You jump out of bed every workday with a smile on your face and a song in your heart. You can’t wait to get to your job. You love it. Even so, you should still be looking for something else.
Sounds contradictory, doesn’t it…maybe even a little dishonest. It feels like cheating in a way, like you’re continuing to scope out Tinder or Match.com even though you’ve entered a long-term relationship.
However, your career isn’t a romantic endeavor. Even though you love your current position and don’t really want to change jobs, there are good reasons why you should still keep looking. Here are four of the main ones:
Keep Control
Your career is just that: your career. You can’t entrust it to anyone else. That being said, much of what happens at your employer is out of your control. Bad management, bad luck, or even an unfavorable turn in the overall economy can lead to you losing your job.
Don’t just wait for these unfavorable events to happen. You have to keep control of your destiny. That means constantly testing the market and keeping a lookout for ways to advance.
Loyalty Has Its Limits
You give it your all at work. Unpaid overtime, taking work home, never using your sick days. You think this will buy you some leeway at the company if things should ever get rocky. You assume the firm will look out for you.
Unfortunately, that’s not usually how things work. Your loyalty isn’t always reciprocated. The extra effort you put in might earn you some near-term perks, but when times get rough, company managers will focus intently on the bottom line. You can’t count on the company to be there when you need it. In this way, you can’t think of it as disloyal to look at what’s out there.
Review Your Skills
The process of testing the job market provides a good way to learn about changes in the industry. It lets you know your options.
Searching for jobs lets you review changing industry standards about pay and performance requirements. Even if you stay at your current company, you’ll have a refined idea of your market value. This will help you when it comes to negotiation about raises and promotions.
Prevents Your Career from Getting Stale
You might love your job for now. But do it for another few years and see if you can muster the same enthusiasm. It’s important to keep evolving otherwise, you’ll eventually feel trapped and frustrated in a position you once adored.
Looking at potential other jobs prevents this. You remain open to opportunities and have a better idea of what’s out there. It helps you put your current job into context and allows you to plan for the future.
Planning a career should involve more than just waiting to get laid off. You need to actively participate in driving your professional life forward. A top-ranked recruiter, like PrideStaff, can give you the expertise to maximize your potential.
Contact PrideStaff today to learn more.
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