning. Depending on your preference, either process can work and has its own set of pros and cons.

Company Culture

Also during your interview, you can inquire about what the company culture is like. Questions such as “What is the work-life balance of your employees?” or “What’s the typical workday look like for someone in my position?” will clarify what the company culture is like. If you don’t enjoy the sense of the company culture from your interview, don’t worry! When you look for a new job, part of the search is to find a company that matches your expectations! When you start to look for a new job, you should consider companies’ onboarding processes and cultures, as well as similarities to your current job that led you to look for a new position. Going forward, you can use Brightwing’s online job board to optimize your job search. As you apply and interview at new companies, be sure to use your skills and experience to find the best fit and maximize your new salary and benefits. At Brightwing, we ensure that our talent experts match qualified candidates with top employers! Share This Post [social-share] More Like This
When to Look for a New Job

How Do You Know When to Look for a New Job?

Whether you’ve been at your job for a decade or you’ve recently joined a team just to find out it’s not the healthiest working environment, you may find yourself considering when to look for a new job. But where do you start? Luckily, in today’s digital age, there are many fast and efficient ways to look for a new job to seamlessly transition from one position to the next, including talent acquisition firms such as Brightwing. In this article, we’ll describe more signs that you need a new job, the best time to look for a job, and what to look for in a job, so you enjoy your next adventure!

Signs That You Need a New Job

Even if you enjoy where you work, seeing what open positions there are in your field can help you decide if you’d like a change. As we see soaring inflation, one way people have been mitigating its effects is by finding a new but similar job that pays more. Beyond this example, if you’re considering when to look for a new position, here are some other signs that you need a new job:

No Upward Movement

You can love your role, but if your current company doesn’t recognize your talents and won’t promote you, then perhaps you should start looking for your desired promotion elsewhere. If you’ve gotten used to your usual workload and you’re ready to take on more of a challenge, and the pay raise that comes with it, consider getting hired somewhere that acknowledges your skills and experience. This way, you can enter the next chapter of your career feeling appreciated and seen. 

Your Job Is Unfulfilling

Depending on how long you’ve worked at your current job, it is normal to realize that what you’re working on may not align with your interests anymore. This is another sign that you need a new job, and one you look forward to doing! If you’re uninterested in your work, the workday may feel much longer than it is. However, you can explore your interests and see what positions are open to transfer your already-acquired skills. When you work in a field that you enjoy, you’ll often feel happier!

Management Is Disorganized

A healthy workplace environment requires good management, one that employees can trust for effective leadership. When your management is disorganized, it might be time to look for a new job. Disorganized management could look like frequent changes in leadership or inconsistent feedback. Hostile work environments can lead to decreased productivity. Employees thrive in a positive and consistent environment, not when management is in disarray.

You’re More Stressed Than Usual

Everyone gets stressed. It’s normal, especially when some fields have high-volume times of the year, such as retail around the holidays or accounting firms during tax season. However, if you notice that you’re more stressed than usual, this is another sign that you should look for a new job. It could be that you had to take on more work, or your workplace is toxic. Feeling more stressed than usual isn’t fair to you. Consider taking the time to see what other positions are open and if they have a better workplace culture. 

The Best Time to Look for a Job

There are specific times of the year that might be the best time to look for a job! Sooner is better than later, especially if you’re recognizing the signs that it might be time for a new job, but you can also coordinate your job search to the times more employers are hiring. The best time to look for a job is in January and February. For most companies, businesses finalize their budgets for the new year in Q4. With a new budget for Q1 at the start of the year, these companies are looking to fill the positions that they’ve budgeted for.  There are also certain days of the week that are the best times to look for a job. Look for job postings near the beginning of the week, like Monday and Tuesday. There are a high volume of job postings on Tuesday. You should also plan to apply to jobs midday around 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. when the day’s new postings are the freshest. Now you know when to apply, but what should you look for in a job?

What to Look for in a Job

You made the decision to find your next job. This gives you a great opportunity to think about what’s important to you in a new role and company. Here is what to look for in a job as you begin applying:

Salary and Benefits

Of course, when you look for a new job, you can use this time to negotiate a higher salary and better benefits than what you have at your current job. Benefits include a signing bonus, better health coverage, more paid time off, stock options, and hybrid/remote working options. 

