The grass isn’t always greener

The grass isn’t always greener

There has always been a large number of people looking to leave their current company in search of something better. On average 40% of people are looking for new employment nationwide at any given time. A higher salary, shorter journey, better support, or a more manageable workload are all reasons to look for something different.

But the grass isn’t always greener.

For a recruiter, both internal and external, this is considered a taboo topic to bring up but should be, nonetheless. Companies aren’t always transparent about their current circumstances and may not present the workload or financial state as it is.

If a lighter workload is what you are after due to a shortage of skilled staff at your current company, then it should be considered that many other employees in the industry may be suffering from the same issue. This could mean you end up in the same situation with a slight change in scenery. Of course, no company wishes to be in a position where employees have increased workloads due to short-staffing. However, this does not mean you should put yourself in a position you were trying to get away from.

The same can be said for companies that are not in a healthy state financially. If you have been made redundant due to your employer going under or your division not being profitable and consequently being shut down, you should note that some companies actively looking to bring on new employees may be close to collapsing themselves. Within construction, there have been a number of high-profile contractors who have collapsed overnight, and this extends to other industries.

A common reason people look to leave is travel, which should be an easy area to approach and measure, but circumstances change. A vehicle used to travel may break down or the location you work at may change, especially in construction as projects finish and new ones have to be established, with no guarantee of proximity. Trying to get away from a long commute may just lead to another long commute, especially in an industry that moves frequently.

Measuring where a potential employer stands in the above areas is difficult, especially if those you speak and interact with are not fully aware of the situation themselves. Researching an opportunity fully is important to this extent.

Then what can be guaranteed?

Looking for a move due to a factor such as salary is common as many people feel undervalued in their current role, especially if they are being passed up for promotions or performance-based bonuses. This can be an area that is easily guaranteed when searching for a new position by strictly outlining what you are looking for in package and pay. This does not guarantee that a company may be willing to pay that, especially initially, though it can mean that expectations are not shattered.

A promotion is also an easily guaranteed reason for a move. A current employer may not be able to accommodate a promotion for a range of reasons, though other employers may easily be able to accommodate this or are even actively looking for someone with that ambition.

Conclusion

Regardless of the outcome a recruiter and company should always strive to be transparent with a candidate about all of the above issues. It helps to build trust, maintain image, and offer genuine opportunities which all have short and long-term benefits, even if it does mean potentially losing out in the short term.

Using a platform such as Jobsocks can be used to help with a lot of the above issues. By working to pair top talent with the perfect opportunities a lot of issues and sticking points can be overcome before they even come up, making sure expectations are always equal to reality.