Sending subtle hints that you want a new job

Essentially the first question to ask is why do you want to change career or job? It may well be because of the difficulty in your current job. It is often said people leave jobs because of bad managers. The stress of working in a place that doesn’t suit you can be very hard, especially if you feel it’s a place where you don’t get rewarded or even recognised for your contribution. The effects of health and well-being are all too apparent. It’s very worthwhile chatting to someone in HR (if you feel you want to) just to alleviate the stress and anger. It might even help the current situation.

Important steps to think about before changing

Once you’ve decided yes, it’s time for a change, then the next step is to examine the reasons why you want to go and the things you want from a new job. You’re more likely to be successful in job hunting if you’re fairly clear on what you want in your next job. Is it career progression? More money? Recognition? Less commuting? Or maybe you feel you’ve outgrown your current role and are looking for a new challenge. If you’re thinking about a completely new direction you’ll need to start thinking about getting some experience or skills that meet the requirements of your desired role  My work with people who have just completed say an MBA or Masters as way of leveraging a new career move show that it isn’t always smooth sailing. Yes, employers value the new qualifications – but they value experience and relevant skills just as much.

Showing conviction

How can you show conviction to the new career choice? If you want to say, work in an environmental  or sustainability career (which seems a really popular career choice at the moment) think about what you could tangibly offer, what volunteering work can you show an employer to convince them of your commitment. A recent survey by the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment said most people joined this career because they cared about creating a sustainable future. Over 56% said that they “moved from another sector into an environmental role because they either wanted to make a difference or they had a natural interest in the environment and wanted a job that reflected that passion”.