Dr. John Articles
| Deciding to stay or quit during recession |
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| Written by Dr. John McFerran |
| Saturday, 31 October 2009 00:00 |
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If a friend had come to you in 2007 and told you that they hated their job because the work was dull, the boss was borderline abusive or co-workers were grating on their last nerve, what advice would you have given them? Now imagine that the same friend came to you last week with similar grievances. Would your career advice be the same as it would have been two years ago? Likely not. High unemployment and the challenging economy are causing many people to think twice about switching jobs right now. Because of the timing, more workers are finding themselves stuck in bad situations, trying to wait out the recession. But that doesn't mean employees won't jump ship as soon as the opportunity presents itself. Many workers are planning to switch jobs as soon as the economy improves. According to one recent U.S. survey, as many as 18 per cent plan to change employers, 14 per cent plan to change careers, 13 per cent plan to change industries and 18 per cent plan to work fewer hours as soon as the outlook is brighter. A separate survey of 1,000 adults reported that almost a third of respondents said that the recession has caused them to re-evaluate the type of organization they work for. As a result of what has been coined "recession rethink," a quarter said they would consider leaving for greater job security, to find work with organizations that have similar values, or simply to be able to enjoy work more. Read between the lines of both surveys and it is plain to see that there are a lot of unhappy people in the workplace trying to wait out the recession. This is alarming for employers who not only need to be aware that there may be a mass migration of workers around the corner, but the high cost of unfulfilled workers who may be less committed, therefore, less productive. At the same time, there are workers who are not willing to stay put no matter market conditions or their odds of finding a better job. These people see life is too short to be stressed out or stuck in a job rut for the foreseeable future. While it is much riskier to quit your job today with the hopes of finding something better, it's not impossible. However, it is important to remember that today's market is much more competitive and crowded with highly qualified people all vying for the same hard-to-come-by opportunities than it was even a couple of years ago. Here are some questions to ask yourself before switching jobs. This advice applies anytime, but especially if you are considering a career-altering move now: What are my reasons for wanting to leave? Make a list of reasons why you want to leave your current working environment. Is it because of low pay, annoying co-workers, or poor morale? Or is the job OK but you are interested in pursuing a higher-paying or higher-ranking position with another company? What, if anything, could change my mind? Before making the irreversible decision to leave, think about if there's anything you can change about your current situation simply by speaking up. Could you move into a different department? Ask for an overdue salary bump? Request more challenging responsibilities? You have more control over your happiness at work than you think. Am I jumping from the frying pan into the fire? Some people get so focused on finding a new position that they put on rose-coloured glasses and fail to see red flags indicating that they are leaving one bad situation for another. Keep your eyes open by learning as much as you can about the realities of the new company and its culture before leaving your job behind. Will I be moving to a less stable environment? Downsizing is enough to make even the most secure employee take a second look at new opportunities instead of waiting for the other shoe to drop. When researching other companies, make sure to find out about their financial stability and outlook. You don't want to finally land a job you love only to be laid off in three months. While some people are willing to stick it out in their job during tough economic times, others see it as the perfect opportunity to re-evaluate the career path they are on. Either way, carefully consider your needs so that you find yourself in an engaging role that meets your needs and makes you happy.
http://www.ottawacitizen.com/business/Economy+leaves+some+workers+stuck+jobs/1958417/story.html Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition October 31, 2009 I2 |