Thinking about a move?

Words by Stopgap

Autumn can be a busy season in the world of recruitment. Holidays are often a time for reflection and we find people return from this period motivated to make a change in their work life.  However, before embarking on the search for a new job we have some thoughts based on our experience with thousands of candidates over the years:

• Do you really need to move company? Sometimes your motivation for moving could be an issue that your current employer help work through with you. Perhaps you’re frustrated with working on a single client account and you’re looking for a change or for greater variety or you feel you should have been promoted and it’s not happened. Talk it over with your manager – employers would far rather have the opportunity to keep good staff than lose them over an issue that could have been rectified.
   
• Get prepared. If you see no future in your current role or company then it’s time to dust down your CV.  An obvious part of your preparation is ensuring your CV is as impactful as possible. Here at Stopgap, we are always happy to give feedback on CVs and we have lots of advice on our website).  But it’s more than just the CV – it’s clearing time in your diary and getting mentally prepared and focused.  Job hunting is a time consuming process – seeking the opportunities, speaking to people, networking etc.  It needs time and application.
   
• Do your research.  Take a look around at roles advertised to get a general idea as to where to pitch yourself on the salary scale (we can also give advice on that). Talk to people in your research network to get a view on who might be looking or is doing particularly interesting work in your area of interest.
   
• Choose your partners.  We recommend candidates ideally work with 2-3 specialist recruitment consultancies – after that there is an increased risk of duplication.  It’s always good to get recommendations as to who to use from your research colleagues.
   
• It’s also worth remembering that the majority of roles are filled directly, often with no advertising, so your search will also involve time spent scouring LinkedIn, potential employer websites as well as networking and making direct approaches.

If you’re looking for job search advice or roles within the Market Research or wider Marketing sector, please get in touch with Lara Fisher-Jones on 020 8334 1426 or here for further information.