Ready to take a leap?

So you’re feeling the itch. Your intrusive thoughts are winning, and you know there is a better role, companies, and career opportunities out there, but you need to figure out where to start. A couple of things can happen if you don’t take the leap when you’re not feeling challenged in your current job:

1. You get bored.

You have learnt everything you can about your job that now you can do with your eyes closed. Still, at certain times of the day, you are hit with the pang of this unresolved urge to explore what doors your finely tuned skills and expertise may open as you navigate your way through the journey of your career. There are no growth opportunities; you have nothing left to learn, and you have been doing the same thing for years and years. Boreout is not a phenomenon of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is probably one of the most constant reasons we start opening ‘recommend jobs’ advertisements or entertaining Inmails from recruiters. You’re ready to leap, but…

2. You are comfortable

It’s normal. You feel secure knowing that you can do your job exactly the way you are expected to, you are acknowledged and praised for your work, and you are the SME of what you do, the go-to person for that one stakeholder whom only you can manage. Your comfort zone is your safe space, and discomfort in the unknown is scary. But the superpower of your discomfort is that it is a sign that it is time to grow. Cornell University psychologist Kaitlin Wooley explained that  “When we feel out of our comfort zone, we interpret that as a sign to proceed carefully, or not at all, yet ultimately to succeed in business, we need to take risks. Seeking discomfort can help ensure our success.”

 Proceed carefully

Job seeking can be extremely overwhelming and a lot of information overload. It fuels much of the discomfort we feel when we step outside our comfort zone. Where do you begin with all these messages in your inbox promising you the role of your dreams?

Arm yourself with the right resources

Sterning HR, specifically Sarah George, recently worked with an HR Advisor who spent over 4 years in the same role with the same organisation. While they knew there were no immediate opportunities to grow and develop with their employer, they felt safety and comfort knowing they could easily perform their role and support themselves on their salary. We established a close relationship with this person and ensured that we understood these 4 critical areas before we approached them about a role:

1. The specific skills and experiences they were looking to gain.

2. What were their long-term career goals.

3. What kind of professional development and growth opportunities were they looking for within a company.

4. Their salary expectations.

Knowing the role ticked all these boxes, we were able to support this person to secure a role that aligned with their long-term career goals and would give the skills and experience to get there within an organisation where internal career development is encouraged.

Whether you choose to partner with a recruiter who can help you navigate through the noise or you choose to leap on your own accord, arm yourself with these specific questions:

1. Does my current role still align with my long term career goals?

2. Do these new opportunities offer me the chance to learn the specific skills and experiences I need to advance in my career?

3. Will I succeed in the role with the chance to gain these new skills?

4. Does this role offer a higher salary, and/or am I gaining any new benefits?

5. Can I grow with this company?

Sterning HR are currently recruiting opportunities that may align with all of these questions above. Break out of your comfort zone! Check out these opportunities here and reach out to us – we are ready to help you!