It's a new year. A new dawn, a new day, and after a well-deserved break, a fresh start for many of us. But is now a great time to think about a chasing a new job?
In short... YES.
The job market is buoyant at the moment. Jobs outnumber good candidates, and SEEK advertising has surpassed pre-pandemic levels.
It’s a great time to move
If you’re a jobseeker, you have every reason to be feeling pretty good about it right now – it's a great time to be looking for a new job.
Salaries are being driven up as employers scramble to find and hire the best workers, and there is more opportunity than ever to work in a flexible environment.
The Kinexus Defence Industry Insights – Eighth Edition showed that national salaries had increased by 1.3% from 2020 to 2021, with the highest rise experienced in Victoria (1.9%) and New South Wales (1.7%).
Our 2021 Defence workforce survey showed that more workers than ever showed high levels of confidence in defence industry providing them a long-term career. In a year when work-life balance (including flexible work) became of paramount importance, many employers are now offering this as standard.
With the Australia worker-shortage becoming chronic, many jobseekers consider now to be the perfect time to change roles and pursue new opportunities.
Be cool, be considered
While now it is undoubtedly a great time to look for fresh opportunities, there are certain factors that jobseekers should consider.
Just because so many others are resigning, that doesn’t mean it is the right thing for you. As a wise person once said, the grass isn’t always greener on the other side, and each jobseeker should make an independent evaluation to determine if this is the right time for them.
As Defence contracts get awarded and organisations grow, some employers may experience strain as that growth outpaces their systems and processes. This can lead to clunky onboarding and slow starts.
COVID is still very much part of Australian’s everyday lives, and that means that for many of us onboarding and training in a new role will be done online. It’s worth considering the impact of this, especially when searching for support and advice as a new team member.
Workers have experienced huge attitude changes towards remote and flexible working during the pandemic, and many organisations are happy to adopt these for the long term.
Misunderstandings around what flexible work means (is that just location? Or hours too?) and how hybrid workplaces function (are there set days you’re expected to be in the office?) can lead to disappointment. Due diligence is advised.
The worker shortage is not going away any time soon, and workers should consider their long-term goals before jumping ship.
Job hopping is not a good look in defence industry, where reputation really matters. Taking the first opportunity that comes along might not be the best way forward.
In conclusion…
The market is hot, most skills are in demand and increased salaries are on offer. Organisations are exploring more creative ways to keep their employees happy, so it’s only natural to want to consider how you can benefit from this.
Before diving in headfirst, take some time to consider your long term career ambitions. Ensure any prospective employers have the systems in place to onboard you seamlessly, and that your flexible work preferences are aligned.
So update your resume, fine-tune your LinkedIn profile and brush up on your interview skills. But think, before you leap.
Did you know we opened an office in Canberra? Headed up by our very own Tom Butters, we're looking forward to seeing all you Canberrans much more regularly.
Photo by Tim Mossholder on Unsplash.