Onboarding Process

As you interview for jobs, another aspect of what to look for in a new position is what a company’s onboarding process entails. Some onboarding processes can take a long span of time, potentially upwards of a week or month. During this time, your hiring manager or other team leads will train you on company policy, client accounts, and your job requirements. You’ll be able to meet your team and learn more about your new role. While this gives you a dedicated time to learn, this process can be lengthy.  Other onboarding processes aren’t as lengthy. Companies may hire you, provide a short time of training, and allow you to get working full steam ahead. While this type of onboarding process is fast, it requires swift learning. Depending on your preference, either process can work and has its own set of pros and cons.

Company Culture

Also during your interview, you can inquire about what the company culture is like. Questions such as “What is the work-life balance of your employees?” or “What’s the typical workday look like for someone in my position?” will clarify what the company culture is like. If you don’t enjoy the sense of the company culture from your interview, don’t worry! When you look for a new job, part of the search is to find a company that matches your expectations! When you start to look for a new job, you should consider companies’ onboarding processes and cultures, as well as similarities to your current job that led you to look for a new position. Going forward, you can use Brightwing’s online job board to optimize your job search. As you apply and interview at new companies, be sure to use your skills and experience to find the best fit and maximize your new salary and benefits. At Brightwing, we ensure that our talent experts match qualified candidates with top employers! Share This Post [social-share] More Like This

There’s fierce competition for employees in the automotive supplier business, but this industry is booming with great jobs of all ranges.

Learning the different types of interviews and how to prepare for them can help you land your desired position.

Find Great Employees for Your Engineering Team

How to Find Great Employees for Your Engineering Team

Creating an effective engineering team is all about choosing the right members. Just like any job, who you work with makes a huge difference. Engineering is a field where the engineering talent of your team can affect every aspect of your growth, output, and production. Finding the right candidates to join your engineering team takes time and effort, but it is definitely worth it to find the right person. This is why most engineering companies use experienced recruiters like Brightwing to bring the talent to them.  

Attracting Engineering Talent in 2022

Building a team of talent in 2022 can be difficult in some ways and easy in others. In 2021, millions of Americans quit their jobs in search of new opportunities. At this point, there is a large gap in opportunities vs. candidates, which means that the job market for hiring is competitive; however, there are a lot of good candidates to be found. Creating a solid team in 2022 is very possible as a lot of people have left their jobs even after years of working for their prior companies. Finding experienced workers and newly graduated students alike is relatively easy, but attracting them to your engineering firm may be a little easier said than done. 

Job Offers

Creating a unique job offer to appeal to engineering talent is essential in today’s hiring scene. What does a unique job offer look like? There are a few ways to make your offer the best one on the table: 

Competitive Salary

Obviously offering a competitive wage is important, but including things like bonuses and room for pay raises and growth will help you stand out among the crowd. Millennials especially tend to take a job that will promise them a career path and scheduled raises rather than a high-paying job where they can’t grow. Offer salary vs. hourly, whatever may work best for you. A competitively priced job offer isn’t just important in this market, it is absolutely essential. 

Benefits

Offering benefits will help your employees know that you care about their health and welfare. Most large firms are offering benefits like health insurance, dental and vision, and 401ks. Make an effort to offer a benefits package that will be interesting and worth it to your new hires. If you offer a plan that doesn’t cover the basics or has an extremely high deductible, that detracts from your offer. Employee benefits are also tax-free to employers, which can help your business in return. 

Perks

Fun, exciting perks don’t always have to be fancy or over-the-top. You can offer monthly competitions with modest prizes. Have casual Fridays! Have special gifts for birthdays! Find a way to bring something you enjoy into the workplace, like offering a gym membership to each employee or renting out a theater twice a year for a premiere. Sometimes something simple and enjoyable can make your job stand out over another and often turn the tide for an employee trying to decide between two firms. 

Show them Your Spark

Help people know that you offer a problem to be solved or a challenge to face in your field. Show your engineering team that you work on something worthwhile and interesting! Engineering is sometimes seen as boring or stagnant. When you have a project that piques the interest of your candidates, you have a great reason for them to choose you over a firm that just isn’t as interesting. If you specialize in something, tell your applicants. Show them what they would miss out on if they didn’t take your offer! 

