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Part 1 - Before you start looking for a new role
How Certain Are You About a Career Change?
On a scale of 1 to 10 (1 being curious but unsure, 10 being fully committed), how would you rate your certainty about wanting to change jobs?
Pause for a moment and give yourself a score. Then, as you read this article, keep that number in mind. At the end, reassess and see if your view has shifted.
Why Are You Looking to Move?
Let’s get straight to the point: Why are you thinking of changing jobs?
There are usually a few key reasons people consider making a move:
Uncertainty – Maybe your company is going through changes, or your role feels unstable. There could be rumours of redundancy, management changes, or even a company relocation on the horizon.
You are unfulfilled – Perhaps your job no longer excites you. The day-to-day grind is creeping into your personal life, leaving you under-appreciated and underpaid.
Life Changes – Things may have changed at home. Maybe you’ve started a family, or perhaps your role demands too much travel. Your personal priorities might no longer align with your professional life.
Feeling Stuck – You’ve been in the same job for years, and it’s become predictable. You’re comfortable but uninspired, and opportunities for growth seem distant.
Emotional Reactions – A tense interaction with your boss or the handling of a recent incident might have you questioning whether this is where you truly belong.
Why does this matter?
Understanding why you're considering a change is critical to finding a job that truly fits. Focusing solely on one issue, like too much travel, could cause you to miss bigger red flags in a new role—such as cultural mismatch or a lack of development opportunities.
By reflecting on your reasons, you'll be better equipped to spot the right opportunity when it comes along.
What Could You Have Done Differently?
While reflecting, also consider how your actions or decisions may have contributed to your current situation. This isn’t about blame but rather about identifying patterns that could help you grow.
Ask yourself:
Have I done enough to nurture relationships at work?
Could I have been more proactive in seeking opportunities?
Did I try to address challenges before they became dealbreakers?
Have I communicated my frustrations effectively?
What Do You Love About Your Current Role?
Remember the good times: the reasons you joined, the people who inspire you, and the parts of your role that bring you joy. Reflecting on these will help you determine what to seek out in your next position—or even remind you of what’s worth salvaging in your current job.
Can Your Current Situation Be Solved?
At this point, you should have:
A clear understanding of why you want to move
A list of things you love about your current role
Insight into what you could have done differently
Before making any big decisions, try discussing your thoughts with your manager. This conversation could:
Open up new opportunities and solutions, reigniting your satisfaction at work
Confirm your desire to move on and help you focus on your next step
Task – Establish Your 'Why'
Write down your reasons for wanting to move. Consider what you’ve learned about your behaviour and actions. Make a note of the parts of your current role that you love and want to carry forward into your next job.
Task - Create your Key Criteria List (With example)
Make a list of your essential job requirements, like location, salary, and industry.
This will help you narrow down your job search, guide conversations with recruiters and clarify your requirements in your own mind.
Location/Travel | Salary & Benefits | Industry | Role Level | Contract Type |
South East England | Minimum £55,000 | Construction/Property | Managerial | Permanent |
Hybrid | Ideal £60,000 | Corporate Services | Leadership | Open to 12-month fixed contracts |
Nationwide travel | Car allowance | Facilities Management | Permanent potential | |
Overnight stays | Private healthcare | Consultancy |
Task - Create a 'Not' List
This list will help you avoid roles that don’t meet your requirements, making it easier to filter out unsuitable offers.
Not interested in food manufacturing
Not looking for a management position
Not open to single-site roles
Not accepting contracts under 12 months
What’s Important to Me? (WITM)
Now, list the softer, cultural factors that are important to you in a new role. This could include company values, leadership style, cross-functional collaboration and / or who the role reports in to.
I.e
Company values
Company culture
HSE / Sustainability / Quality culture and engagement
Who the role reports to - dynamics of the relationship / autonomy
State of the current function - what is in place? Team, systems and ways of working
Collaboration across functions
Senior Leadership engagement
Company performance / security / growth plans
Progression opportunities / progression path (and examples)
Summary
By slowing down and taking the time to think about your current situation and career-to-date, you can help gain some clarity about which roles and career moves will serve you best in the future.
To go one step further, if you are extremely ambitious and aim to achieve the most senior roles within your profession. Map out what each career move (in title, responsibilities, company types & sizes, industry) will look like for you across a 5-10-15 year timespan.
Next step in this series
Consider your rating at the start of this article, has it changed now that you have considered all of the things above? What would you rate yourself now?
If your number has gone down, it’s possible that you may be able to resolve any issues that you are facing in your current role. Think about which actions you can take to resolve some of the challenges you are facing.
If your number has increased, it may be further confirmation that you are ready to seek a new opportunity. If that is the case, head on to the next step of this 10 part series which is focussed around preparing your CV for your next move.
About this series
This 10-part series in how to land your perfect role is a published form of the advice that we are offering safety, sustainability & quality professionals day-in-day-out.
Our team can only have so many conversations in a day / week / month / year. By publishing this series, we are hoping to reach and add value to professionals across the industry and beyond that we haven’t yet had the pleasure of working with.
If you would like to get in touch with us to find out how we can provide tailored career advice and opportunities - please visit www.search-recruitment.co.uk and get in touch.
To keep up-to-date with each instalment of this series - follow us on LinkedIn at linkedin.com/company/search2
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