Looking for a new job in 2019?

Looking for a New Job in 2019? Here are 5 Tips to Help Make the Leap

Rethinking your career over the Christmas period is just as familiar to many as over-indulging on the turkey dinner and setting resolutions that are broken before the end of January. While the decorations are still up, CVs across the country are being refreshed so they’re ready to be sent out in the New Year.

A pre-Christmas survey by the recruiter Hays found that a shockingly high 78 percent of people were thinking about making a change in 2019, either to progress their careers or find a completely new role. Of those who are happy in their current role, a third could be convinced to make a change if they were offered more money.

So, if you’re one of the many workers on the lookout for something new, here are five tips to help you make the leap in 2019.

1. Know what you’re looking for

The Christmas period is the perfect time to ask yourself some tough questions. Knowing that you ‘fancy a change’ might be the catalyst for moving forward, but it doesn’t help you take the next step. You should take the time to consider what direction you want to go in and whether the skills you have will get you there. Simply sending out your CV for every possible position will rarely reap rewards. Instead, save yourself time and energy by applying for the top companies that’d be the best fit for your personality, work style and qualifications.

2. Ask for help

If you are having doubts about your chosen career, then a good place to start is to think about what makes you unhappy in your current role. You can then reach out to your line manager to see if there are any opportunities for progression or other roles in the organisation that could be a better fit. If not, it can help to talk through your options with friends, family, coaches, mentors or people you know in new fields that you’re interested in exploring. Connecting with new people and contacting recruiters in the industries you’re interested in could also be an excellent source of information.

3. Start the process as quickly as possible

Now is an excellent time to search for a new role. It’s a job seekers market with 800,000 vacancies currently out there and employers struggling to fill a range of skilled and unskilled positions. There are also many other people looking to make the move now too, so there’ll be even more vacancies to fill. With the application and interview process potentially taking months, and notice periods of two to three months now common, we’d recommend you get the ball rolling as quickly as you can.

4. Be wary of the work computer

You might be tempted to use a work computer to browse new opportunities at your desk, but we would certainly advise you not to. Even if you doubt your company has the time or inclination to monitor your usage, you should always play it safe. That goes for work devices such as computers, tablets and phones that you use at home, as well as work email addresses. You don’t want to burn your bridges. It could be that there are opportunities in your organisation you may not be aware of, and if you do move, you will inevitably need a reference.

5. Don’t give up

Once you’ve decided it’s time to leave, the process of finding a new job can take longer than you might like. There’s also likely to be some rejection, which can be demoralising. The key to maintaining your motivation is to set a realistic time frame for the processes involved, from searching and applying to interviewing and serving your notice. The whole process could easily take six months or more, so don’t get downhearted if your progress is slower than you might have hoped.

Looking for a bilingual role in 2019?

At Linguistica Recruitment, we have a diverse range of well-paid, rewarding bilingual roles across the south coast. Submit your CV today or call 02392 987 765 to take that all-important first step.