At multiple points in our lives, each and every single one of us undertake a job search for various reasons. Why you decide to leave current employment behind, is up to you, but have you thought about the reason why you’re leaving and what it is you’re exactly looking for, before deciding to hand in your four weeks’ notice period? I bet most of you reading this think the main reason is money, surely that has to be it, we work to earn money so we can live our lives and hopefully have enough left over for holiday in Hawaii once a year…. But that’s where you are wrong.

Let me start by saying that there is nothing wrong with wanting to leave because you feel you are not being monetarily rewarded enough for your efforts, but ask yourself this, have you sat down one on one with your boss and had the discussion about a possible pay rise? And if you have and there is no room in the budget, then by all means continue your job search. This discussion is important because if this conversation hasn’t happened and you decided to hand in your notice after a recruiter has found you a position, your boss may then make you a counter offer which you may accept.

This means the recruiter who has just worked tirelessly to find you that perfect job has just lost a great candidate, in you! But what if you’re leaving for different reasons? What if you want to work in a larger organisation where you can progress, one where you can break through the ceiling which limits you at your current position. How far are you willing to travel? And what salary increases are you looking for? What salary will you accept for that dream role?

Are you looking to expand your current skill set or pick up a completely new set of skills? What type of company culture do you want to be a part of? What is your preferred industry and more importantly, which industries don’t you want to work in. I know reading all of this, can make your head spin a little, but these are all important questions you want to ask yourself and make notes on so when you approach the recruiter, they know exactly what roles to put you forward for. Inevitably the recruiter will probe a bit more to get a better understanding of you, what you’re after and your current situation, because there are some areas which just aren’t translated onto ‘paper’. Be honest with your recruiter, say no to roles which you don’t want to consider and enquire into roles which interest you. Your recruiter should always have time to take or return your calls, and if they don’t, find yourself a new recruiter.

Changing jobs is a big life decision and should be treated as such. If you are looking for work, answer the questions I have you asked here, make a note of them, and prioritise them. This will give you the best possible chance of finding your dream job.