Building a Team of Talent 

Creating an engineering team doesn’t mean just finding one good individual and building a team around them, it has to do with recruiting members that will work together as a whole. What makes a good team player in an engineering team? 

Team Players are Leaders

On some engineering teams, younger or less experienced engineers may feel left out or like they can’t make comments, offer criticism, or otherwise contribute beyond expectations. When teams have rigid hierarchies, non-team leads or juniors may self-censor. You certainly don’t want that – you want a team where everyone can rise to the occasion as both formal and informal leaders. Creating a team of leaders helps people to take charge and work together

How to Find the Perfect Match

Many engineering firms have a difficult time finding the engineering talent they are looking for to fill their teams. Engineers are busy and work on many different kinds of projects, and each firm may experience something different when hiring. Using a recruitment agency for engineering hires is a great way to go about building a team of talent. A renowned recruitment agency with a long-standing engineering focus like Brightwing attracts engineering talent along with other workers in design and manufacturing. Recruiting takes significant time and effort, especially when the recruiting process is optimized to get to know each applicant’s goals, strengths, and weaknesses. 

Easier for Employers

Creating a team has a lot to do with knowing each member, and it’s hard to go about building a team of talent if you don’t know the talents involved. Self-assessment is notoriously inaccurate, and worse, not everyone is completely honest on their resume. If someone says they are organized and collaborative but they really aren’t, it can have a ripple effect that interferes with your projects, timelines, and budgets. Using an engineering-focused recruiting agency to build engineering teams will save time, money and energy for employers because recruiters are experts at bringing engineers’ true soft and technical skills to light. 

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The Costs of Job Tenure: Why You Shouldn't Stay in a Job Too Long There are generally two kinds of job seekers: those who’ve had ten jobs in five years, and those who’ve spent the last ten years in the same role. Now let’s ask: if you’re entering the job market, which is the worst situation to be in? Most people would probably say that it’s worse to be a job hopper, and they may be right. But according to research on Forbes.com, staying in a role for more than two years could mean that you earn 50 percent less than those who leave. This figure shouldn’t be surprising. Most employees will only receive a 3-5% salary increase each year within a single organization. But when you go out into the market to negotiate your salary, you may end up asking for 10-15% more than what you’re currently earning. If you do this every 3-5 years or so, you can see how these increases could compound. So having a long job tenure comes with its own costs. Read on to learn more about how this could impact your current and future job prospects.  

Is Job Tenure Actually Hurting Your Career?

  One of the hallmarks of a great professional is their ability to divide loyalties. While you should have some loyalty to your employer, you also have a responsibility to yourself. If you don’t own your own professional development, no one else will do it for you. So while your loyalty to your employer may prompt you to stay in a job over the long haul, it’s important to seriously consider what this means to your career long-term. When many recruiters and hiring managers look at lengthy tenures, it can give them the sense that:
  • You aren’t motivated or driven to achieve
  • You’re too comfortable with the familiar and unable to adapt to a new job, leadership style, or corporate culture
  • You don’t have a diverse enough skill set to thrive in a modern company and economy, simply because employees gain perspective about best practices as they move from one company to another
If you earn a promotion (and a real promotion, not just a job title change) within a company, that can help to soften the blow. In fact, vertical growth is a good sign, because it shows that you’re willing and able to take on new responsibilities and challenges. But overall, while job tenure comes with significant advantages, there are costs involved. The costs just happen to be long-term; you won’t notice them until you have to get back out and search again.  

How Long Should You Stay at a Job?

  So that leads us to the million dollar question: how long should you stay at a job? According to 2018 data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are some of the most common trends:
  • Workers in management, professional, and related occupations had a median tenure of 5.0 years
  • 22% of workers had tenure of 1 year or less
  • Younger workers were more likely to have a short tenure than older ones; only 9 percent of workers aged 55 to 74 had a tenure of less than 12 months
  • Median tenure for employees aged 55 to 64 (10.1 years) was more than three times that of workers aged 25 to 34 (2.8 years)
In general, three to five years in a job without a promotion is the optimal tenure to establish a track record of success without suffering the negative consequences of job stagnation. Of course, that may vary depending on your specific industry or role.  

