Under what conditions do we decide to change jobs? In this article, we will present 8 ideas on how to evaluate a new job to decide whether or not we should change jobs.
In our working lives, there will be days when we may have to think hard, especially days when we have to choose between staying or starting a new company.
Many people, when faced with this situation, often have a hard time deciding which path to take.
Of course, because deciding to change jobs is not easy. If we have worked at one place for a long time, one day a new company contacts us and wants us to work with them, how should we decide?
It would be easy and not difficult to decide if we are already bored with our current job or bored with the people in our current workplace. We can say that we are ready to resign and start a new job immediately.
But what if a new job comes along on a day when we don’t want to change jobs? What should we do?
If our colleagues here are very good to us and our boss also supports us very well, what should we decide?
If I work here, which is a job that I’m already okay with, wouldn’t it be too risky to start over?
And in the new place, will we find good colleagues? Will we work with a boss who is ready to support us?
And if we decide to resign, what will our coworkers or current boss think of us? Will they be angry and dissatisfied with us?
These feelings and thoughts can always occur when we hesitate or are uncertain. And the more we think and let our feelings decide, the more likely we are to make the wrong decision.
“If I had known, I wouldn’t have decided to stay. Or if I had known from the beginning that it wasn’t good, I wouldn’t have moved to work here.”
So what should we do if we don’t want to be in this situation?
In terms of decision-making, if you have thought about it many times and still can’t decide, you may need to set conditions or criteria to use as a principle to evaluate and find the answer to “Should we stay where we are or move to a new job?”
So in this article, we will set up a scenario that if we have been working somewhere for a while, then a new company contacts us and offers us a new job and an interesting position, along with a package, and they give us about a week to decide. Which way should we choose?
No matter how big the new company they contact you seems, how famous it is, or how attractive the position they offer you seems, don’t rush to make a decision. Use the following criteria and conditions to assess the opportunities and risks of the job they offer, to make sure that you are making a decision based on the information in front of you or what you have actually seen, and not using emotions to make a decision.
8 Ways to Evaluate a New Job Before You Make a Decision
1. Check the new company’s information.
Don’t just listen to information that this company is good or a place where everyone wants to work from a single source. Of course, people who contact us, whether directly from the new company or from a head hunter or recruiter, will definitely say that this place is good because they want to close the job and let us work there.
Don’t believe it too quickly. We need to pretend to be cyber detectives and try searching for information online. Is there anyone who talks about this company or organization in a negative way? (Because it would be better if you listen to the person who contacted you and brag to us until you are dazed.) Or ask for information about this organization from friends around us.
Why do we need to find negative information? To use in risk assessment. We don’t want to feel bad if we have to work with an organization that is having problems, such as having a fraud case or having problems with bad news, etc.
2. Check the information of the new location.
Don’t get too excited that this position is really right for you. We need to do a little more research by finding out more about why this company needs someone to do this position.
If it is a brand new position because the company is expanding the team or growing, it is okay. However, if it is a position to replace an old person who has resigned, you need to check whether the old person who left left because they got a better new job or because they were fired.
Because some companies fire employees in certain positions without realizing it, based solely on their performance. These companies often offer attractive packages to attract people to join them. You have to be careful about this, because no one wants to change jobs and get fired within a few months.
Why do we need to find information about a new position? To assess the level of risk of this position, what the company expects and views on this position, including opportunities and future advancement.
3. Check the new boss’s information.
There have been many studies that say, “People change jobs because of their bosses.” So if you’re thinking of changing jobs, we need to find out more about what kind of person our future boss or supervisor is. We can assess this from the conversation we have during the interview. The good news is, if he’s not happy with us, he definitely won’t hire us. But that doesn’t mean that after we start working with him, we’ll be safe in this new position.
Try to be a detective and seek information from people close to you, such as your fellow students (some of whom may have worked here before and have some information for us), people in the industry, such as customers, business partners, who you may know, or online, in case you find some interesting information.
Why do we need to find out about our new boss? So that we can learn about his working style. If we decide to work here, we can adjust properly. Because if we don’t get along or our work attitudes don’t match, we might end up going to a bad job at our new place.
