Add another item to the list of things you should have started…yesterday. Whether fear, ignorance, or simply not knowing how, people take longer than they should to consider and prepare for a job change. This is a critical mistake with consequences that only multiply day by day. The reality is that IT WILL TAKE LONGER THAN YOU EXPECT.
While you will hear & see success stories of folks making rapid fire job transitions, this is not the norm. Despite humble brags on social media, the data is not in your favor. On average it takes approx. 5–6 months to land a new role. That is under normal circumstances. Consider that when the world’s biggest brands announce waves of layoffs, the talent market can be oversaturated overnight. Even if you are in a role today, with these market conditions, I cannot emphasize enough how important it is to at least start the preparation of making a change now.
It will take longer than you expect to update your resume It will take longer than you expect to re-connect w/your network It will take longer than you expect to find the right jobs to apply for It will take longer than you expect to prepare for your interviews It will take longer than you expect to hear back from the recruiter It will take longer than you expect for the recruiter to push you forward to the hiring manager It will take longer than you expect for the hiring manager to share their feedback with the recruiter It will take you longer than you expect to write your thank you’s It will take longer than you expect to document/review your post-interview notes It will take longer than you expect to coordinate schedules for a multi-step/decision-maker interview process It will take longer than you expect for the job you’ve already been earmarked for to get final approval from finance It will take you longer than you expect to review a job offer It will take you longer than you expect to negotiate your salary It will take you longer than you expect to lock-in a start-date, especially around the holidays It will take longer than you expect to receive your first paycheck It will take longer than you expect for your new benefits to kick-in
It will take longer than you expect to process the upheaval of losing your job It will take longer than you expect to file for unemployment It will take longer than you expect to receive unemployment It will take longer than you expect to find the right words to tell your friends, family, network It will take longer than you expect to find the right words to tell the next recruiter/hiring manager It will take longer than you expect to manage the constant misdirection, distraction, discouragement that searching for a new job includes It will take longer than you expect to adjust your personal finances It will take longer than you expect relax It will take longer than you expect to regain your confidence It will take longer than you expect to be patient with others It will take longer than you expect to be patient with yourself
This is not written to scare or discourage anyone. There’s enough things to be scared and discouraged about on a daily basis, we don’t need to add to the list. Also important to remember is that changing jobs is more normal than we are led to believe. We are not in the age of our parents or grandparents who’s careers were entrusted by one employer from youth to retirement.
The average worker today will hold over 12 jobs during their lifetime and 30% of people will change fields completely at least once.
However, be it pitfalls or pivots, you will persevere.
It will take longer than you expect to prepare for, find, and land your next job. This is truth. How you apply the truth is up to you. My hope is that it makes you wise and fuels your action. For others, fear is the best motivator. If that’s you, take that fear to feed your preparation.
Be Wise. Be Prepared. Just don’t wait on being either.
-sam
If you sense change is on the horizon or you're already in a season of change and you could use help in your next steps, connect with me. I'll help you with a career retrospective to set the stage to sell your story to the right job that is waiting for you.