CRANY

If you are employed, the urge to resign from your current job might occur for any number of reasons. You might be exhausted from unexpectedly having to work overtime or feel annoyed by your unreasonably long commute. Maybe your supervisor’s discouraging attitude has become intolerable or you’ve witnessed undeserving colleagues receive promotions while your career remains static. Perhaps the opportunity for growth does not exist in your position, the nature of the work no longer interests you or you feel that you are being significantly underpaid. Such grievances are among the many catalysts for wanting to quit your job, and they are all certainly valid. The mistake that many professionals make, however, is failing to obtain another job prior to resigning. Quitting your current job without the security of a new one will likely pose serious consequences to your professional, financial and personal well-being.

From a professional standpoint, resigning prematurely can have harmful effects. Once you quit, you can’t truly determine how long it will take for you to find new employment. Being out of the workforce for some unknown length of time is a major risk to your career development for three main reasons: First, the longer you are unemployed, the less valuable you become in the eyes of hiring managers. When you aren’t working, you lose – to an extent – professional assets such as industry knowledge and technical skills. Employers therefore prefer candidates who are gainfully employed. Secondly, when you are unemployed, you lose your power to negotiate compensation; since you are essentially earning $0, a prospective employer will not be inclined to make you the strongest offer. Thirdly, if you do find a job after a significant period of unemployment, there’s a strong possibility that you will have taken the job out of desperation, only to realize that the role is a poor fit. Putting yourself in that type of situation will probably lead you right back to where you began – yearning to resign.

Quitting your job too soon can also be detrimental financially. Again, the time it will take to secure a new position is uncertain, especially in this troubled economy, so – unless you have unlimited financial resources – you’ll be jeopardizing your financial security. Even if you have saved enough money to last several months, you can’t guarantee your funds will be sufficient when you lack a steady income. As a further financial consequence of quitting too hastily, you may be ineligible for unemployment benefits. Although dissatisfaction with your current salary may be your motivation for quitting, it’s much better to have an income than to have none at all.

Last, but not least, be mindful of the impact that an untimely resignation will have on you personally. Indefinite unemployment disrupts your daily routine and can leave you feeling unproductive and unstructured. While resigning prematurely may not bring about the sense of failure or embarrassment triggered by a termination, it can create tremendous frustration for you in the long run. Even if your current position is in some way psychologically straining, be aware that quitting without another job will intensify your distress.

Given the negative professional, financial and personal effects of leaving your job without a new one, you should adhere to the “golden rule” of resignation: You are much are better off remaining in your current position than subjecting yourself to indefinite unemployment.

As a professional seeking new employment, you might find yourself asking, “Why should I use a recruiter for my job search when I can rely fully on internet job boards?” Although technology has certainly facilitated the hiring process, this common assumption fails to consider an abundance of additional resources that are offered only by recruiters. The following is a list of the 10 major advantages that can be gained through the use of a recruitment firm:

1. Experience the refreshment of a human touch through the job search process.
Looking for jobs without a recruiter’s assistance can often feel impersonal. It may seem that employers only care about your qualifications, your resume and your ability to express yourself clearly and competently during interviews, without much regard for your individual needs. Recruiters, on the other hand, introduce a human element into the job search process; they understand, for example, candidates’ dissatisfaction in their current jobs, and genuinely want to help job seekers find roles that will enhance their quality of life and present opportunities for growth.

2. Obtain new insights about your field of interest.
Functioning as gurus in your niche market, recruiters can provide incredibly beneficial information to job seekers. They are knowledgeable about the status of the job market, and are aware of which firms are looking to expand and which are looking to downsize. Additionally, recruiters are very familiar with the responsibilities, requirements and base salaries for a wide variety of positions within your field.

3. Access positions that have not yet been publicized
Through their direct relationships with hiring managers, recruiters are often made aware of new positions before they appear on public job boards. In the event that a non-publicized opportunity fits your background, a recruiter can let you know about it before the rest of your competition finds out. As a result, you will vie for the position with a significantly smaller applicant pool, thereby increasing your chances for hire.

4. Learn how to improve your interview performance.
Since recruiters want only to see their candidates succeed, they will be happy to coach on how to best perform in an interview. Recruiters can offer guidance as to what types of questions will be asked and what types of responses will be deemed favorable.

5. Let yourself be presented to an employer by a reputable source.
When you apply for a position on your own, the employer most likely will have no idea who you are; you are merely a resume without a face or personality. By allowing yourself to be presented to the company by a recruiter, however, you bolster your chances of getting an interview through your connection to a credible source who can “sell” you to the employer.

