What’s the best time to change jobs?

‘The Great Resignation’ is contagious. Asked if a colleague’s resignation led them to consider leaving as well, around 60 percent of over 25,000 LinkedIn members said ‘YES’. (Image Credit: Pixabay)

Some people tend to switch jobs as soon as they get “bored” with their current workplace or are offered better compensation elsewhere. However, such shifts may not always be good for their career growth.

According to a study by The Muse, 72 percent of employees who left their jobs during the Great Resignation regretted the decision. Why? Because they had received a reality check — the new jobs simply did not match their expectations.

Some were fortunate enough to return to jobs with their former employers. However, not everyone could do that, especially those who quit due to peer pressure.

The decision to switch jobs does not come easily for everyone. Professionals need to maintain a delicate balance between expectations from their current job and the urge to quit it.

Never do it just for the sake of it

In Lizanne Dsouza’s opinion, if you totally hate your job or work with a boss that you dislike, you should quit. However, says the Founder of HR agency Liz Lyn Careers, before moving forward, always ask yourself why you are switching jobs “Is it something that can be fixed by having a conversation with your boss or asking for some training?”

Besides, ‘The Great Resignation’ is contagious. Asked if a colleague’s resignation led them to consider leaving as well, around 60 percent of over 25,000 LinkedIn members said ‘YES’.

Dsouza says that instead of succumbing to peer pressure, the most important question one should ask is: "Have I given the job enough time?"

She believes that the ideal time to see if a person likes the job is at least six months, after which he or she should be in the same role for at least 2/3 years to excel.

Have a 5-year plan

It is ideal to have a 5-year plan in any career, with the initial two years for learning and execution, the next two for performance and growth, and the last year to adapt to newer possibilities, according to Munira Loliwala, an AVP at HR firm TeamLease Digital.

Experts suggest that candidates should always focus on selecting the right set of organisations rather than wait for boredom or compensation angst to create a vacuum.

Since one needs to spend a substantial period in a single organisation, “it is necessary to make good choices rather than waiting to be lucky. Choosing a growing organisation could be more fruitful than choosing a large or well-established company,” says Loliwala.

But don't stay too long

The market may have been shifting while you were comfortable in your current job for the past few years. “For example, workers who have held the same position for 10 years receive yearly raises but learn that a person fresh out of college is earning more than they do,” says Daya Prakash, Founder of TalentOnLease, a staffing firm.

For this reason, he says keeping tabs on market developments is crucial. However, there’s a catch; people who change employers just because they have been in a job for a long time typically see only a minimal increase.

“For example, if you're at Rs 40,000, then an increase of Rs 5,000-10,000 is significant growth. But it's not as significant if you’re at Rs 40 lakh,” says Prakash.

Hence, before heading for the exit, experts advise ensuring that the next job increases your pay by a sufficient amount to make the transition worthwhile.

Additionally, staying on top of your game necessitates continuous learning and technological adaptation, because experience is a creative muscle, the experts add.

“When leaders have reached the ceiling of their role in an organisation, they tend to perform their roles mechanically and lose the essence of job experience,” says career development coach Vikram.

On the other hand, when one takes up a new job, the employee has a shorter amount of time to make a good impression. “As a result, they display a higher learning curve and tend to make more of an impact,” Vikram adds.

Are your efforts meeting your expectations?

Many times, if the competency required for the role is not in alignment with employees’/managers’ sectoral needs/organisational goals, then it may be time to move to another sector/organisation, experts say.

“If an employee finds her tasks and assignments are no longer challenging and promotion appears a bit too far, even after three or four good appraisals, it's time to switch,” says Dr Deepak Sharma, Faculty Member at Bengaluru-based NMIMS, a management institute. There is a mismatch in the efforts you believe you have been putting in and your expectations from those efforts.

When a professional realises that he/she has a good job title but isn't realising its actual potential, Vikram says the person should look for a new role. “Don't give your employer the right to limit you. Quit!"