In recent months there have been several notable instances of specialist facades contractors...
If you are looking for a new job during a cost-of-living crisis, then like many you would like to find something closer to home to minimise travel and its associated expenses. What is a reasonable distance to travel largely depends on where in the UK you live as areas such as London and Manchester are much denser than those like York, simply meaning fewer opportunities and more necessity to travel.
Distance to travel daily is an important factor in the current climate as fuel prices have increased substantially in a short period. On top of this, long journeys relying on cars may lead to issues that could severely impact your finances and ability to travel.
Public transport is also in a tough spot recently, with strikes being common. On top of this, they are prone to regular delays. This makes them less reliable as an alternative to a car.
Many employers have begun offering hybrid working schemes to help deal with this, also offering a boost in morale as an added benefit. This is of course dependent on having a role that functions remotely. Working from home is still not a reasonable alternative for many.
Ultimately, this is a balancing act that relies on many factors as well as your personal attitude to travelling to work as well as your location.
Salary
When moving jobs this is a topic that many will focus on more than other areas, and for good reason. Getting a job that pays well, especially in a cost-of-living crisis, is crucial.
A company that offers regular salary reviews with room to improve is a huge positive as it offers an avenue to develop your salary based on performance, both personal and company, and external factors such as rising prices. Having a more flexible approach to salary is hugely important.
Another area to consider is if you are looking for a full-time salaried position. There is a strong divide between those who prefer contract or freelance work to those who are looking for a salaried role. Each has its own benefits and drawbacks and those should be considered before deciding.
As always location plays a role too as areas in the UK have wildly different living costs, with London and the South being more expensive on average. Finding a reasonable salary for your geographic location is very important. Some choose to travel further into an area like London to secure a higher salaried position than the ones in their immediate area.
Package
The package a company offers is often as important as the salary it may offer. It is largely dependent on the size and culture of the company as a larger employer may be able to offer more benefits than a smaller-sized company could, though this is not always the case and, in some instances, the smaller employer may invest more in the package they offer.
A good package will often include more than the UK’s mandatory benefits or develop on them to increase the value they provide. This could come in the form of gym memberships or dental insurance. Many companies also offer perks such as a company car to help with travelling to work.
Bonuses can also be considered a part of the package and should not be viewed lightly as a company that delivers strong bonuses could end up paying more than a company with a higher base salary in the end.
Career progression
Career progression may be a more important area for those nearer the beginning of their careers to focus on but for anyone looking for a job in the current climate, it is an important area to consider. Finding a job that offers progression could offer long-term security as you become a bigger part of the team and company.
An area to consider is finding a company that prioritises offering opportunities for their employees to step into new positions and encourages growth. Stepping into a role with no route for progression due to structure or lack of work could mean salary would remain stagnant.
For those who work in higher organisational positions such as directors’ opportunities for progression are scarce and therefore this is of much less importance than to those at lower levels.
It should be noted that not everyone is even interested in the opportunity for progression. Many find the level they enjoy and can handle and are content to stay there. In this case, however, progression should not simply be tied to a title. Achievements and recognition are valid aspects of progression and in the process becoming a more valued member of the team.
Company finances
Finally, the last and easiest to forget area to consider is the finances of the company you would be seeking to join. A dream opportunity with a strong package and salary at a company that is not likely to make it through the year is not one worth taking when the benefits are short-term only.
There are many ways to see the financial health of a company. Reviewing the solvency or total assets of a company are great financial indicators, though not necessarily the easiest to access. In this case, speculative work could be done by seeing the state of their competitors and the industry or sub-sector they operate within.
Looking at the news surrounding the company could also be important in seeing if there are talks about merging or purchasing and how that would affect the employer.
Another, less obvious, way to measure how a company is performing is to view its activity on social media to see the updates within the organisation. To extend even further you could look at sites such as Glassdoor to see what past employees have said about the company.
To make the best move in a cost-of-living crisis a stable employer is extremely important as it means you won’t have to look again unless it is on your terms.
Conclusion
It’s hard to say which of the above is the most important area for consideration when looking for a new role, especially when times are unstable, and it would have to come down to what each person values most. Career progression may be less important to someone looking for a strong salary and package while another may be looking for something that could lead to long-term growth, and they wouldn’t mind travelling a bit further or accepting slightly less in the short-term.
However, regardless of what stage of your career you are in these areas should be considered when making a move.