6. Diminish the burden of your own job search efforts.
As a professional looking to transition to a new job, you may dread the idea of having to devote countless hours to browsing job postings. The role of the recruiter is to do much of the legwork for you. While you should not rely on recruiters entirely to guide you through your job search, they can certainly lighten the load on your otherwise busy schedule.

7. Expand your network.
A particular recruiter may not always have access to your ideal position immediately or be fully knowledgeable of the technical aspects of your search. They do, however, have a network of other recruiters in their firm who will likely be aware of a future opportunity or will be able to assist you with your particular area of professional specialty.

8. Know in advance exactly what the employer is looking for.
While employers generally include a list of requirements for available positions, it is possible that some of their preferences will not be mentioned in the job posting. Recruiters, however, are given specific instructions for selecting candidates. They can let candidates know which skills to highlight in a resume, cover letter or interview to best appeal to the employers’ needs.

9. Gather valuable feedback after an interview.
Most of the time, employers do not provide helpful feedback to candidates who are passed over. Those who are turned down after an interview are simply told that they have not been selected for the position, without further information. However, employers will often provide recruiters with specific reasons for rejection, which can then be relayed back to the candidates. Constructive criticism is necessary in helping candidates refine their approach in future interviews.

10. Develop a long-term relationship for future opportunities.
Working with a recruiter to find a new job is not necessarily a one-time engagement; by securing a new position with the help of a recruiter, you know that you can depend on him or her to assist you again in the future. A strong relationship with your recruiter can help you to acquire other opportunities as you progress in your career.

The majority of professionals, including those in Accounting, Finance, IT and Administration, pursue job searches in a similar fashion. Typically, individuals look for new employment by browsing through and responding to Internet postings and possibly networking with other professionals. While these techniques are certainly viable and necessary components of the job search, they alone are not sufficient. The competitive landscape of today’s job market requires professionals to extend their employment searches beyond traditional methods; specifically, job seekers should utilize the Internet to promote their personal “brand.” Personal branding is a strategy that allows for the demonstration of unique strengths and achievements to differentiate yourself from the competition. As recruiters increasingly use the Internet to source candidates for new roles, professionals who have not yet invested in the formation of a strong online presence are at a serious disadvantage. The following article provides some essential suggestions for creating and sustaining an effective online brand.

The first and most challenging part of establishing an online brand is to conceptualize what sets you apart from others in the job market. This process includes the assessment of professional ambitions, values, strengths and interests. The conscious identification of these traits allows you to move beyond the confines of the traditional professional description methods, such as resumes, to more specialized and effective communication about yourself. Through the proper combination of these qualities, you can effectively utilize your online personal brand.

The next step is to understand how to efficiently use the most popular social media websites, namely LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter. Recruiters and employers will almost certainly search for potential candidates on these, so it is highly recommended that you both set up and maintain a presence on all three of these social networks. For LinkedIn, the most crucial online tool for job seekers, you should be certain to fill out your profile thoroughly and update it regularly. Particularly important aspects of using LinkedIn include key words, highlighting past accomplishments, obtaining recommendations and joining relevant networking groups. For Facebook and Twitter, in addition to obvious guidelines, such as not sharing offensive or inappropriate material, users are encouraged to generate content about their own field-related interests. Professionals should be careful to limit themselves to just a few major social networking accounts; joining too many will make it difficult to effectively scale your brand and maintain an active presence on all sites.

After some initial professional social media involvement, job seekers should advance to more sophisticated online branding techniques, specifically the creation of your own domain name and/or blog. The domain or blog name should ideally be the professional’s first and last name. If unavailable, some variation of the name and career interest or certification can be combined; for instance, www.SarahJohnsonCISA.com could be used as an alternative. In addition to generating positive Google search results, a personal professional website can serve as an easy resource for recruiters and employers looking for more detailed and lively information about a candidate. The website should provide links to both the owner’s resume, as well as all active social media accounts.

The importance of a well-maintained online presence is not limited to those who want to change jobs. Even professionals who are perfectly happy in their current jobs should be implementing these recommendations. The desire or need to find new work can arise unexpectedly, so it is useful to be prepared by having at least the foundation of an online brand built in advance. Further, those who are comfortably employed and have established a professional Internet presence can have the opportunities to network, earn tremendous respect from their peers and continuously educate themselves about new industry developments.
Building an online presence requires dedication, frequent upkeep and a substantial amount of virtual interaction with others on the Internet. However, active online personal branding is significantly more effective than merely searching for jobs without fully highlighting your personality and talents.