If it’s time to start planning the next move in your career, you’re probably hoping to make a move that’s a step up for you. However, many job seekers make poor career planning choices, and so they end up in a job that just isn’t right for them. What happened?
The answer is in the planning they did before they made the move. If you’ve not thought carefully about the job you’ve been offered, you may end up in a role that just isn’t for you. Here are some of the most common mistakes in career planning, and how to avoid them.
1. Not considering the basics
Sometimes, a job sounds like it’s too good to be true. If you’re offered a role like this, your instinct is to grab it before the offer is taken away. However, the old adage is true: if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
If it sounds amazing, consider the basics first:
- How much money are they offering? Can you afford to live on that wage?
- Is the job secure? Will you have a role to play at this company in a year’s time?
- Can you advance in that role?
“If the answer to any of these questions isn’t to your satisfaction, then you may be better off passing the offer up”, – convinces Winfred Harbison, HR manager at State of writing.
2. Choosing security over satisfaction
There’s a lot to be said for choosing a job that’s stable and will be still around for years to come. For many people, that’s enough to get them to accept a role. However, this may not be right for you.
“Many people take roles like these, even if they’re not passionate about them. In the long term, this can be the wrong decision. You can grow bored and fed up with the role. Instead, look for satisfaction in what you do”, – says Todd Christensen, a Career Advisor at Oxessays.
3. Placing too much importance on money
It’s important to make enough to live, but it’s not the be all and end all of work. Plenty of people take roles because they feel that if they have enough money, they’ll feel fulfilled. In fact, money alone can’t give you a reason to go to work. You need to pick roles that give you purpose in your work and give you a reason to go in every day.
4. Not thinking about who they work with
Finally, many job seekers don’t think about who they’ll be working with. They’re too focused on what opportunities are out there for them, that they don’t think about the company culture.
Karen Haddox, a Recruiting Manager at Ukwritings comments: “You want a role where you’ll be a good fit, where the people already there will align with your values. This way, you can network and find opportunities more organically”.
As you can see, the real benefits of good jobs are intangible but just as valuable. You need to balance the two to really find a role that will work for you. If you can manage that, you’ll have a role you’ll love.
About the Author
Gloria Kopp is a recruiting consultant and a business writer at Paper Fellows. She shares professional career advice in her posts at Studydemic and Academized blogs. Gloria is a contributing author at Revieweal blog where she writes her guides and reviews for students and educators.