A Guide to Switching Roles in Your Career

 

Stepping into a new role isn’t just a job change; it’s a life-changing decision. The evolving workplace offers numerous opportunities, making the prospect of considering a new role an exciting idea. It’s a chance to broaden your skills, follow your passions, and possibly enhance your income and benefits. Fun fact: the average person changes jobs about 7 times in their life!

But let’s be real, the prospect of switching roles can also be a tad overwhelming. There’s the risk of landing in a company with the wrong culture or limited growth potential. That’s why taking a thoughtful, analytical approach to this decision is crucial.

Today, we’re diving into some logical reasons that might inspire you to take the plunge into a new role in the coming months or years.

1. Opportunities for Career Advancement

Feeling stuck in your current role? Many folks shift gears to advance their careers. While your current company may have plans for your growth, you might feel like you’ve hit a “dead end.” Switching to a new role with different responsibilities or even a different company, could be the key to unlocking the opportunities you crave.

2. Learning and Skill Development

A whopping 94% of employees stick around longer if there are solid learning and development opportunities. If your current job lacks training and you’re starting to feel disengaged, a new role is your ticket to fresh challenges and learning experiences. You might even find that other employers often provide a broader range of training, mentorship, and coaching programs.

3. Increased Compensation

Money matters! Studies show that changing jobs can potentially boost your income by 9.7%. While it’s not a guaranteed pay raise, working with a recruitment company can help you find a position that pays what you’re truly worth.

4. Greater Work-Life Balance

Loving your career is great, but maintaining work-life balance is equally crucial. If your current job is putting a damper on your personal life, a new role might be the solution. So far In 2023, lack of flexibility alone prompted around 4 million people to change careers.  Seek employers that prioritize well-being, offering flexible schedules, remote work options, and wellness programs.

5. Cultural Alignment

Company culture isn’t just a buzzword; it’s a crucial factor that can significantly impact your job satisfaction and overall well-being. Working in an environment that aligns with your values can reduce stress, boost motivation, and make your work more fulfilling. In fact, a 2023 study revealed that 87% of millennials considered quitting their jobs to seek employment that aligned with their personal values. While many organizations are actively investing in improving their company culture through diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, you may still find yourself feeling out of place in your current workplace.

6. Access to New Networks

Networking is an essential tool for professionals seeking consistent career growth. In today’s digital age, platforms like LinkedIn have made it easier to connect with a broader network of individuals.

Joining a new company can provide a fresh opportunity to expand your network and interact with a diverse range of colleagues, clients, and industry contacts. These new connections can introduce you to new ideas, skill development opportunities, and even potential job prospects.

By actively engaging with your new network, you can open doors to unexplored career paths and enhance your professional growth.

7. Geographic Relocation

In today’s dynamic work landscape, there are more remote positions than ever before (but not as many as people would like). It’s essential to note that not all businesses offer this level of flexibility. If you’re contemplating a move to a different part of your country or even another corner of the globe, and your current employer doesn’t support remote work, it might be worth exploring new career opportunities that align with your desired location.

If your present job doesn’t accommodate remote work and you’re set on your relocation plans, exploring roles that match your skills and preferences in proximity to your new home could be a strategic step forward. By expanding your job search to companies in your desired location, you can open up a wider range of opportunities and potentially find a position that offers the work-life balance you desire.

8. Alignment with Career Goals

Perhaps the most compelling reason to consider a role change is that moving to a new company could bring you closer to your professional goals.

Stepping into a new role could help you to spend more of your time on tasks you genuinely enjoy and contribute to projects that ignite your passion. It could also open doors to leadership positions and management roles that fit your ideal career trajectory.

Additionally, changing companies can expose you to a wider range of industries and opportunities. This exposure, in turn, could help you identify new areas of interest and expertise that you may not have considered before.

 

After days or weeks of getting ready for your interview, few things are more crushing than learning you haven’t been successful in getting the job. Rejection is difficult to deal with in any part of life, but it can be particularly upsetting when you’re striving for the perfect career.

However, rejection is also a common part of the job searching process. Learning how to respond productively to a lost job opportunity is the way to ensure you don’t keep making the same mistakes the next time you meet with a hiring manager.

