It’s a red-hot market for job seekers. With all of the movement and interviewing going on we thought we’d share a few suggestions based on what we are seeing daily from both the candidate’s and the hiring manager’s perspective.
Things to keep in mind while considering a job change in today’s environment:
1) You need to have a compelling reason to change.
If managers don’t hear a legitimate reason why you are ready for a career move they will likely wonder why you are interviewing and fear it might not be the best use of their time.
Don’t be afraid to share your “push” and “pull” motivators. Why leave your current company? What are you unhappy with? What are you looking for in a new position and how does the job you are interviewing for meet that need? It’s a fine line – never bash your current employer, as you don’t want the hiring manager to think you are “running” from something, but you still need to have a compelling reason that you’d leave. To put it simply, be ready to answer and discuss: “Why you?”, “Why now?”, “Why us?”
Bottom line – don’t waste your time or the hiring manager’s time interviewing for jobs you are #1 not legitimately interested in taking or #2 you and your family (that’s right, you need to run this past your significant other) are not ready for.
2) Video interviews are being utilized frequently in today’s interviewing world.
Don’t take these interviews from the car!
Make sure to dress the part, positioned in front of your computer in a quiet place & be mindful of what’s behind you.
Nowadays, people are WAY more comfortable with video chatting than they were pre-pandemic. We have that going for us, but it’s becoming a bit too casual. We are seeing managers utilize video interviews instead of in person interviews so over prepare and treat it as if you were meeting in person – better over prepared than under!
Of course there are always situations you can’t avoid, so if you find yourself running behind and unable to get to an office or were in a case that ran late and are rushing out of the operating room and still in scrubs, just communicate that – manage expectations ahead of time. Communication is key.
3) While it’s currently a candidate driven market, it won’t always be and people don’t forget.
Don’t confirm interviews and bail – it’s better to take the interview with an open mind and then respectfully withdraw afterwards if you still feel it’s not a fit. You never know, it might just be a perfect match!
Don’t ghost your recruiters and the people trying to help you – a simple “no thank you” is always acceptable and much more appreciated than leaving them wondering what happened to you.
Don’t win an offer, just to turn it down or accept a job and quit before actually starting.
In general, don’t burn your bridges! Everything is cyclical and the market will switch back at some point. How would you like to be treated when the roles are reversed?
4) Give it time and see it through.
Starting a new job is always stressful, no matter which company or industry you join – from startups to Fortune 500s and everything in between. You’ll likely find yourself asking “why in the world you chose to make this change?” See it through! Remember the reasons you wanted to leave your old company (the push we talked about earlier) and why this role is a good fit for you and your family (the pull).
If your recruiter did a good job, and if you were honest with yourself and really vetted out this role, it will be a good long-term fit. There are always learning curves. Changing jobs is literally one of the most stressful life events that we voluntarily put ourselves through as humans, so it’s a normal feeling to have “buyers remorse.” See it through, give it your all, and know that it’s typical to feel this way.
5) Always, no matter what, send a well written and personalized thank you email.
What do you have to lose? It matters more to some managers than others, but there’s never been a time when a manager moved on from a candidate because they wrote a world class thank you email.
On the other hand, there have been plenty of times a candidate misses out due to poor or no follow up whatsoever. You’ve already been through the hard part – the research, prep work, and the interview itself, so why risk throwing away your chance because you chose not to sit down to write a 10 minute thank you note?
In summary, it’s a great time to explore new opportunities and the job market world is literally your oyster! I hope you keep these suggestions in mind and land your dream job!