3 Signs You’ve Stayed in a Job Too Long

  Not every problem can be solved with a job switch. Sometimes you need to stick it out and take advantage of all the opportunities that you have in your current organization before moving on. But staying in a job isn’t always the solution either. There are many good reasons why you should move on to another organization or role. If any of the following red flags pop up, that’s a good sign that it’s time to think about a change.  

1. Your job no longer challenges you.

  If you end the day with time to spare, that means that you’ve almost certainly mastered your current responsibilities. While it’s great to be confident and knowledgeable, staying there won’t help you grow.  

2. There’s no risk associated with your job.

  No one likes being on the boss’s bad side. But if you find that you can make a mistake without consequences, odds are that you either are too good at your job, or you’re working for an organization that doesn’t value growth and excellence. Either way, remaining in those environments will cause you to stagnate.  

3. It’s hard to justify sticking around.

  Health insurance, vacation, and retirement contributions are all important benefits, but they shouldn’t be the sole reason you stick with a job. Other companies offer those same benefits, and they may be able to give you a job that challenges and fulfills you.  

Final Thoughts: Is it Time for a New Job?

  If you’re wondering whether you should consider a new job, you’re certainly not alone. The market is filled with people who are looking to improve their situation. There’s a good chance that you should join them. Our recruiters have placed thousands of candidates in great-fit jobs & contractor roles. We would love to help you find your next best opportunity. Click here to get in touch with a Brightwing recruiter.

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Job Hopping vs. Job Clinging: Which is Better for Career Advancement? Complacency kills careers. That’s why career advancement is a top priority for most professionals. But what is the best way to move your career forward: hopping to a new job, or growing within your current organization? That’s the question a lot of people are facing right now, especially as the Great Resignation continues in full force. A record 4.4 million people quit their jobs in September, and the number of unfilled positions stands at 10.4 million. There are a number of reasons why people want to make a change:
  • Better hours & more flexibility (especially if switching from direct roles to contracting)
  • Advancement in responsibility & leadership
  • Learning new skill sets
  • Greater compensation & benefits
  • Ability to manage & execute more complex projects
If any of these are important to you, this blog post will walk you through whether job hopping or sticking with your current job is the best way to achieve them.  

Why Career Advancement Matters

  Thinking about career advancement is one way that you can set yourself apart from the crowd. Many employees focus only on their current job, or maybe are just looking ahead to the next promotion. This kind of short-term thinking won’t help you. As you move up the ladder there are fewer opportunities available. Which means that if you want to have an upward career path, you need to intentionally take action to get there. Now, this doesn’t mean you should always have your eye on the horizon and neglect your current responsibilities. Quite the opposite, actually! Having clarity on where you want your career to go will help you put your current work in context. Being excellent at where you are now will only set you up for success later down the line. It also can help you figure out how to leverage your current role to grow any skills (both hard and soft) that you may be lacking.  

The Career Advantages of Job Hopping

  There are a few advantages that are most accessible when you job hop. Here are just a few of them:
  • Moving into a new role where you can gain new skills
  • Taking on more leadership responsibilities in a bigger organization
  • Finding a new boss or supervisor who’s willing to invest in your career advancement
  • Moving from a mid-level firm to one that’s more prestigious and has national (or international) brand recognition

 

The Career Advantages of Longevity

  On the other hand, here are some of the growth opportunities that come from staying within your organization:
  • Internal promotion opportunities
  • Moving laterally within the organization or taking on more responsibilities
  • Building rapport with your current boss and developing a mentoring relationship
  • Taking the initiative to demonstrate leadership potential without the need for a promotion or advancement

 

5 Questions to Help You Choose the Best Path Forward

  Now that we’ve walked through the benefits of both job hopping and longevity, here are some questions to ask that will help you figure out the best path for you.  

1. Have you hit a plateau?

  A sure sign that you should seek out a new job is if you’ve hit a plateau in your professional growth. Generally, this looks like the following:
  • You’ve become so competent at your job that it no longer challenges you
  • There’s no room for advancement within the company
  • You’ve been doing the same job for more than five years
  • You find yourself growing bored and dissatisfied with your work
Note that a plateau rarely happens early in your tenure. But if after several years you’re realizing that there are no opportunities to grow, you probably are better served by a new company and role.  

