5 steps to making your next career move

1. Identify the Pro’s & Con’s of your current situation

Before you even start applying it is important to conduct an analysis of your current situation to make it clear to yourself why you want this change and what you are hoping to achieve by moving. Making a list easily defines this and aids you in your future search by understanding the criteria to search for.

2. List out some potential Careers & Positions

Construct and summarise ideas for what options you have based on your preferences and your past experience. For example, if you want to prioritize larger MNC companies that have steady career progression paths, you should list some of your desired companies and roles within them. Creating targets for yourself is a great way to start achieving them.

3. Research your potential companies

With any big decision, it is important to conduct research based on facts and statistics. Check online company review websites like Glassdoor to get feedback on what it is like to work within your desired companies Take things with a pinch of salt though as sometimes these boards can be quite skewed in their answers. Research how their remuneration packages benchmark in the industry and whether it is in line with your desired change.

4. Try to talk to people who are in roles you’re interested in to learn more

We may only judge a company and position based on its Job Description which might not provide you with enough information to make a balanced judgment and decision. If you have friends, ex-colleagues or even Recruitment Consultants who have experience in your desired field, you should ask them out for a cup of coffee (physical or virtual) for their opinions as they can provide you with the most realistic and accurate information to assist in your overall image of the company. Recruiters have a great deal of exposure in their specialty to a wide variety of companies and are more likely to give you honest feedback about what the company culture is like.

5. Create a dynamic Short & Long-term plan

It is essential you have a plan when you are dealing with your career path. 5 & 10 year plans used to be the norm but in this dynamic covid world it is better to keep plans at 1-3 years and amend as life progresses. Career success can be determined by the outcome of different plans.

If your ultimate goal is to be a Top-level manager in a well-known MNC, then your short-term goals must reflect smaller steps as to how you will get there i.e. how you will enter a said company or by entering into competing companies to boost your competitiveness.