What should influence your decision to take a new role?

Career considerations Ellis Fox Blog

If you’re a senior professional in construction, it’s likely you’re getting calls and emails from recruiters every week, asking if you’re interested in making a move. Some find this annoying, others unbalancing, yet for others it opens a door to considering new opportunities.

Your response can be telling, highlighting how you really feel about your current job as well as your career path. Whether you decide to stay or move is a very personal choice, likely based on current responsibilities and priorities.

It’s a good thing to be in a job where you can be confident other opportunities aren’t for you. Saying no doesn’t mean you lack ambition or have stagnated in your career progression. There may be ample opportunities where you are to apply your knowledge while continuing to be challenged.

Still, in the current job market, skills are in high demand and short supply. Companies know they need to make good offers to get the skills they need, but it’s about more than money. What makes an offer worthwhile? Here are a few factors to consider:

Work pressure and expectations:

Senior positions carry responsibility and with that expectations to deliver. It’s good to be challenged and stretched, but are expectations realistic? Finding out more about the company culture, how projects are managed and what resources are provided to support the team, can give an indication of what to expect, should you take on the new role.

Projects and new technology:

Working on projects you know you add value to are very attractive. They needn’t be high profile projects to contribute to your career expertise. Even mastering new technologies and systems can help you to advance your career

Flexibility in working:

Hybrid and remote working are possible for most senior roles. If this is something that’s important for you, get clarity on the remote working policy. Flexibility can vary, from working on site and fully remote as much as you want, to only allowing one day a week working from home. The amount of leave you get, as well as when you can take it or bank it, is another question to ask.

For a new opportunity to be worthwhile it needs to fit with your lifestyle. When you know what’s important to you in terms of career rewards and life balance, it’s easier to evaluate opportunities that come your way.