15 questions to ask yourself before starting a job search
Before you embark on any journey, it is essential to know where you are now and and where you want to get to. Without the answers to those questions, you will surely get lost. This is most certainly true of a job search journey. So here are some key questions to ask yourself in a moment of reflection before you set off:
Where am I now in my career?
How did I get into this business and why am I still in it?
In what ways do I add value to my current firm?
What do I like being recognised for?
What do I do well that I want to keep doing?
What are some additional skills and experiences that I would like to add to my capabilities?
What are some errors that I have made in the past that I never want to repeat?
What are some job environments and situations that I have found myself in that I don’t want to be in again?
Where do I want to be in two or three jobs’ time?
With that in mind, what is the next move I want to make now?
Can I achieve that with a promotion, an internal move or will I have to move firm?
What do I feel prevents me from moving forward and what are possible solutions?
What will employers for that role be looking for in me and what value will I want to demonstrate?
What specifically has to be present in the next role and job environment for me to know that I can be successful, grow and give my best?
Why do I want to make a move forward? What will it give me and what will it cost me if I don’t progress?
This list of questions is designed to give you a clear understanding of where you are in your career now, and then moves on to helping you determine the next step and your motivation. Only one question might address the how to go about doing this; at this early stage, we are more concerned to understand the what and the why.
By answering these questions in sequence, in some depth, and being candid with yourself, you will have gained a valuable insight that will equip you at the start of your job search campaign. It will also provide a clarity that many others will lack. With this, you will be able to create a plan to target the firms and roles that make sense.