Key questions to ask yourself

  • 01-03-16
  • Corina Kennedy

Are you spending your days watching the minute hand painfully make its way around the clock instead of working? If you answered YES, it could be time for a change. Before you venture out into the job market, ask yourself the following questions to be clear about what it is you are actually looking for.

  • Are your current responsibilities challenging you?
  • Is there an opportunity for career progression in your organisation?
  • Do you enjoy working for your boss?
  • Do you respect your boss?
  • Are the hours reasonable?
  • Are the expectations and deliverables reasonable?
  • Are you paid a salary consistent with market rates?

If you answered YES to the majority of questions above – you most likely need a short break to recharge. Book a holiday or take some time away from the office and see how you feel when it’s time to return to work. If however, you answer NO more than YES to the questions above, it’s probably time to update your résumé and start thinking about what you are looking for in your next role. Having clarity about why you want to leave your current position will help you to find what you are looking for.

People often start their wish list with a job title or the salary they want to earn. While these are very important factors, they won’t help you define your dream accounting job. Reflecting on past jobs and the aspects that you enjoyed the most will help to build a clearer picture. You might have worked in a fantastic team or had a great mentor. Perhaps it was a challenging role that stretched your skills or you had the opportunity to travel. Writing down the pros and cons of your current job can also be valuable. Now take a look at the list you have just written. Add to that any other criteria you value and you’re on your way to finding your dream job.

It’s important to note that although you are creating a wish list, you need to be realistic about what you are looking for. You might not be able to tick off every item on your list so make sure you prioritise your dream job criteria into ‘non-negotiables’ and ‘nice-to-haves’.

Now that you have greater clarity, I recommend speaking with a trusted Recruitment Consultant – especially if it has been a while since you were active in the job market. A good recruiter can help you identify the roles that will best fit your wish list and also offer advice to help prepare you for interviews. They are in the best position to give you a health check on your expectations to ensure they are realistic. When you know what you are looking for, you can channel your job-hunting time and energy towards the positions that best match your criteria.

If you have decided it is time for a change, I recommend looking through our Job Seeker Toolkit, especially if your resumé hasn’t been updated in a while. For those of you who have decided a holiday is what you need – bon voyage!​