Five Panda Pointers: Five questions to ask if you’re thinking of starting a new job search

Jan 18, 2018 4:21:41 PM

So, you’re thinking of starting a new job search…or are you? If there’s a feeling of demotivation somewhere or you’re simply curious as to what’s out there on the market, there are a few things you can consider.

In our first Panda Pointers of 2018, we have compiled five questions to ask yourself if you are considering a new job search.

1) Are you growing in your current role?

When beginning a new job search, most people have professional growth and development at the front of their mind. What type of role would offer them the chance to progress in their career and would offer the learning opportunities to help this happen?

Ask yourself this – is progression and learning important in your current company? Something to embrace in all careers is the idea of growing, taking on new challenges and learning along the way. If your current team or company don’t prioritise the ambitions of employees, is it somewhere you would want to remain?

2) What is essential to you when searching for a new job?

This expands on what we discussed in pointer #1, but with more emphasis on mapping out what is essential in a new job should you be searching. Of course, you want career growth and progression, but what else is a ‘must have’ in a role if you had to start looking for a new job right this second?

Make a list of these things when you get a moment. In our 2017 ecommerce salary survey, for example, the top essential in a role was feeling valued and respected. Other essentials included salary, team, company culture, employee benefits and location. Once you have your list, compare it to your current situation. If you don’t feel like you’re lacking any essentials, then that is amazing! However, this list is important to you if you do decide to begin that new job search.

3) What does your career plan look like?

When beginning a new job search, you should always consult your career plan…do you have one? If you have a rough plan, begin fleshing it out immediately. It will help highlight how you’re doing with your goals and what you need to do to keep on achieving.

If you do have it all mapped out, the question is simple…does your current position match what you were expecting? If the answer is yes, great! If not, then it’s time to evaluate how you can either make changes in your current role or begin that job search for the next step.

4) On a scale of 1-10, how much are you enjoying your current role?

Perhaps this isn’t a priority question when thinking about searching for a new job, but it’s something to track over time. Ask yourself this question every so often and evaluate fluctuations in your motivation and enjoyment.

If you need to reflect, focus on the previous six months…has it been more stress than it’s worth or have you had a blast? If the score isn’t what it should be, can something be done to increase it before you start sprucing up your CV?

5) Do I enjoy a good work-life balance?

The final question to ask if you’re thinking about beginning a new job search is if your work life coexists with your personal life without issue. Work-life balance is such an important thing to have control over. However, if you feel like you’re constantly thinking about work, doing overtime or generally feeling busy all the time, that needs to change!

This ties in with pointer #4…always be aware of your enjoyment of your current role and don’t get swept away by a wave of to do lists!

We hope these questions help you if you are thinking about starting a new job search. If you are happy in your role, these are the kind of questions you should always ask anyway…think of it as an internal review every once in a while. These are the kind of questions you can raise with your senior management team too…it’s good to talk things through.

If you are beginning a new job search…good luck! You know where the pandas are…

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