Perhaps you know it’s time for a job change, but you don’t know exactly what you want or where to look. If this is the case, you probably feel stuck. In order to move forward, you may need to shift your thinking from all the things you don’t know (e.g. what, where, when and how much) to what you are clear about.
Begin with a list of the reasons why you’re considering a change. Typically, this list will reflect what is missing in your current position or what is not to your liking. Next to each item on your list, write what you want in response to whatever is not working.
Be as specific as you can with each list.
Here are examples of items that might be on the lists:
What is not working: What I want instead:
Bored, no challenge. Opportunity to learn something new.
Commute is too long. Workplace within 30 minutes from home.
Boss that micro-manages me. Chance to work more independently.
Work is not meaningful to me. Feel like I make a difference.
Not using skills I enjoy. Want to use more skills that I like to use
(You need to know what these are.)
The information on your lists will help you in either of two ways in your effort to identify job options. It will assist you in creating questions to ask during job interviews to determine if the setting is a good match for you, or it will help you identify positions that share your employment criteria.
It is not necessary to have a job title in mind as you begin a job search. In fact, job titles can vary greatly from one employer to the next, so narrowing your search to one title could needlessly eliminate possibilities.
Identify the criteria that are important to you such as: key responsibilities and skills, work environment, compensation and benefits, values and mission, interests, and co-workers.
Rank-order these criteria as a step in identifying prospective employers.
Ask friends and colleagues what position or employer comes to mind as you share with them your criteria. When you hear something of interest to you, ask for the name of a person who either does this type of job or works in an organization where it is done.
At this point, you should be ready to begin networking around prospects in the marketplace that have the potential to meet your criteria.
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