2. Have you pursued internal growth opportunities?

  If you haven’t made an effort to pursue internal growth opportunities, you may be jumping the gun by pursuing a new role. Here are some things you should try instead:
  • Job shadow other employees in the company to broaden your skills
  • Explore opportunities for lateral moves that broaden and deepen your experience
  • See if you have a professional development budget to attend classes, workshops, and training sessions
  • Seek mentorships from more senior employees
  • If you believe you’re ready for added responsibility, proactively seek a promotion
Companies that value you as an employee will find a way to offer at least some of these opportunities. If not, then it’s a good sign that you need to move on to grow yourself and your career.  

3. Is the problem with the company, the role, or you?

  Searching for open positions on job boards can be a great knee-jerk reaction when problems at work arise. But if the problem is actually with you, then moving on isn’t going to solve anything. You’ll just take the problems with you. So get real with yourself and ask: is the problem with the company, the role, or you? If there’s anyone you trust inside or even outside the company, ask them for their advice. Getting an outside opinion is always a good idea.

 

4. What strategic opportunities can another company offer?

  Don’t just leave your job for kicks and giggles. If you’re going to go to another company, make sure that it strategically moves your career forward. This is where you need to spend some time figuring out exactly what is lacking in your career right now. Is it pay? Or is there a particular skill gap you’d like to close? Maybe you want to take on more leadership responsibility? Whatever it is, get clear and use that as your North Star as you sort through job openings. This is going to help you weed out poor fits and find the best option for your career moving forward.  

5. How will this choice impact your career long-term?

  You should always consider the impact that your choice may have on your career long-term. Of course, there’s no way to know for sure what’s going to happen, but it still is important to think about. For instance, job hopping with only a couple years’ tenure in a role can be a negative sign for future hiring managers. However, staying within the same role for more than five years comes with some financial downsides.

 

Final Thoughts: Stay Growing, Stay Active

  Even if you choose to stay in your current job, you need to always be seeking new opportunities to grow. After all, like we said earlier, complacency kills careers. Keep finding opportunities to take on new responsibilities in challenges. Keep your LinkedIn profile and build up your personal brand online. Not only will these benefit your own career, but they can serve as an added boon to your current company. Most importantly, you should have an idea of where you want your career to be in three, five, or even ten years. Then start considering which steps you need to take to get there, and put one foot in front of the other. To get started on your career growth, fill out the form below and a Brightwing recruiter will reach out to advise you on the best next step.

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More Meetings Than Ever? 10 Ways to Make Them Better New research found the typical professional has ~5 meetings per day, up from ~3 per day prior to the pandemic. So we conducted a poll asking: “How does the number of meetings you have now compare to before the pandemic?” Here were the results:
  • 54%  —  Way more meetings
  • 30%  —  About the same
  • 16%  —  Fewer meetings
With so many of us experiencing a sizable uptick in the number of meetings we endure throughout the day, it’s important to do what we can to make them better. These tips may be straightforward and even obvious, but they require discipline. Even in the most familiar and comfortable situations, structure and clarity will help you to optimize your time, respect your colleagues’ time, and ensure your meeting invites don’t provoke a chorus of groans. In other words, meetings are assumed to be a waste until proven otherwise… WHEN IT’S YOUR MEETING, THE BURDEN IS ON YOU TO PROVE IT WAS WORTH IT.  

Without further ado, here are 10 tips to make all your meetings better:

