Category: Help Build Your Career

Can Job-hopping Leapfrog Your Career?

Posted on by James Kingston

Can Job-hopping Leapfrog Your Career? 

It’s hard to strike the right balance between loyalty and ambition, but job-hopping can boost your career – if you do it right! Here’s how…

There’s no such thing as a job for life in the 21st Century. Nobody expects a pocket watch or a monogrammed fountain pen in return for a life of service these days. On the face of it, that might not sound like progress, but it’s your career that will progress as a result of taking full advantage of every opportunity that presents itself in the modern marketplace.

WHY PLUG AWAY AT THE DAY TO DAY?

Why do so many of us stay on the treadmill, when there are plenty of pavements out there to pound? Laziness, familiarity and a sense of safety are the most common reasons for ‘making do’.

So what are the most common reasons why people choose change? The most frequent reasons we hear are pay, working conditions, or career progression. Change means personal growth, whether you change industries, location or responsibilities – and what professional doesn’t want to grow?

According to a PayScale report in 2012, most millennial employees stayed in a position for just two years. But even in today’s fluid market, a history of job-hopping can make you look like a risk to a potential employer. So how do you make the most of your opportunities without coming across as fast-and-loose?

 CHANGE FOR CHANGE’S SAKE ISN’T GOOD

Make sure that you move for the right reasons. Who could argue if a new position exposes you to new challenges, ensures your development as a professional, or advances your career?

One of the biggest benefits to working for a range of different companies, from start-ups to mega-corps, is that you’ll get to experience different ways of working. Not everybody does things the same way and the lessons you learn with one company could be valuable to the next. Employers love ambitious individuals who want to make the most of themselves.

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MONEY FOR NOTHING

Sorry, but it doesn’t happen outside of MTV. Your career shouldn’t be all about ‘more money now’. If that’s your only motivation for changing roles, then think again.

You should look at what you want to get out of your work life and how you see your career developing. A side-step today can lead to a step forward tomorrow. Think about prospects for progression, company growth, shares and performance related pay that adds financial value to your professional worth.

AIM TWICE, FIRE ONCE

When you consider that your career could span 40+ years, it makes no sense to rush into a short-term fix. It’s only after doing a job for some time that you can truly understand the value of your skills and how an employer can align with your values and interests.

If you’re staying in the same field, then find out who does what how – and where you can make a contribution. Or if you want to change tack entirely and move into another sector, read industry publications, attend conferences and speak with a recruiter. Get feedback on your performance from employers, colleagues and peers for inspiration, so you can understand where they see the value in your contribution. They don’t have to know why you’re asking!

 BE ON TREND

Yesterday’s movement might hold an appeal, but you need to target tomorrow’s cutting edge to ensure career progression. For maximum impact on your career, identify a growth sector that builds on your experience and abilities, and appeals to you – then go all-in!

DON’T BURN YOUR BRIDGES

However tempting it might be, never part company with your present employer on bad terms. Not only do you need their reference now, but you never know what tomorrow holds. However unlikely it seems, there may come a time when you want to return to the fold.

The ideal would be not to leave for a competitor, but if you do, fulfil your standing obligations and behave in a professional manner throughout your contract. While some employers may see your departure as a betrayal, the professional ones will respect your drive for personal and professional growth. Take the time to emphasise your appreciation for the opportunities your existing employer has given you and what you’ve learnt in your time with them. That way, you’ll be free to return if the new role doesn’t work out, or your present employer presents a better option in the future – it could happen!

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TALK TO US

If you want to explore your potential for career progression, call Kingston Barnes today on 0117 325 2233 or email us on office@kingstonbarnes.com

How Recruiters Can Help Build Your Career

Posted on by James Kingston

How Recruiters Can Help Build Your Career 

Whether you want better pay, shorter hours, more responsibility or promotion, find out why your best chance of landing that dream job is your recruitment agency.

Be A Person, Not A Number

If you’ve ever advertised a vacancy, then you’ll be all too familiar with the resulting stack of printed CVs to cull or an inbox that threatens to burst its limits.  If you haven’t been on the receiving end of this level of attention, imagine the pressure of sifting all of these messages as you weigh up the pros and cons of what you think each application offers against what you’re looking for. It feels like a mountain to climb and it’s all too easy for potential employers to discard great candidates out of hand just to make inroads into the task.

You may well have spent hours slaving over your CV or painstakingly filling out a lengthy application form, but to the employer it’s just one more piece of paper or another electronic message. It isn’t a real person. But when an employer speaks with someone they trust about a great person who’s a good fit, it brings the person behind the application to life. Now you stand out from the crowd, thanks to your champion – your recruiter.

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Go To The Front Of The Queue

Ask yourself a question; when you buy a book or an album, would you be more likely to choose one that has been published by the author or musician themselves, or one that a discerning professional has already decided is good enough to invest their time and money in? It’s possible that there’s no difference in the quality, but the choice by an experienced professional to advance one ‘product’ over many others is an invaluable first filter to a consumer that may feel swamped with options. And it’s the same with job applications; the hirer will listen when a recruiter tells them they can match their needs.

Recruiters spend years building longstanding relationships with their clients and cultivating an extensive network of contacts. They understand what the employer is looking for and can open up doors that might otherwise remain closed to you.

Recruiters are also the first to hear about new opportunities. Those years of relationship building mean that when a company has a space to fill, their first action is to talk to the people who are already in touch with the new talent they’re looking for. A recruiter could have your CV on the hirer’s desk before the advert has even gone live.

 

Let The Right Job Come To You

Trying to find your dream job can feel like whispering in a whirlwind; you get lost in all the noise. It’s a time consuming task that gets lost in the day-to-day grind of getting the job done – even if that job isn’t the one you really want. But a recruiter spends all day every day matching the right person with the right job.

And when your dream job lands on their desk, you want your details to be at the front of their mind. Even if you aren’t actively looking for a new job, why wouldn’t you want the right job to find you?

Your recruiter will not only match your skills and professional experience with the right role, but they can also advise a client where you could add value because they understand the needs of the business better than someone who has just read the job spec. The result is that your next role could be built around you, giving you every chance to excel and become indispensible to your next employer.

 

Culture Club

Have you ever started a new job and felt like the only cat in the kennels? It’s no fun being the odd one out. You won’t enjoy your work and your employers won’t get the best out of you. Nobody’s happy. But ensuring a good culture fit is one of the hardest aspects for a direct hire to get right.

Of course you research the company before any interview – you do, don’t you? – but there’s only so much information that is widely available. You can often find out the practical things like how long the company has been trading, how many staff they employ, annual turnover and even the interviewer’s favourite music, but it’s almost impossible to uncover what makes the company, department or team tick. A recruiter can give you that insight. They can tell you when a position ticks your boxes or give you a heads up on any potential problems, so that when you make that move, it’s the right one. After all, you want to enjoy your next job, don’t you?

 

If you want to find out more about how Kingston Barnes can help you land your dream job, and help you build your career talk to us today on 0117 325 2233 or email office@kingstonbarnes.com

help build your career