Career Advice: Should I Change Jobs and Choose Career Growth Over Stability?

Many of us may start our careers with a general vision of wanting to hone our skills and climb the corporate ladder. As we progress in our journey, it’s common to reach a stage when the comfort that comes from familiarity causes professional growth and career advancement to move down our list of priorities.

For driven individuals, this lack of growth can still act as a voice of reason that pushes you to consider changing jobs to expand your learning and boost your competitiveness in the job market.

The Dilemma: Golden Handcuffs or Rock the Boat?

Such a concern is far from unique. One of our life sciences recruitment consultants previously worked with a mid-level professional in his mid-30s who has been with his company for a few years. He excels in his job, enjoys a harmonious relationship with his co-workers and benefits from the job stability and attractive salary that his specialised role provides.

Despite these positives, he grapples with concerns about plateauing growth. His familiarity with the firm’s processes, while beneficial, ironically limits his chances to learn new skills to futureproof his career. Adding to his woes is the age factor: the longer he waits to make a pivotal move, the harder it might become to explore new opportunities in the future.

His dilemma is also known as the ‘golden handcuffs‘—a situation where individuals stay in a position due to financial incentives despite longing for more fulfilling work. After all, humans’ inherent inclination towards security and predictability can be as strong as our desire for the rewards that come with career progression.

How, then, should we address the elephant in the room: Should I quit my current job and forsake the stability for a new role that supports my professional development?

How to Decide on Your Next Career Move

Before making a hasty decision, we recommend that you first identify the goals you hope to achieve through a change of jobs.

1. Why Do I Want to Change Jobs Now?

For starters, consider the change you hope to see by pursuing a new role to help you better understand where your current job is failing to hit the mark. 

For instance, our legal executive search consultant had a candidate who stayed in her previous role for a few years longer than she would have to remain geographically close to her partner. However, this came at the cost of being passed over for projects that required travel or even moving abroad for a short period, limiting her opportunities to expand her learning. When these minor frustrations built up, it eventually sought another job that better supported her career growth and personal commitments.

2. When Should I Change Jobs?

With a clearer understanding of your objectives, you can then determine whether your current position has the potential to fulfil these goals. More critically, reflect on whether you truly desire fulfilment within this context. If the answer to both questions is yes, the next step involves a constructive conversation with your manager.

Instead of presenting your concerns as complaints— which may cast you in a negative light—detail a constructive plan about what you aspire to achieve and how your manager can support these ambitions. Should this conversation lead to meaningful action from your superior, our work here may be done. After all, it’s not about changing jobs without a good reason but keeping an eye on your career trajectory and addressing the root cause of your dissatisfaction to prevent reencountering the same challenges.

However, if resolving the situation at your current job isn’t feasible or desirable, it may be time to move to one that aligns more closely with your aspirations and values. Begin by examining the fears and self-created narratives stopping you from making the switch. Ask yourself:

• What am I afraid of?
• Why should I dismiss these fears?

When you’ve taken stock of your limiting beliefs, you can change them into positive affirmations. To put things into perspective, consider this example.

Belief: Quitting my job to pursue employment elsewhere means starting from scratch again, which will take a long time.

Reason for belief: I’m unfamiliar with the people and environment, so I will need some time before I can reach the kind of stability that I enjoy in my current company.

Why challenge this fear:

• The bulk of the learning happens on the job. I’ve adapted before and I can do it again. I should actively seek growth opportunities instead of waiting to be pushed into them by situations like layoffs.
• A short-term setback could lead to long-term gains and access to more opportunities unavailable in my current role.

3. What Type of Career Growth and Progression is Important to You?

When finding your next job, an advice is to realistically assess what type of career growth matters most to you.

Promotions: For those prioritising upward mobility within the corporate structure, small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs) might be ideal. Career advancement in multinational corporations (MNCs) tends to follow a more structured and tiered approach, potentially lengthening the time it takes to achieve promotions. This is in addition to the greater competition presented by a larger pool of employees for a limited number of positions. In contrast, career progression opportunities in SMEs are often more directly and primarily associated with your capabilities.

Skills Development: While MNCs often offer more competitive salary packages, SMEs may provide more opportunities for employees to wear multiple hats, make important decisions and changes or acquire skills that enhance their attractiveness as job seekers.

Prestige: If prestige is a key factor in your definition of career progression, an MNC could be the right environment for you. The esteemed reputation of an MNC can attract prestigious clients, enabling you to work on high-profile projects and boost your portfolio.

Finding the Right Job with the Right Help

Besides this, seeking the advice of other experts, such as your peers in the industry or executive search consultants like our experienced recruiters at JC Consulting, can be helpful. With their extra insights, you’ll be better equipped to make an informed decision. While awaiting suitable job opportunities, it’s also worthwhile to explore changes you can make on your end to move you closer towards your career goals.

If you’re working with an HR consultancy firm, this is also when you should tap into their extensive connections and tailored career advice to better position yourself in the market and streamline the search.

Take the Leap of Faith

Finally, when the moment arrives to embrace a new opportunity, be bold. It’s not uncommon for individuals, initially enthusiastic about change, to hesitate when faced with the tangible possibility of a new job out of fear of uncertainties.

While prudence is wise, it’s also vital to remind yourself that most people discover a renewed vigour upon transitioning from a role that has ceased to be rewarding. Yes, you might relinquish a certain degree of security. Still, this new journey often proves less daunting than the fear of obsolescence and striving to remain engaged in a position that no longer sparks your interest.

Have further questions about the job market and industry outlook? Arrange for a chat with our consultants today.

Summary

In a nutshell, determining whether to prioritise growth and make the career move requires you to understand your underlying motivations and goals and rank the values that are most important to you. MNCs may offer greater prestige, while SMEs’ value lies in potentially quicker promotions and rich opportunities for professional development. When you grasp what your needs and wants are, you can better identify the right type of opportunities to pursue and take a proactive approach towards achieving personal and professional fulfilment.