The World Economic Forum (WEF) indicates that employees will have 9 – 12 jobs in their lifetime. Salary needs, shifting roles, restructuring, retrenchments, toxic work environments, technology, and flexible work arrangements are common reasons people change jobs. “Employees move jobs more frequently than ever before. Whether the changes are voluntary or involuntary, employees should actively future-proof their careers by taking personal responsibility for continually developing their knowledge and skills,” said Michael Gullan, CEO of G&G Advocacy, an eLearning consultancy.
The WEF also suggests that as new technologies are adopted, 23% of jobs will change in the next five years. Gullan says this is another reason employees should take personal responsibility to identify and close skills gaps that may prevent them from achieving their career and income goals.
“Knowledge and skills will be your superpower,” Gullan added. “As the nature of work changes, employees, team leaders, and C-suite individuals may face job and career transitions sooner than expected.”
The following guidelines will help employees of all levels manage job transitions, whether planned or unplanned.
- Take control of the narrative
Announce your job change with the right people, at the right time, in the right way. Decide who should hear it from you personally and who can hear it via the “grapevine.” Tell key people, such as your immediate team leaders, HR, and colleagues first. Then, let the rest of your colleagues and friends know. Focus on the positive aspects of your current job so you don’t burn bridges and preserve all relationships.
- Professional notice period
Notice periods vary by industry, level of employment, and organisation. Ensure you give adequate notice according to your employment contract or more if you can. This will facilitate a professional handover and reduce your and your team’s stress. If the transition is not voluntary, clarify what handover is expected and establish if it will be realistic for you.
- Transfer knowledge as well as possible
Make a list of your ongoing projects, tasks, and commitments. When a clear successor is known, hand over all the information gracefully so you set them up for success. When the successor is unknown, or timing restricts your ability to do an in-person handover, create a detailed handover dossier with processes, links, shortcuts, and institutional knowledge to make it as professional, helpful, and seamless as possible. “Imagine you’re the new hire taking over your role. What would you need and want to know? Share all the details. There is no such this as too much information when it comes to handovers,” said Gullan.
- Manage your time and energy
People often underestimate how much time changing jobs takes, from compiling your handover and managing the details of your new employment contract and package to preserving existing relationships and building new ones. Don't neglect your health while dealing with all the change and stress. Continue with your exercise regime and healthy eating, get enough sleep, and don’t forget to enjoy some recreation. All of this will ensure you have enough energy for the change.
- Update your contact list and network
Update colleague's and professional associates' contact information. And make time to keep in touch with important people you’re leaving behind. “You never know what relationships will grow over time or when you may need a referral, advice, or a favour,” said Gullan. “Do your best not to burn bridges with colleagues, managers, or suppliers.”
- Lessons learnt
All career transitions, especially the hard ones, teach you something. Make notes on lessons and skills you learnt in your job. Revisit your notes every couple of months after the transition. With time, you will gain additional clarity on areas you want and can develop. This will help you plan and be ready for the future.
- Starting a new role
Resist the temptation to take on tasks in your new job before your actual start date, especially if you’re working out your notice. Get clarity on your responsibilities and duties and how your performance will be measured. “Open, honest conversations and expectation management is the cornerstone of healthy, happy, and productive professional relationships,” said Gullan.
- Make time to learn
Onboarding happens at a stressful time of big change and requires your full attention to be successful. List all the upcoming tasks and eLearning courses you need to complete. Create a timetable for the courses assigned to you. Once you’ve completed them, create another timetable of all the voluntary courses you want to complete. “Don’t limit yourself to completing the eLearning courses assigned to you and your role. Complete as many additional courses as possible. There is always something new to learn. A growth mindset will ensure you continually expand your expertise and the value you can add to your current and future employers,” said Gullan.
- Build key relationships
Your managers, team leaders, and peers will want to get to know you soon. Take the time to network and nurture new relationships. There are also people behind the scenes who are “wisdom keepers” with vast institutional and industry knowledge. Get to know them and their roles. Build your new professional relationships and make sure you let them in so they can get to know you. Relationships and conversations go both ways.
- Ongoing feedback
Let your managers and colleagues know you want to learn and grow as much as possible and be open to receiving constructive feedback. Once you have established some trusted work friends, ask them to give you feedback if they notice anything that could be important to your success.
Remember, it’s okay to make mistakes if you learn from them. Most people will face transitions, job changes, and career pivots at certain times in their careers. By following these guidelines, you will stay in control during times of chaos and change and hit the ground running in your new job. And you’ll do all this while building and nurturing key relationships. “Being intentional about how you plan for and transition to a new job is a key skill every adult should learn. And remember that all career shifts, especially the difficult ones, teach you something,” concluded Gullan.