 
  1. Choose the right format.  In-person or remote? Sitting or standing? Video or voice? Whatever you choose, don’t let it be by default.
  2. Keep your invite list tight.  Every meeting attendee should NEED to be there. If you’re thinking of inviting someone just so that they can be looped in, don’t. Share information with them another way.
  3. Share an agenda ahead of time.  Outline what you want to accomplish, including why it’s important in the larger context. Even if your agenda is one sentence long, better to get your attendees in the right headspace beforehand than to leave them guessing.
  4. Prepare your evidence.  When you own the meeting, you’ve got the largest advantage: you know exactly what needs to be done. Come prepared with data that will help along decisions!
  5. Start with the bigger picture.  Why is what you’re meeting about important – in the context of the organization’s long-term version and of each individual’s role? Even when the meeting is not a waste of anyone’s time, it can feel that way if the greater purpose isn’t clear to everyone.
  6. Beware meeting scope creep.  The beauty of a well-crafted agenda is that you know what’s NOT on the table for discussion. Enforce it.
  7. Encourage participation.  Someone not chiming in? Direct an open-ended question their way.
  8. Do not let who is responsible for what be ambiguous.  Wrap-up by sharing takeaways out loud. Consider putting them in an email to everyone after the meeting to avoid any doubt.
  9. Know when to end it: on-time or early.  Just because you set aside 30 minutes doesn’t mean the meeting deserves 30 minutes. If you accomplish what you need to before time runs out, put an end to it! If you’ve hit the end of your slated time but you’ve got more to do, still end it. Schedule a follow-up to finish.
  10. Don’t burn yourself out: schedule similar kinds of meetings in clusters.  Recent studies have shown that fluctuating rapidly from feeling powerful at work to feeling powerless causes stress and reduces well-being. So: “consider reviewing your calendar from the past week to identify the types of experiences (meetings, tasks, etc.) that prompted you to feel more and less powerful. In the future, try to schedule tasks in clusters according to how powerful or powerless they tend to make you feel. For example, cluster tasks like giving advice or meeting with a subordinate on the same day of the week if possible. Similarly, consider grouping tasks on your calendar that are likely to make you feel unimportant and powerless — like asking for help or talking to your supervisor.” (HBR)

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Job Hopping: Will it Help or Hurt Your Career? Given the plethora of job opportunities in the market right now, it’s natural to consider making a career change. However, you may be thinking: “I don’t want to be a job hopper.”  We get it.  For years, we’ve all been warned about having short stints on a resume. The pressure to stay with a single organization for more than a few years is strong. But this current environment could afford you the opportunity to advance your career in the direction you want. You don’t want to miss that.  So let’s walk through the pros and cons of job hopping to see if it’s worth it. 

 

Be clear about why you’re making a change. 

  If you’re wondering whether someone will look askance at a short-term position on your resume, the answer is complicated.  According to recent survey data from Robert Half, a majority of workers — 64 percent, to be exact — favor job-hopping. That number is 22% higher than a similar survey just four years ago.  What’s more, the average number of jobs held by workers over a two-year period is 1.3, while over five years is 2.3. Given that we’re in a post-COVID world, it’s not unreasonable to assume that these numbers have increased in recent months. It is true, however, that the average tenure does increase depending on your sector, according to an Economic News Release from the Bureau of Labor Statistics:  
  • Workers in management, professional, and related occupations had the highest median tenure (4.9 years)
  • Workers in service occupations had the lowest median tenure (1.9 years)
So if you have a tenure that’s less than five years, odds are the question will come up during the interview. The key here is to have a solid reason why you’re making a change.  Employers value loyalty, certainly. And that’s why having a longer tenure can be valuable. However, good employers also want people who are growing in their careers, not stagnating. Thus, making a change because you’re ready for a new opportunity will come across as a positive development, rather than a negative one. 

 

Younger employees tend to job hop more. 

  The gap in employment currently is generational in nature. The median tenure for workers ages 25 to 34 is 2.8 years, while for employees ages 55 to 64 it’s 9.9 years.  Additionally, of all the workers who switched jobs last year, only 33% identified as Gen Z, and 25% as Millennial, according to a new study from IBM’s Institute for Business Value. However, it’s important to note that job hopping isn’t a function of generation so much as it is of age. Take Baby Boomers born between 1957 and 1964. According to a Bureau of Labor Statistics report, they have held 12.3 jobs on average, but nearly half of them have been when they were between ages 18 and 24.  On top of that, data from Steven J. Davis from the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business and John Haltiwanger of the University of Maryland indicate that job hopping has been on a decline since 2000. This may seem to indicate that, compared to other generations at the same age, Millennials and Gen Zers are job hopping less than their counterparts.  The fact that employees tend to job hop in their younger years shouldn’t be a surprise. There are a number of reasons to do so:
  • Building up different skills that will serve your career long-term
  • Trying different positions to find the best fit
  • Gaining experience working at different kinds of companies among different kinds of teams
However, once you start to build up experience, you’re more likely to take on positions that require more strategic planning and thinking. This naturally requires a longer tenure.  Plus, if you’ve spent all that time figuring out what you really want to do, once you find it you probably won’t want to leave! All this to say: if you’re a younger employee, you’re probably safe making a change. And if you’re an older employee, odds are you have some respectable tenure in your work history, which makes job hopping less risky now. 

