So you are frustrated with your current job and you pick up your resume to update it. Wait! Before you start surfing the job sites and calling up placement consultants you need to look at a few things closely. To your surprise, it may also turn out that a change is not required to get what you are looking for. Read on.
Take stock of your current role:
You may be a Developer, Team lead or a Project Manager? Are you looking for a change in role? Hold on. Designations don't mean the same in different organizations. There was a Vice President, whom I know, with one person reporting into him in a small company!! If you are aspiring to be a subject matter expert, look at the skill inventory you possess today and to what an extent the new role will add to it. If you are a manager, compare the size of the team you are handling today and one you will handle in your new role. If you are responsible for business, compare the revenue/profit in your current role and the role you are aspiring for. This step helps to remove the clutter and look objectively into roles beyond the labels.Job content is equally important:
What are your current responsibilities? Are you looking for taking up higher or different responsibilities? It is quite common in some organizations where project managers are expected to code and architects are expected to manage deliverables of a team. Hence it is important to discuss and understand what you are getting into and not just assume your responsibilities going by the role or designations. A discussion on responsibilities and key result areas is a must before you take the plunge.Money does matter:
But before you compare the numbers take a close look at the pay structure. What is fixed and what varies i.e. bonuses, commissions, and performance pay? What does the variable depend on? Is it dependent on external factors like company performance, your division's performance etc or solely dependent on your performance? Secondly is the calculation objective? In the sense that is it a certain % of billing or orders you book? Or is it linked with the rating in your annual appraisal. If this is the case, you may have to understand how SMART (specific, measurable, achievable, realistic & timely) your goals would be. It is advisable to ask for your goals before you come on board but it may not always be possible during the interview process. In such cases it is advisable to know the % pay out of the variable portion on an average. Also it is important to know the increment cycles and policies. Is it the company year end or one year from your joining when your next increment becomes due? Will you get a pro rated increment & bonus or full if you joining in the middle of a year? Are there any pre requisites for being eligible for certain perks e.g. minimum duration of employment with the company, being in a certain grade or above. A lot could reside between the lines here.The road ahead is as important as the starting point:
There is no fun in getting into a role where you could be for next ten years just because the there is no room to grow. For example if the next role in the ladder for a Project Manager is say a Program Manager. If you are getting in as a Project Manager it is important to know how many Project Managers report into a Program Manager. It may be worthwhile to look for job ads for a Program Manager in the new organization and see the criteria. It will give a fair idea about what it takes to reach there. Thus finding out the career path and the organization structure beforehand can be critical.Gains come in many ways:
Money is not everything you gain from an organization. The investments in developing skills of its employees often go unnoticed but play in important role in career progression. There are companies which divert this money to paying higher salaries. You may end up with contributing based on your knowledge and gaining nothing except the lessons learnt the hard way. Career progression in such organizations is an arduous path. It may be important to know facts like average no of training hours per employee beforehand.
Paying close attention to the above can avoid costly mistakes and help you to take informed decisions. Happy job hunting!!!
