If you’re considering whether to jump jobs, you’re not alone. According to a recent study by Bankrate (hat tip to CNBC for the link), some 55 percent of Americans said they’ll look for a new job within the next 12 months. Pundits and analysts are referring to this current movement as the “Great Resignation.”
Technologists decide to look for a different employer for all kinds of reasons. For example, younger technologists might feel they’ve learned and done everything possible in their current position, and they want to try something new (and potentially more complex). Millions of technologists also consider quitting because they want a job that comes with more money, bigger projects, or a different work-life balance.
Fortunately, no matter what the state of the economy, a technologist with the right skills can find lots of opportunities out there. No matter what your skill-set or background, though, you need to ask whether a new opportunity has enough potential to justify a move, or whether you should stay in place until something better comes along.
If you’re thinking about changing jobs, sit down and carefully consider your answers to this list of questions, adapted from Dice’s new Ultimate Guide to a Successful Technology Career:
- Do you want to work for a large company or a small one?
- Which skills do you need to learn for a new job?
- Which benefits matter most to you?
- Are you willing to take a different salary (and/or compensation)?
- Will a new company provide better opportunities for advancement and/or education?
- Are you willing to relocate?
- What sort of team environment do you want?
- Do you want a job that’s full-time remote, full-time in the office, or a combination of the two (hybrid/flexible model)?
- Have you fully considered what your current position offers you? Will jumping to something new serve you better than what you have now? FOMO (Fear of Missing Out) can sometimes persuade you to take a leap at a less-than-ideal opportunity.
In addition to helping with the thought process and soul-searching that comes with any potential job change, these answers can also assist you in figuring out which jobs you apply to, as well as how you approach the interviewing and negotiation process. Good luck!
