Becoming a serial job hunter is the best thing you can do for the advancement of your career.
It’s a really great feeling to love your job. It could be due your wonderful co-workers, the challenges you face daily, the security, its location and the subsequent commute, your amazing boss, the best company culture, and the growth potential, or all of these elements combined.
Well good for you! But there’s something you’re forgetting: you have no idea what other opportunities are out there that are better. Take 60 seconds to evaluate what about your professional career you would like to improve… do you have horrible co-workers, absolutely no challenges, no job security, it’s too far from home and the commute sucks, your boss is horrible, you don’t fit the company culture at all, there’s no growth potential whatsoever, or some of these elements combined?
Either way, there’s a whole world of knowledge you’re overlooking – the knowledge contained within job boards.
This is why you must and never not-browse and rather continue apply for vacant positions:
You’ll know what you’re worth
As you embark upon a job search, you’ll come across plenty of positions that you’re suitable for – that offer a higher salary.
Reading the job description, you can determine what skills you have, how much experience, and what they’re worth on a job market. It’s no secret that loyal employees earn less than job hoppers, so it’d be wise to remind your company what you’re worth and consistently ask for a deserved raise.
Read: How to keep your job hunt a secret from your boss
Keep valuable skills sharp
No one likes the interview process. But like most things, the more you practice, the better you get at it. In other words, landing several interviews (whether it be face-to-face, Skype, over the phone, a panel or other) will allow you to practice your skills and keep them sharp.
Going on test interviews is especially great if you aren’t actually interested in the position: (a) the is no added pressure to impress as not landing the job offer isn’t a major loss at all, and (b) if you do get offered the job, you can practice your negotiation skills – both with the potential company and your current company.
You could demand better benefits and a raise.
Your CV stays up to date
Most people stop job hunting as soon as they land a job. The job hunt only resumes once their current conditions become unpleasant. And that’s when you have to start the entire process from scratch, including polishing up your CV. But that’s not necessary if you never stop applying.
As soon as you learn a new skill, you add it to your Careers24 profile and continue applying for jobs. Whenever you see an ad that you’re perfectly suitable for, you’ll personalize your cover letter, add your newest skills and areas of experience to your CV, and voilà – it’s ready to be sent as soon as you find the next suitable vacancy.
You never know what lands at your feet
Not only that, but your profile will be ready for head hunters looking for your skills specifically. In fact, if ever you’re recommended by your former boss, co-worker or someone you’ve met at a networking event, your CV will be ready to send off instantly.
Sign up for Job Alerts: Tell us what kind of jobs you want and we’ll email you when they’re vacant
You know where you’re headed
Since you’re constantly reading through job vacancies, you’re able to compare your current skills with those listed in the ad. You’re able to compare your current salary with those that require a broader skillset.
Therefore, you can deduce which skills you need to acquire to qualify you for the next salary bracket. This also enables you to see how much experience you’ll need, and ultimately, what you need to work on and do to follow your ideal career trajectory.
Then, invest in gaining that experience, growing your skillset, and find a great mentor.
Did you know Careers24 has 1000s of jobs, updated daily by 100s of top companies. We also have a handy FREE mobile app that lets you search for jobs anywhere, anytime - download it here Android, iPhone and iPad.