Here’s what you can do to correctly handle interview rejections.

Step 1: Ask if the Role Was What You Really Wanted

First, it’s worth asking whether the role was right for you in the first place. When you’re keen to take the next step in your career, you might start applying for just “close enough” roles to what you really want rather than seeking the ideal role.

Perhaps you were attracted to certain aspects of the position but were a little concerned about the company culture. Maybe you were happy about the opportunity to find your first job in an industry you thought you wanted to be in, but the position in question didn’t really give you much scope to showcase your skills.

If you weren’t particularly passionate about the job in the first place, there’s a good chance the hiring manager picked up on that fact. Maybe you rushed through the research stage of preparing for the interview or failed to leave a lasting impression.

Ask yourself whether this role was right for you, and if it wasn’t, consider adjusting your job search accordingly. Applying only for the positions you truly care about will motivate you to showcase the best version of yourself during your next interview.

Step 2: Reconsider Your Qualifications

Even if you liked the idea of the role you were applying for and thought it would be good for your career, you may not have been perfectly positioned for the job. Take another look at the job description and highlight the qualifications the manager was looking for. Do they match your education and experience perfectly?

If not, this could be a sign it wasn’t what you did in the interview that lost you the opportunity. No matter how confident you appear during the interview, most hiring managers will still prioritize candidates with the right qualifications.

If you continue applying for similar roles in the future, the best thing you can do now is start working on adding to your skills. Make a list of all the talents and educational credentials you don’t already have and start seeking them out. Even showing your “would-be” employer you’re tacking steps to learn new skills can improve your chances of getting your next role.

Step 3: Brush up on Your Interview Confidence

If you did have all of the correct qualifications and experience for the role you wanted, the problem could be with your technique. Lack of confidence during an interview is a common reason why around 40% of candidates don’t make it past the first interview stage.

Look back over the conversation you had with the hiring manager. Were you constantly fidgeting, looking down at your resume, or failing to make eye contact? Your body language in an interview can say a lot about you and how confident you feel in your abilities.

Try practicing with a friend or colleague to prepare for your next interview. Make a list of common interview questions similar to the ones you were asked in your last interview, and practice responding to them. Come up with competency-based answers which showcase your abilities and the skills that hiring managers are looking for.

Most importantly, practice demonstrating an air of positive self-esteem. Sit straight, keep your hands still, and make eye contact regularly. A smile can go a long way in an interview too.

Step 4: Look for Ways to Improve Next Time

Outside of increasing your confidence for an interview, you can take several other steps to improve your chances of success going forward. Take the time to go back over the interview in your head and ask yourself where you struggled.

Were there certain questions you didn’t have a good response to? If so, you can practice generating relevant answers. Maybe you misjudged the dress code or arrived late to a video meeting because you were busy setting up your camera.

You may have failed to make the right impression because you didn’t have enough information about the company you applied for. Around 47% of candidates fail their interviews because they haven’t done enough research. Learning as much as possible about the business before you start applying for roles will help you tailor your answers and resume to the company’s needs.

Step 5: Respond to your Interviewer

Finally, a good way to improve your chances of success in upcoming interviews is to respond to your interviewer after they send you the rejection message. Thank the company for their time, and they’ll be more likely to think of you positively if you apply for roles with the same business. What’s more, this is a great chance to ask for feedback.

If you’re not sure exactly what you did wrong during the conversation, request a little bit of detailed information on why they chose someone other than you. This will help you to highlight the areas you need to address before beginning your next job search.

You can even consider talking to your recruiting agency about how the interview went and see if they had any suggestions.

Time to Refresh Your Career Plan?

Sometimes, rejection after an interview is a sign you need to brush up on your interview skills and confidence. Other times, you could be setting yourself up for failure by applying for roles you’re not suited to in the first place. Working with a recruitment agency should ensure you only apply for the roles you’re most likely to be chosen for.

Here at The Black Diamond Agency, we have been helping corporate retailers with their talent acquisition and helping specialty retail talent find their ideal roles for over 7 years. If you want to find out how we can help, email us at Info@TheBlackDiamondAgency.com. We look forward to working with you!