Should I stay or should I go? A jobseekers dilemma

With the UK (and indeed, the world) being a little out of kilter right now, it’s easy to find yourself feeling uninspired and unmotivated by your current role. This may have led you to start thinking about searching for a new role.

On the flip side, while a lack of job satisfaction can be a big motivator to start scrolling through recruitment ads, seeing so much economic doom and gloom making headlines around the clock can add to your sense of confusion.

With our finger firmly on the pulse of the employment landscape both regionally and nationally, we’re well placed to offer you a fresh perspective on your workplace worries. Let’s take a balanced approach to the ’shall I stay or shall I go’ question to give you a little more clarity on what to do next.

Reasons to stay

Job security

One of the main reasons that many people stay in a role that they no longer enjoy is fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of change and, most of all, fear of losing a stable job.

However, if the last 12 months have shown us anything, it is that there is no such thing as a 100% secure job – so it’s up to you to decide if you are willing to stay in a role that isn’t fulfilling you due to the sense of stability it provides, or take a leap and try something new.

A competitive market

Due to COVID-19, the number of jobseekers far outweighs the number of roles available – but that doesn’t mean that killer opportunities don’t exist.

With many organisations more cautious about taking on new staff at the moment, the roles that are available are often well-considered and offer good career development opportunities, especially for those transferring their skills from another industry.

Other potential reasons to stay:

• You are unlikely to be able to be furloughed on the current scheme in a new role should there be a downturn in business due to the employment date deadline passing and the scheme now winding down.
• You previously enjoyed your role – current anxieties and stresses could well be temporary in reaction to the pandemic, with the potential for a return to business as near to usual later in the year.

Reasons to go

Career change and development

Regardless of your reasons for considering a career change (such as redundancy or a change in personal circumstances), there are a plethora of roles available right now that offer greater flexibility and excellent career development opportunities.

The world of work has changed substantially over the past 12 months due to the coronavirus. Many businesses have been forced to adapt to survive, and those that have dealt with this transition best are starting to see the benefits of the streamlining and changes they have made. This could mean they are now in a position to invest in new staff to support their future growth, creating challenging, rewarding roles with the potential for career and personal development that simply might not have existed last year.

Finances and flexibility

As certain industries begin to boom, they are seeking to attract good quality candidates to their roles with excellent remuneration packages available for the right person.

Many forward-thinking organisations also recognise that money isn’t the only deciding factor when seeking a new position, with many able to offer greater flexibility and home working as key benefits for the successful candidate.

Tracking down these roles isn’t always easy, but having a professional team of qualified recruiters on side to help you engage with local employers makes the process less stressful and more seamless. Speak to us now if you’re weighing up your options and mulling over a career change.

Other potential reasons to go:

• Your current employer hasn’t provided the support or treated staff as you would have expected throughout the pandemic
• Your efforts are not valued
• You would like a role with more responsibility
• Your office has closed which means you are no longer able to work in a social environment which you enjoyed
• You’d like more or less travel now
• Working from home wasn’t what you thought it would be and with a move to homeworking for many companies, this man not actually be what you want.