New Year – New Goals
As we get closer to the end of the holiday season, new found optimism and anticipation for things to come in the New Year arises. With a fresh start in the New Year, there are many things to consider as you make your list of New Year’s resolutions and personal goals. One area that you should definitely cover if you are in the process of looking for or considering a new job in 2016 is your personal/professional criteria that have to be met to accept a new role.
We’ve been taught to look at the obvious – salary, bonus, vacation time, health benefits and other perks. We also try to determine if we are compatible with the culture and whether we will like our new supervisors, managers and executives.
While these are important things to consider, there are other conditions that you must evaluate to make the best decision possible for yourself. After all, you could be making more money, but it could be at the cost of working 60 + hours a week.
So as you jot down those New Year goals, think of some questions to help you make an informed decision about either advancing your current position or changing roles. Consider the following:
- Where will you contribute the most value? Will this new job provide more opportunities for you to make a difference?
- Will others be more appreciative of your talents and contributions?
- How does the opportunity line up with your career aspirations? Does it provide opportunities to advance to the next level?
- How does this job fit with your personal life? What about the commute?
- Work/life balance – is this job going to burn you out fast? Or does it provide a sense of overall balance, even though you may have to put in extra hours from time to time?
- Does this company’s values line up with your own?
Making the best decision doesn’t have to be stressful. It’s really a combination of using your head and your heart to make your choice. You need to evaluate more factors than salary, bonus, and the other obvious criteria; it means going a bit broader and deeper, and answering those questions that will help you get a clear picture of this new opportunity and how it will impact you in 2016.