I often read headlines that inform us that age discrimination is a really big problem, with the Age Discrimination Commissioner stating that unemployment among older Australians is a national disaster.

Figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics show that one-third of older people who have given up looking for work say it is because employers think they are too old.  In addition a staggering 68% of all age discrimination complaints to the Human Rights and Equal Opportunity Commission in Australia are about employment. [Read more…]

When you start to get frustrated with your job, sometimes it is easy to think it would be a great idea to leave and find another job.  This attitude is very prevalent amongst job-hoppers, who quickly switch jobs as a result of boredom, frustration, or a perceived, or actual conflict with other staff members or management.  But sometimes it is important to have a serious think about staying in a job, rather than leaving – and below is some valid points you need to consider as to why it might be a good idea to stay, rather than leave.

Being perceived as a job-hopper can be detrimental to your career

In a booming economy, if you are a skilled worker, then it is probably not going to be that detrimental if you have a record of job-hopping.  However, as the job market retracts (as with the current market), it will be more difficult to secure a new job and employers will prefer to employ someone with a stable work history to someone with an unstable work history.  If you have been through several jobs in the last year or so, you need to seriously consider staying put.

Excessive personal debt

If your finances are stretched to the limit, (mortgage, credit card debt, personal loans), moving jobs is a much greater risk.  Obviously if you can secure a higher paying position, then great, but make sure that the job is secure, the costs associated with taking the new job is minimal and that you are confident that the probation period is not going to be a problem for you.

No job to go to

It is not always a good idea to leave, without another job to go to.  Even assuming that you don’t need to work to make a living, or you can cover costs for an extended period of time – generally it is easier to find work, if you are in a job, rather than out of a job.  Plus it is way more stressful finding a job, when you are effectively unemployed, so it is best not to leave without a new job, unless there are extenuating circumstances at work, or at home.

No idea what you want to do

Unless you have a really good understanding of what you want to do, then don’t leave, just because you are bored or frustrated, as otherwise you could end up in another similar job, or situation.  Make sure you are clear as to what sort of job you want, and if necessary, get career counselling.

Is the job that bad?

Before you leave, carefully consider your current position and assess your options.  So often people convince themselves that they are being underpaid, but in reality are being paid the average market rate.  You also need to weigh up the various options, as it might be the job, rather than the organisation that is making you disillusioned or bored with your lot.  Remember, a change won’t necessarily mean that you end up in a better work environment or position, so do your homework before you leave.

Let’s face it – the only time you worry about finding a new job is when you need one.  Upon being made redundant or finally making the decision to move on, we take action, including updating our resume, sending out job applications and networking furiously.

However, this concept of only taking action on your career when you need a new job will no longer serve you in the very near future.  Recruiting practices are changing rapidly and those that take steps to cement their LinkedIn profile and online brand will be the winners in this new landscape.

The Job Board

Currently the job board dominates the recruiting landscape in Australia, in particular the large job boards such as SEEK.  Employers, recruiters and headhunters use the job board to attract talent.  While the job board has been a very successful mechanism – its success has also resulted in some serious problems for employers, namely employers being inundated by unqualified job applicants.  The result of this inundation for job seekers is that there is a very low success rate (with applications getting overlooked) and the administrative need for HR to resort to technologies such as applicant tracking systems (ATS) and talent getting overlooked, due to the flawed nature of ATS systems.

With many employers and recruiters recognizing job board shortcomings, they are moving to other methods to find and retain talent, such as social media and LinkedIn.

For example, with LinkedIn, employers and recruiters can find the right talent and bypass the need to process hundreds of job applications.  LinkedIn is also increasingly optimizing and changing its business model so it becomes the first port of call for recruiters and employers to find and employ talent.

So my prediction (along with many others in the sector) is that job boards will eventually go the same way as the hard copy newspaper.  There will be a core client base, but the market share will diminish.  What this means for you is that you need to continually work on and optimize your LinkedIn profile, even while employed.

Individual online brands

A staggering number of employers check out potential employers through a Google search and an increasing number of employers and recruiters won’t hire a person based on what they find online.

In the same way a consumer checks out the credibility of a service or product online, employers are checking out potential employees online.  What this means is those job seekers and professionals that have a strong and positive online brand will be chosen over those that don’t.  So to be successful now and into the future, you need to control your online brand and identity.

To control your online brand, you need to start getting strategic about what you share online and more importantly shape what is online about you. My prediction is that an online brand is going to become increasingly important for professionals and executives now and into the future.  To ensure that you take advantage of this future – now is the time to lock down your Facebook page (so only those within your circle can access your private life) and register your name as a domain name (for future development of an online resume, blog or website).  Even if you don’t use this domain name, you protect yourself from someone else using your name online and if someone has beaten you to it, your options will be a lot more limited in the future.