As the summer comes to an end and the dark nights draw in, many start getting restless in their roles. Here are my top tips for what you need to think through:

Why are you looking?

This could be anything from a boss who is inconsistent, being bored in your current role or not having that pay rise you were looking for. My first suggestion is to voice your concerns internally. By speaking to your boss or other managers within your company, it might be something that could be resolved. Active candidates will spend days on end applying for new roles, and on average use up nearly a week of annual leave to attend interviews. It might be worth exhausting all avenues internally before you commit to finding a new role – you have to be thorough in making your decision to avoid any temptation to stay.

What do you want from your next role?

This sounds simple but again before you start your search it will be good to sit down and work out your priorities. You won’t be able to tick every box but core priorities include: the content of the role, the team culture and structure, the brand, salary and location but it’s important that you work out what your priorities are before you walk into a fancy office with a large salary in a company that doesn’t offer you anything else on your list at all.

Location, Location, Culture…

The location of a new job can be as important as getting a new home. Whilst that two hour commute may seem feasible, even in the winter with leaves on the line or yet another motorway crash, location is going to be important – not just for the work life balance but missing that 9am meeting three weeks in a row will hinder your success within the role. The culture will also make such a difference – the job may be great but if the culture isn’t right will you enjoy it?

Flexibility

My last top tip is be flexible. A slight contradiction to all of the above but if the role doesn’t tick all the right boxes on paper, actually meeting with companies and understanding their culture and motivations may open doors you never expected. Growing your network, working with two or three trusted recruiters and making the right first impressions with a well thought out CV will ensure you get the best result for the next step in your career.

Zoe is a Senior Consultant in London and isn’t ready for a new job just yet!