When should one change job?

CHANGING JOBS: WATCH OUT FOR THE SIGNS

We often receive signals that perhaps a change of life is useful and necessary for our professional growth and even our personal development.

Be attentive to the signs:

• You feel unmotivated. If you constantly feel unwilling to work, ask yourself why. Try to understand if you are more tired for some reason, or if the reason for your discouragement has to do with the lack of stimulus in relation to your company.
• You don't like what you do. If the work you do every day does not fulfil you, you will certainly not be happy if you insist on staying in the same function for much longer. Maybe it is time to change your sector of activity.
• You do not feel valued. If you consider that your company does not value you, why not consider other options for your career?
• You do not identify with the company's values and culture. It is important to share ways of being and working with the organization where we work. Only in this way can we give our best and be better professionals.
• Family or personal changes. By force of circumstances, we may be led to the decision to change jobs. Situations such as being away from family, can bring feelings of instability and make us rush into a change.
• You feel constant stress. Work peaks can lead us to stressful situations. But if this is a habitual and not an exceptional condition, you should stop and realize if you are in the right place. Our physical and mental health should always come first.
• What is your career goals;
• How you evaluate your career progression;
• How the job market is in Portugal;
• Consider the possibility of training in your area or in another area that interests you;
• What kind of workload you are willing to put in;
• Consider the possibility of working remotely;
• What salary you intend to earn. 

EVALUATE THE PROS AND CONS

Before deciding, consider talking to Human Resources department to assess your position in the company. Dialogue is often the way to reach the interests and needs of the employee and the organization. Have you realized that you are probably not happy in your job? It is time to evaluate what is important for you so that your decision is the right one, according to your needs, motivations and circumstances. It's time to put the pros and cons in the balance! This is the only way to better understand what is important to you and whether you need to change jobs to meet your needs. 

Factors to consider:

• What is your career goals;
• How you evaluate your career progression;
• How the job market is in Portugal;
• Consider the possibility of training in your area or in another area that interests you;
• What kind of workload you are willing to put in;
• Consider the possibility of working remotely;
• What salary you intend to earn.

FOR A SUCCESSFUL CHANGE

Contact a recruitment expert

A great option for reorienting your professional life is to turn to a recruitment specialist. There are specialist companies that can help you to make your career change quicker and more successful.This is a way to feel more accompanied in the whole process, being able to discuss different opportunities that come in to the market, get advice on how to adapt your resume to your professional area, which jobs you can apply for, what remuneration you should expect according to your profile, among other issues.
Fed Finance is an example of a company specializing in finance and accounting, which provides all the support for those seeking employment within this area. If this is your area of work, get in touch to clarify any questions about available job offers or receive advice directly from specially qualified recruiters. 

Update your CV and online presence

Updating your CV is essential for the whole process of changing your professional life to be successful. Recycle all the information present in your resume and present yourself in the best way to a potential employer. No less important is your online presence and nowadays LinkedIn appears to be an essential tool for those who want to position themselves in the labor market, find a job or create their own brand image. So, invest some time to improve your LinkedIn profile and take advantage of the largest professional network in the world.

Follow up on your employment applications

If you are looking for a job, don't neglect the post-interview moment and make a follow-up email to the job interview. This is a step that can make a difference working as a show of proactivity, showing your interest in the job and to stand out from other candidates.

Ask for recommendations and work on your network of contacts

In a job search process, it is perfectly normal to ask for recommendations or references from people in your professional network. Try to do some research and select people from your network who can in some way refer or help you in this process.