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Resume Essentials When Changing Jobs

  • Writer: Curtis Dawson
    Curtis Dawson
  • Apr 2
  • 4 min read
How to take the chance out of a job change.
How to take the chance out of a job change.

Before securing new employment, you need to prioritize your career objectives as short-term and long-term opportunities. You must secure a job that aligns with your ambitions as well as your competencies. In addition, research the market segment that best fits your needs. Choosing a new employer requires a close look at your priorities.


Why search for new employment? A common motivator is money. Certainly, you need to work for a company that provides a competitive salary in comparison to other employers within that same line of work. Determine the benefits of earning an improved salary. There are other concerns associated with earning more money.


Are you searching for additional disposable income that will provide you with the means for spending more money on movies, hobbies, and restaurants? If so, remember, for financial security, that you should spend no more than 30% of your gross monthly paycheck on entertainment. Bear in mind that no amount of money can replace the satisfaction you receive from interacting with your current coworkers; that is, would a new job provide you with a comparable company culture?


Essentially, find the balance between money and culture. Financial advisors recommend that you should apply 20% of your paycheck toward retirement. This option addresses your current financial situation, such as paying down high credit card interest rates or saving for a down payment on a 30-year home mortgage.


Considering additional monetary motivations, you will want to allocate roughly 50% of your paycheck toward necessary living expenses such as groceries, utilities and basic healthcare. When considering these percentages, money certainly is a key motivation. The goal is to attain employment that balances the benefits of a more substantial paycheck with other considerations, such as the completion of on-the-job training that looks great on a resume.


When researching employment, determine whether your skillset not only conforms with the skills for the job, but also provides you essential career growth. If you have completed cross- training, determine how these additional skills will benefit your career objectives. Have a clear idea about what you want to get out of a new job. What will your commute be like? What are the comprehensive skills required for the position? Does this new opportunity offer potential for a position in management?


If you want a career in management, ask human resources what it would take to enter these rankings. Organizations vary, so ask human resources what is necessary to be successful as a manager within their public or private company. Some companies offer on-the-job training while other organizations provide you with a mentor who will show you the necessary skills for success in management.


When interacting with coworkers, you will become familiar with their communication styles. This will help you identify their communication preferences. In the workplace, you will encounter four types of communication: verbal, non-verbal, visual, and written. Mastering these preferences, you will have excellent bullet points on your resume. Some people like written communications over face-to-face interactions, and this is important because you want to communicate clearly with coworkers at all times.


An important consideration addresses how you will increase your skillset in a new position. You will want human resources to provide you with a comprehensive assessment regarding expectations about the knowledge base required for the job. Will new employment further benefit your existing skillset? If so, you can plan how your updated resume will look to future employers. When your skillset becomes sequential, you will utilize the reverse chronological resume, because this type of formatting lists the skills that you have acquired from one consecutive job to the next.


How will this new job look on your resume? To some extent, this depends upon how long you stay with the company. To be credible in the eyes of a human resources employee, you will want your average tenure to last at least two years. The median tenure was two years and one month through January 2025. Human resources prefer that you stay with a company anywhere from three to five years, because this demonstrates loyalty and in-depth project knowledge.


How can you turn frequent job changes into positive experiences on a resume? According to a survey by Forbes, almost 40% of organizations consider job-hopping to be a red flag. If you have a history of changing jobs every two years or less, you can optimize this indicator by providing clear reasons for the changes in employment. This includes better pay of 10% or more as well as career advancement that provided exposure to skills essential to pivotal employers.


So, ultimately, how do you know when it is time for a change in employment? Focus closely on how your current job makes you feel. Does this job offer new learning experiences? Do they provide you the necessary support to achieve your employment goals? Does this job give you a clear sense of purpose? If you acknowledge that you have maximized all of the potential found in your current job, then it could be time to change employers. So, remember job-winningresumes.com when you transition from one job to the next. We will help you land your ideal job. #CareerChange #HowToChangeCareers #HowToSwitchCareers

 
 
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