Feeling uninspired after the summer? Ed Heffernan explores internal moves, smarter job transitions, and fresh opportunities without sacrificing long-term growth
Turning off your out-of-office message after the holidays is simply depressing! The first day back is always difficult, but if the first week and the first month aren’t much better, then maybe a salary increase, a new job, or a new career might help.
Most industries have their intensely busy times, and it’s unsurprising to learn that post-holidays – namely the New Year and Back-to-School September – are the hot spots for recruitment firms.
It could be the downtime we have to think about our career choices, or the difficulty getting back into a work routine. Either way, the desire to do something different, more rewarding or better paid, is certainly an itch worth scratching.
So, where to start? A complete career change is absolutely a possibility. There are some things you need to think about first, however.
Career status
The earlier you are in your career, the easier it is to change.
An undergrad in science working in a lab, who wants to get into marketing, or a sales manager who likes the look of logistics – those career moves are relatively easy to make.
Further up the chain, however, a complete change of direction will likely mean sacrificing some salary.
If you are changing careers, there's an element of starting again, so you are probably going to get paid less. If you are 20 years into a role as a Chief Financial Officer, for example, and want to move into a creative area, you will need to make a financial sacrifice, certainly in the short term.
You must be realistic, but it is also important to remember that the more value you create, the more you get compensated for the value of your time.
No big bang
Good advice is that a career change doesn't have to be a ‘big bang.’
Internal moves within organisations, or different functions, are more doable than external moves. And, if a business has multiple sites, a transfer to a new location will test whether the grass is actually greener on the other side!
Take someone working as head of a supply chain in a big business or multinational who wants to transfer to the sales and marketing side of the business. This represents a more feasible move for both employer and employee.
To start, take on some responsibilities linked to the side of the business you are interested in, or work on cross-functional projects that put you in closer proximity to those teams.
Look for an internal secondment to a new team so your career change can be subtle. This will also help preserve income.
Plus, if opportunities or experience within the new function are not all that great, there is scope for a return to your original department, bringing an even broader understanding back with you.
Most employers these days don’t want to lose talent, so will generally work with employees on training or evolving their role.
Job hunt homework
Something as important as a career change demands homework.
Don’t just take job descriptions as read. Job titles mean nothing without context and, at times, company recruitment ads are a list of duties and some company details.
The context of the markets the business is in, the degree of activity around each duty demanded by the role, and the supports in place, are crucial to an accurate job representation.
Do your own job interview. Ask yourself exactly what it is you think will be better and more rewarding about a new or different role, or even a new sector.
If it does come to interviewing for a new job, this type of preparation will stand to you. For a hiring organisation, someone advanced in a long-term career who suddenly wants to shift gears must have some good reasons, and they must be able to demonstrate a real commitment and reasonable preparation.
Ed Heffernan is Managing Partner at Barden
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