4. Check salary information
It is true that career advancement is very important, but if the salary is not appropriate for the job you have to do, or the salary offered may be less than the job you are doing, it may not be worth the risk. Don’t forget that we all have costs and responsibilities. When changing jobs, you have to look at the advancement in terms of income as well.
If it is a career change because the old career is stuck or in a business that is getting worse, in order to get a chance to go further than before, but in exchange for a new salary that is not much different from before, this can be considered a decision to look further into the future.
Why do we need to find out the salary of a new position? To help us make a decision. If the salary is not much different, but we have to work harder or more than we are currently working, it is not worth moving. An easy way to evaluate this is to look at the salary increase rate of our current job, how many percent per year on average, and how many percent the new job offers us.
For example, a new job offers you 20% more than your current salary, and your current salary increases by 5% per year. Think about it, if you get the salary that the new company offers, how many years do you have to work at the same place? Is it worth the time spent?
5. Check the information about the benefits you will receive if you change jobs.
We can’t just look at the salary they offer. We have to look at the benefits and other benefits they offer us as well.
Because there are some companies that offer a very high salary, but it turns out that there are almost no benefits for employees. There are only benefits that are specified by law. In another case, some companies have very good benefits, but they do not offer us a very high salary. On this point, those who focus on benefits may choose a company with good benefits, which is not wrong.
Other benefits and welfare that need to be considered, mainly such as provident funds (the more employees are allowed to deduct and the more the company contributes, the better), health or accident insurance (how much is covered? Does it include family members? Don’t forget that if we have this, we won’t have to pay for it ourselves when we’re sick), vacation days (the more it’s good), or other things (car expenses, travel expenses, rent, phone bills, etc.).
6. Check the information of expenses that will occur if there is a job change.
Changing jobs is not without cost. In many cases, it involves moving jobs across provinces or to a different zone from our current residence. In this case, there are costs that occur, such as:
If you change jobs and have to travel further by car, you have to consider the cost of gas and expressways. If the new company doesn’t provide it, you have to take full responsibility or you have to rent a house or a condo.
Or a new job position requires additional skills such as language or specialized skills, which the new company does not support, but we see as necessary for success and advancement, so we have to invest.
Why do we need to consider the expenses that will occur if we change jobs? Because in many cases, seeing that the salary is high, we decide to change jobs, but it turns out that there is no money left because it was spent on increased expenses such as travel expenses, car fees, gas fees, etc. Therefore, if we assess this matter in advance, we will not make mistakes.
7. What will our life goals be if we stay or change to a new job?
Work is a part of life, so working in the same place or moving to a new place should be a decision that is part of our life goals.
Is the work you do or will do the work that is your goal? Is it the career path that you want to pursue? Or do you want to go all the way with this path? Don’t just look at the income. Look deeper and further.
Whether we choose to stay or go, are we happy with our decision? Will our family be affected by our decision? If the work we have to do has an effect or has the potential to create problems for our family, such as being far apart and not having time, do we have a way to cope with the problems that will arise?
Because our lives are not just about work. If moving or staying in the same place affects our quality of life or affects our family, we have to choose whether it is worth doing it or not.
8. What will our financial goals be if we stay or change jobs?
It won’t be long before we retire or soon we’ll have to start our own business. Financial or investment goals are important because changing jobs gives us more income.
Our income increases from changing jobs (but if our expenses do not increase) will also allow us to invest or save more of the additional money, which will help us reach our financial goals faster. And the better the company’s welfare, such as a provident fund, the better.
Therefore, money is important. Don’t just look at the new salary you get. Look at how much money you have left so you can add more to your investments or savings.
Conclusion
Every decision, whether to stay or move to a new job, always has risks or consequences that come from our decisions.
Try using 8 methods to evaluate new jobs before making a decision. At least, it is a condition that helps filter, allowing us to make decisions that meet the requirements of our own lives. It also helps reduce the use of emotions in making decisions.
I hope this decision is the best one.
Other related articles can be read at:
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