Warning: Fraudsters are using our brand to target individuals. Loans 2 Go will never ask for upfront fees. If affected, please contact us & learn more here.
Warning: Fraudsters are using our brand to target individuals. Loans 2 Go will never ask for upfront fees. If affected, please contact us & learn more here.
As Christmas drifts into New Year, followed by the long month of January, it can feel like time for a change. If you are one of the many people who make New Year’s resolutions then hopefully those are going well. But even if not, there is still time to make some significant changes for 2025.
At this time of year, one of the changes many people consider is looking for a new job. In general, January and February are good months to look seriously for jobs. Companies may be catching up with a hiring backlog from the end of 2024, and also many companies sort out their new hiring budgets and sales forecasts at the beginning of the year so may be more willing to take on new staff.
But before you start applying for jobs, it’s useful to do a bit of advance preparation that will put you in a strong position when you do start applying.
In this article we look at five questions to ask yourself if you are thinking of changing jobs:
Changing jobs can be stressful and complicated. Whilst it may be worth it in the end, it’s important to be clear about why you want to change jobs. You need to stay positive and motivated throughout the whole job change process, so get things straight in your own mind first.
Some of the most common things that people are looking for when they change jobs are:
Before you change, you need to be sure about what is important to you in a job, and why you want to change, so that you can be clear about the kind of job and working environment that you are looking for.
When you are planning to change jobs it’s also important to decide if you want to look for a job similar to the one you are doing now. If you really enjoy what you do then that’s a wise choice. But changing jobs also presents the opportunity to rethink the type of job you are actually doing. Might it be possible to move into something a bit different if you like the idea of doing so?
Perhaps you want to make a complete career change at some future stage. And if it’s not possible to make that big change right now, it may be possible to work out a series of smaller moves that will gradually get you to where you want to be.
A good place to start is by having a go at a career aptitude test. This can help you to work out what you do and don’t enjoy and give you a few ideas as to what kinds of jobs would suit you best. One well known test used in industry is The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator and there is a free online version of this known as the Jung Typology Test.
So if you are looking to change jobs, don’t automatically go for something exactly the same as you are doing now, if you want to begin a gradual process of changing your career.
Once you have decided the best type of job to apply for, you need to find companies that have that type of job available. Rather than applying for a large number of jobs, it may be better to target a few companies at a time.
Take your time to do a bit of research on the company to find out if you think you would be happy working there and would be a good fit for the kind of company it is. If so, you can also use your research to tailor your job application and make it relevant to that particular company.
When doing your research, check news and information being put out by the company itself, and also anything being reported in the news. Also check the company’s social media feeds and see how they interact with their customers on social media. Also ask around to see if anyone you know works for the company or knows someone else who does and who may be able to help
It can sometimes be worth approaching a company directly rather than waiting for a job to be advertised. You can do this via their website or social media, or even try making a direct approach by phone, email or letter. This can feel very daunting but sometimes you can get lucky and just be in the right place at the right time.
Whenever you are applying for a job, try to make your application relevant to the specific job you are applying for. If you just send exactly the same version of your CV for every job you apply for it could easily be overlooked. Instead, try to make it relevant to the job and company you are applying to, and include examples that highlight the skills and experience they are looking for.
If you get invited for an interview, make the most of the opportunity by preparing as well as you can. Keep researching the company, and think of questions that you would like to ask at the interview. Also think carefully about what they are likely to ask you and practise out loud the answers that you would give. The more familiar you are with the answers – and your own voice saying them – the more confident you will be on the day.
And when you meet them face to face, do your best to act as natural and relaxed as you can, even though you will be nervous. Smile and make eye contact, and listen carefully to what you are being asked so that you can give relevant answers.
When job hunting, it’s tempting to put everything else on hold. But don’t do this, because it could take several months. So do your best to stay positive and keep other areas of your life moving forward too.
Even though you are hoping to leave your current job, it’s important to continue to do your best there. Not only are they still paying you, but you still have the opportunity to show responsibility and learn new skills so that you are on the ball when you do move to your new job.
If you are bored at work it’s a good idea to try and find a few new interests outside work, particularly if they involve learning something new. Any kind of learning is a positive thing, and it will give you something to focus on, and also something to talk about in interviews. So if you have always wanted to learn a musical instrument, another language, how to paint, a type of cooking, a sport or dancing, perhaps now is the time to make it happen.
It might also be a good time to see if you can take a week or two off work to do something else. Whether it’s going away somewhere for a holiday or to visit family or friends, going on a couple of day trips you’ve always fancied doing, or just catching up with a few projects at home, a change of daytime scenery could do you good and boost your energy for your continuing job search.
We hope that this article has given you some useful information on how to decide whether to look for a new job and the best way of going about it.
Good luck! And if you need a personal loan to boost your finances – perhaps at short notice – to help you get the job of your dreams, remember that Loans 2 Go offer emergency loans that may be able to help.
For more useful lifestyle and financial tips, visit us here again soon at Loans 2 Go.
Loans 2 Go is a trading name of Loans 2 Go Limited, registered in England and Wales. Company number 4519020. ICO registration number Z720743X. Registered address: Bridge Studios, 34a Deodar Road, London SW15 2NN. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FRN 679836). *Payment by bank transfer once application approved, subject to our working hours of Monday to Friday: 8am to 8pm and Saturday 8am to 5pm. All loans are subject to eligibility & affordability criteria.
© 2024 Loans 2 Go. All rights reserved.
Is now a good time to consider changing jobs? 