 

Job hopping may result in greater compensation. 

  Staying in a job long-term may be good for stability. But in terms of long-term financial earnings, job hopping is a better bet. A 2019 study from ADP found that when you stay at your current job, you’re likely to receive a 4% pay increase. However, switching jobs leads to a 5.3% salary increase.  In fact, staying in a job too long may be a detriment to your long-term compensation. According to research from Forbes.com, employees who remain in companies too long (in the article, he says that it’s longer than two years) get paid 50% less than their counterparts who leave and start somewhere else.  And for every year after the two-year mark, that number continues to go up.  But we should be careful not to over-glamorize job hopping. No matter your reasons, starting over with a new job means…well…starting over. That could mean that you lose your banked vacation time, potential retirement income, or insurance coverage, requiring you to switch doctors.   As a result, although there’s plenty of upside, be smart about how you make these decisions so you don’t end up making your situation much worse

 

Final thoughts: Be sure to gather advice. 

  A decision as big as a career change should never be made alone. So if you’re looking for a new job in 2021 or 2022, you need someone in your corner to help you make a smart decision. When you work with Brightwing, our team provides unique insights into the market to help you find the best possible candidate, ace your interview, and set yourself up for success in your new role. To set up an introductory call with our team, fill out the form below!

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A Better Framework for Reaching Your Career Goals Are you working to pay the bills or are you inspired, fulfilled, and content with your current career path? There’s a huge difference between the two, and getting from one to the other is no accident. If you’re really serious about reaching your career goals, you need a new and better framework for getting there. Here’s what we advise.  

Lay a Strong Foundation for Career Goal Setting

  Author and motivational speaker Simon Sinek has a lot to say about why people fail or succeed in their endeavors. At the core, he says, success starts with finding your “why” or core purpose. This is what will direct you in both your life and your career, and it’s also the only thing that will make you feel accomplished once the adrenaline rush of promotions and raises wears off. Closely related to this concept is Sinek’s advice to always find something better. You should never quit a job, he suggests, just to get away from it. Instead, always move on to something better, and when that’s not an option, you should use your current job as a learning experience. Finally, he says, find a mentor. An outside perspective can help you more thoroughly discover parts of your personality and values that you should consider when determining your “why” and the career goals that align with that purpose.  

Avoid Looking for the Perfect Job

  Let’s be brutally honest: The perfect job doesn’t exist. While some companies have significantly better cultures, team dynamics, and opportunities than others, the trick to finding a fulfilling career is more dependent upon your own outlook and work ethic than on the company itself. Thus, when setting your career goals, you need to be realistic about the attitude you adopt in your daily life and responsibilities. No one wants to deal with a toxic work environment, a power-hungry boss, or unreasonable expectations; but every job is going to have its challenges, disappointments, and stress. Understanding how you react and adapt to these problems will help you set more realistic career goals.  

Adopting a Framework for Career Goal Setting

  With the right foundation and the right attitude, you’re much closer to setting and achieving effective career goals. We return to Simon Sinek for some final advice on the specifics of career goal setting.  

1. Think Big, Be Specific, Act Small

Creating “realistic” goals sounds sensible. However, setting the bar too low means you run the risk of never finding out what your true potential is. Sinek recommends thinking big and setting that bar higher than you’re comfortable with in order to see what you’re really capable of. Be aware that as your goals get loftier, it’s easy to get too vague, and therein lies the danger of not reaching your target. The more specific, the better. Additionally, be prepared to act on this goal in small steps. The bigger the goal, the more bite-sized steps it will take to get there.  

2. Use Verbs

You’ve probably heard that you should always write your goals down, and it will be tempting to simply write “a new job” or “a promotion.” The problem with goals when stated in this way is that they don’t really inspire action. Sinek suggests that when writing out your goals, you should use actionable verbs that will hold you accountable to actually doing something rather than waiting around for something to happen.  

