Done properly, a move to a new firm can help your career
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Sticking with your employer used to mean staying put for between 10, 20 or even 30 years. Everyone knew someone who had spent their entire working life with one company.
Today it is far less common. But one career coach says it all comes down to what you do and where you work.
Janine Arnerich, of The Career Planning Centre in Rotorua, says most people today are moving jobs every couple of years.
"People tend to stay put when there is little alternative," she says. "Working for the police is one example where if you want to rise up the ladder you have to remain with the police force. Another example might be family law firms.
"Deciding on staying put, being loyal to the firm come what may, all comes down to personal choice. Perhaps you think you might own the company one day. And if that is what you want, then there is merit in staying with one employer."
But Arnerich says sitting tight doesn't always mean doing the same job year in, year out.
"In large firm`s there will probably be plenty of opportunity to move and work in different departments," she says.
You may even be able to work for the firm in other countries, so long as you are happy to go where the company puts you.
"It comes down to whether you are able to take a long-term 10 or 15-year view,' she says. ``But moving to work in different firms can build experience, and that can be beneficial too."
Kris de Jong, owner of Eclipse Life Coaching in Auckland, says it depends on what the individual wants.
"Over recent years, it has become more accepted by employers that people will move around a lot more.
"Twenty or 30 years ago, companies expected you to stay with them for a long time and they didn't like to see CVs that showed job applicants had moved from this firm to that firm - moving after just a year or two in the job - because it looked bad.
"But now I think there is an expectation out there that changing jobs is not such a bad thing."
De Jong says one reason for people moving jobs more frequently is the hot job market and skills shortage.
One recruitment expert says larger firms are making a point of enticing department managers to their firms in the hope that once they are settled they will encourage former colleagues from their old firm to jump ship.
The banking industry is notorious for this type of recruitment, he says.
"Middle managers and people way down the chain are being approached, such is the demand for people."
De Jong agrees that kind of approach is playing a big part in the current job environment - encouraging people to move on, rather than waiting for an opportunity at their firm.
"Highly skilled people are sought after," he says. "Everyone understands that we basically have full employment in New Zealand. And there is also the whole globalisation thing, people with certain skills are in demand all around the world. People are prepared to move from country to country to follow their career."
De Jong says if people want to move ahead in their career, to get more money and more responsibility, then it is up to them to go for it.
"Don't rely on your firm to give it to you," he says. "In larger organisations, it can be harder as there is a risk you can be lost in the crowd. So if someone wants to move ahead then it is up to the individual _ they have to take responsibility for their career."
And to do that, says De Jong, people need to know what they want and what their career goals are.
Arnerich says people who decide to changes jobs should plan it carefully and move to new firms for specific reasons - and not just do it on a whim.
"When you move to a new firm it should be part of a career plan," she says. "People who are thinking of leaving need to ask themselves, 'Why am I leaving?' And think through what new experiences they may get by moving to a new firm that they can't get at their current one."
She says people with itchy feet will know if they can approach their boss and tell them that they are thinking of moving on and explain why.
"If the boss knows what is going on they may be able to do something to retain them," says Arnerich. "If you are uncertain then perhaps share it with the boss - they may sit down with you and work out a way to keep you there."
De Jong says it comes back to career goals: "Once you have got your goals, you should ask yourself how you are going to get there."
Arnerich says many of the clients her company helps are looking to identify which part of their jobs they like, to help them design a career plan for themselves.
"A lot of people are lacking direction," she says. "A lot of people are just working to pay the mortgage _ especially middle-aged males - some people are too busy working to think about their career."
De Jong says if a person has been with a firm for five years and they don't feel they have progressed as much as they should, then they should meet their employer and tell them the reasons they are feeling frustrated and get everything out in the open.
"Then the employer can look at opportunities within the firm, or if [the manager] is mature enough they might say, 'We don't have any further opportunities for you, so it may be best if you look for another job'."
De Jong says it won't do the employer any good to have someone on staff who isn't satisfied, as they won't get the most from that employee.
Sometimes there is not another full-time job that suits the job hunter. In this case, many are considering going freelance, working as contract staff. Accountants in particular are in hot demand on the contract circuit.
It is putting "a huge wage pressure" on the entire market, says Megan Alexander of recruitment firm Robert Half Finance and Accounting.
She says the shortage of permanent staff is a boom for temporary and contract workers, as more temporary roles are becoming available to fill the gaps between permanent employees _ and those gaps are lasting longer.
"We are actually seeing a lot of permanent candidates leaving their jobs to take up contract and temporary work because they are seeing the opportunities and the flexibility in the marketplace," she says.
She says employers faced with continued skills shortages should adopt three strategies for attracting staff:
They should always hire the best people they can.
They should ensure their employer brand is consistent and clear so they attract the right candidates.
They should see the interview process not as an interrogation but a process where both parties are trying to impress each other.
Contact Steve Hart at www.stevehart.co.nz
