The Pitfalls of Finding a New Job
and how we help people on their way to happiness at The Factory.
Let me get straight to the point. It’s not every day that you decide a new job may be what you need. Many things may have preceded this moment, but if you are working in IT, it won’t be hard:
- open your LinkedIn inbox;
- blindfold yourself;
- throw a dart (there goes your screen, but you’re changing jobs anyway).
Before you know it you’re talking to a recruiter. And even before you have had time to think, an offer is on the table!
Time to think… you have this luxury!
A bit about myself: I have been making a living hiring in the IT industry for over 20 years now, and there are many things I would like to change when it comes to recruitment. I believe my job is to make people happy in their jobs, and I believe the only way I can do that is by discovering what it is they truly want, which sometimes requires a bit of guidance. I work at www.thefactory.nl, where we take great care when expanding a close-knit team. Candidates who know they are looking for our culture and way of working will soon feel they are an equal member of our crew.
On with my blog.
What is it that will make you truly happy in your job? This is not a rhetorical question. I have found that many people benefit from taking the time to dive deeper into this question. It’s one of my pro-tips.
So now, armed with precious knowledge of what you truly desire in a job, you return to your broken screen and start reading some more too good to be true offers.
You notice a message from Sarah who happens to work at Parker’s Cloud Solutions. Your ex-colleague Jessica, who you got along with so well, recently started working there. So it must be a great place to work!
Time to think.
You contact Jessica and ask her about the company, and since you know what you truly desire, you ask her about her motivation for joining Parker’s Cloud Solutions. “The company is great! The work is identical. But it’s around the corner for me so it saves me a ton of time picking up my kids”.
You don’t have any kids.
Time to think.
Back to your broken screen. You search the internet and find a few jobs which look worthwhile. You interview for a few positions and receive a few offers.
Time to think yet again.
You felt a click with that last hiring manager you spoke with. You sign the contract, resign from your current position, and two months later you start your new job! And on the second day you learn the hiring manager has left the company.
Epilogue
Not knowing what you want, assuming a company is cool because someone you know joined them, and allowing yourself to choose based on a “click” are the most common mistakes people make when choosing a new job. The overheated market and luxurious position IT people are in are fading out the self-awareness needed to fully reap the benefits of today’s opportunities. Don’t throw a blind dart, but take that power back.