3. Be Patient

Big goals require patience, especially on the days when you don’t feel like you’re getting anywhere. When you’re frustrated by your progress or by roadblocks in your path, revisit your “why” to remember the core reasons you’re seeking these goals. How will a new job impact your life? What difference do you hope to make by achieving that promotion? These are big goals. Patience is key.  

4. Measure Often

Reviewing your goals regularly is the only way to hold yourself accountable to achieving them. What milestones should you be measuring on your way? What expectations should you be exceeding in preparation? These might be performance reviews, certifications or classes, project successes, or interviews. Whatever your points of measurement, make sure you write them down and review them regularly.  

5. Don’t Compare

Comparing your progress to what you perceive in other people will only set you back. Remember, you created your goals based on your core values and purpose, so they are unique to you. That means your progress and timeline are unique, too. You should only be comparing yourself today to yourself yesterday.   Are you ready to reach your career goals in 2022? We’d love to hear more about them and, if possible, help you achieve them. Contact us here. Share This Post [social-share] More Like This

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3 Ways to Say Thank You After Second Interview [vc_raw_html css=”.vc_custom_1581093901436{padding-top: 20px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 20px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;}”]JTNDaDIlM0VzaWduJTIwdXAlMjBmb3IlMjBvdXIlMjBtb250aGx5JTIwbmV3c2xldHRlciUzQyUyRmgyJTNFJTBBJTI2bmJzcCUzQiUwQSU1QndwZm9ybXMlMjBpZCUzRCUyMjI3MjUxJTIyJTIwdGl0bGUlM0QlMjJmYWxzZSUyMiUyMGRlc2NyaXB0aW9uJTNEJTIyZmFsc2UlMjIlNUQlMEE=[/vc_raw_html] Sending thank you notes after any interview is important, but thanking interviewers after the second interview is a MUST! The stakes are higher, and so are the expectations. Every situation is different. Sometimes mailing your thank you is the best option, and other times an email is the way to go. In this blog, we’ll provide 3 examples to say thank you after the second interview. No matter which thank you method you use, the objective at this point is to emphasize your enthusiasm for the position, the company, and why you are the best fit for the position based on your experience.  

Thank You Email After Second Interview

  Emailing a thank you note after the second interview is by far the most common follow-up method. Although there are always exceptions, we’ve come up with a few ways for you to tell when you should utilize email over snail mail: — The interview was very informal and laid back — The interviewer is following up within 3 days — The job itself requires a lot of email usage #1. Email Example (in-person interview) Justin —  It was great meeting with you for a second interview today! My enthusiasm for X position has grown even stronger since our first discussion. Once again, I felt a strong connection with the culture of X company, and believe I would make a great all-around fit. My X skills and advanced experience in X solidify my belief that I am a great fit for this exciting position. Thank you again for taking the time to meet with me. I look forward to hearing back from you! Joe #2. Email Example (over-the-phone interview) If you had two phone interviews, you probably spoke to two different people. Justin —  I enjoyed speaking with you for my second interview today! Ever since my first interview with Jason, I’ve had a strong vested interest X Company. Our discussion today solidified my enthusiasm for X position, and I am confident that my experience in X would make for a great fit. Thanks again, and I look forward to meeting the X Company team and yourself in person! Joe

Thank You Letter After Second Interview

  Mailing a thank you letter may seem a little old-school, but it’s still appropriate for some situations. For example, if the hiring manager or company has a more traditional attitude or culture, a thank you letter may be the way to go. Here are a few other reasons why you may want to choose snail mail over email: — Interview was very formal — Lengthy hiring process — Interviewed with other candidates #3. Letter Example Dear Mrs. Green,   Thank you for taking the time to interview me for the second time. I appreciate your interest in my candidacy for X position. As we discussed, I believe that my array of X skills will be of great value for X Company. I am especially interested in this position because X, Y, and Z. I am looking forward to meeting with you again to discuss any further details about my past experience, skill sets, or any other relevant matters.   Kind Regards, Joe

Final Interviewing Tips

  No Dumb Mistakes – You cannot afford to spell the interviewer’s name wrong. Be sure to proofread! Personalize – Be authentic, and make sure to reiterate what was previously discussed in the interview. Be Prompt – Sending a thank you note within 24 hours shows that you mean business.   We wish you the best of luck in all of your interviews. If you ever need any assistance, feel free to contact Brightwing anytime.

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