Career Moves: Five Things To Decide Before You Make Your Next One

Back in 2021 I wanted a four day week. Four days in my transformation role at the Bank, one day in my coaching practice.

I decided it couldn't be a thing. I was so certain my boss would say no that I told my husband the outcome. I told my best friend. I told my coach. I probably told the cat.

Then it occurred to me that I'd made the entire decision without ever asking him.

When I finally had the conversation, he not only thought I could do the role in four days, he offered to find me a mentor to help me navigate a big job on a reduced week. He didn't need time to think about it. He agreed on the spot.

Here's the thing... if you've ever read a position description and then spent three days working out whether you're good enough for it, this one's for you. Your career criteria comes first. Once you know what's right for you, you get to judge whether the job is good enough for you.

So here are the five things to decide before you make your next career step, and one caution that could save you an awful lot of upheaval.

Decision one: how you want to work

Full time, part time, contract or casual. One employer, or a portfolio career. Hybrid, remote, or in the office with actual humans.

And then the bit that's easy to skip: the work rhythm that supports your wellbeing. The one that lets you be good at this for years.

Write it down.

Decision two: where you want to work

Multinational, national brand, boutique or start up. Structured or dynamic. And which industries match your values.

This one can feel like a luxury, so it gets skipped. But the size and shape of an organisation decides how much room you get to move in it.

Decision three: who you want to work with

Do you want to lead a team or fly solo? Small team or large? Collaboration most days, or autonomy and a closed door?

Think about the mix of people and ages around you too, because they're the humans you'll be learning from.

Decision four: the work itself, in two parts

This is the one I'd underline twice.

Part one is what you're great at that also lights you up. Part two is where you want to stretch.

You need both. Enough of what you're good at to hold your confidence steady while you find your feet, plus enough newness to keep you growing and stop you getting bored. I call it the 80/20 Next Role Rule, and it's how you find a role that uses your strengths AND stretches you.

Decision five: your must-haves

Income. Annual leave. Development. Travel, or no travel.

And the small human ones, which matter just as much. A nine day fortnight. Never another 8am meeting.

Think of them as the conditions you do your best work in.

Once your five are written down, you have a filter. Every opportunity that lands goes through it, so you can make the call with confidence.

If you'd like to build yours properly, with the exercises and the vision work underneath it, that's exactly what Complete Career Clarity walks you through, for $27.

The caution: no sudden moves

Don't apply for anything until your criteria exists. And once it does, run it over your current role first.

Because this happens more often than you'd think. One of my clients did exactly that and realised her current role only needed a few tweaks and a conversation. She saved herself a whole lot of unnecessary upheaval.

A career move isn't always a new employer. Sometimes it's the same desk, renegotiated.

Your checklist, before you apply for anything

• How you want to work, including the rhythm that keeps you well
• Where you want to work, and which industries match your values
• Who you want to work with, and whether you're leading
• The work itself: what you're great at, plus where you'll stretch
• Your must-haves, the big ones and the small human ones
• Then, and only then, run it over your current role

If you want to go further on the role question itself, I've written about my top tip for working out what job you should do next, and about setting your own measures in Defining and measuring success.

So tell me, what's on your must-have list that you've never said out loud to an employer? I'd love for you to share it in the comments below.

See you in the next one. But until then, stay fabulous xx

Image credit: Haute Stock