Can you correct a poor career decision? Yes.
When should you act to correct the situation? Now – don’t wait, the sooner you get back on track the better.
Can you use the experience to further your net career gain? Yes.
We have all experienced post-purchase dissonance at some stage in life – the uneducated impulse buys that on reflection was maybe not our best decision. Unfortunately for some professionals, they experience this same feeling with a career move. This can be within an existing organisation but usually occurs when moving between careers in different organisations. There are many reasons for this, and they can be attributable to both candidate and company:
- The candidate has not defined what they want from a career move, so have no reference point to make a good decision
- The candidate has not done their own due diligence at the job interview and beyond
- The role has been misrepresented – every company feels their role is compelling!
- There has been a change within the new organisation between the professional accepting their new job and starting the role.
So a career mistake has been made! What do you do to avoid making the same mistake again?
Five things you can control when choosing the next step in your career:
- Successful Company – Make sure it is good at what it does and is profitable. This is irrespective of size and industry.
- Aligned Culture – Ensure that the culture of your direct Manager, the immediate team and the business are in line with each other and what you are after.
- Clear Challenges – Are the position challenges clearly defined, measurable and documented?
- Career Development Potential – Is there room to move within the company or for the role itself to grow in scope?
- Skills and Experience Growth – Define your job skills and experience deficiencies and make sure some of these are being addressed in your new role.
I get asked regularly “what is a good career decision?” It is a decision made now that increases your career options in 18 months to 3 years. If you focus on these 5 steps you will be greatly increasing your chances of making a great career move.
