If you’re looking for a new job and you take the step of heading to an interview with a recruiter, then there’s definitely a reason (or many) for why you’re looking to leave your current position. These reasons can range from the definite, such as not liking the travel or no longer being passionate about the industry, to the somewhat indefinite, there’s just something about the role that you’re just not enjoying anymore…

Identifying why you’re looking to leave is important, because most commonly, it could be an issue that your current Manager or HR representative could solve. If your role is business critical, then more than likely you will receive a counter offer, usually in the form of additional remuneration.

At interview, if I’m told by a job seeker, that they are looking to make a move because they’re seeking a new challenge or higher salary, I always ask them to go back to their current Manager and see if those issues can be met. If you enjoy where you’re working and the problem can be solved, why would you leave? On the flip side, if the problem isn’t solvable and your Manager still makes you a counter offer, you know that things probably aren’t going to magically change, because of the bigger pay packet.

Time and time again, recruiters and hiring managers see job seekers accept counter offers because they didn’t properly assess their reasons for leaving and choose to stay with who and what they know. Ultimately and frustratingly, it doesn’t work out, because the issues that inspired the candidate to first seek a new position, aren’t remedied with a counter offer. When the counter offered job seeker starts to think about their situation, they come to question why they’re worth more after their resignation, rather than if they hadn’t resigned at all. Does it mean they were being underpaid all along?

So, if you have decided to take the time to update your resume, review job ads and attend interviews, take the time to also reflect on why you’re making this move and if it’s something that can be solved by a discussion with the people who can affect change for you, such as your manager or HR. If not, then head ‘quick smart’ to https://www.people2people.com.au/job-search and check out our active job vacancies – you never know what you may find!