Changing Jobs in a Bad Economy
Dear Deb,
Q. I am currently working, but really unhappy with my job. The company has low morale and the senior management seems to be lacking direction. I also feel I deserve more money.
Do you think it makes sense for me to start looking for another job, or is the economy still too weak? With so many unemployed, will it be impossible for me to get a new position?
J.P. Dallas, TX
A. While a great deal of media attention has been given to unemployed workers (with good reason), we seldom hear discussion about job seekers who are gainfully employed, many of whom simply want to make a job change. Most of our clients at Careers Done Write fall into this category; so your question is an excellent one.
In any economy, there is a natural tendency for workers to leave their current role for various reasons. Sometimes it is directly attributed to job dissatisfaction; but other times it might be related to geographical considerations, health issues, travel schedules or a whole host of other things.
Typically, in a recession like the one we are slowly crawling out of, it is predictable that turnover rates decrease, which they have; but that doesn’t mean turnover rates are nonexistent!
There are still replacement opportunities opening up every day. Whether someone is moving to another state for family reasons, or there is a vacancy due to promotion after the boss retires, positions do become available that are not counted in the statistics as “new” jobs.
If you are one of the many people who have been sitting on the sidelines waiting for the economic picture to improve, 2011 may be a good time to dust your résumé off and start testing the waters. Don’t let the labor statistics discourage you. Those numbers represent brand new jobs and do not necessarily reflect jobs that are vacant as a direct result of turnover.
As the economy recovers, there will be a predictable increase in employee turnover and companies will once again start programs to improve staff retention, imagine that!
In the meantime, expect your job search to take a little more effort than it may have in the past. Conducting a thorough search for a new role when you are genuinely unhappy with your current situation makes sense, but proceed with caution so your current employer doesn’t get wind of your plans. Your job search should be conducted carefully and planned in accordance with time that you can realistically devote to that effort.
Ask Deb appears weekly on Fridays. If you have a question for Deb, email her at Debra@careersdonewrite.com.