Changing Job!
Posted in Work on 12/20/2006 03:22 pm by sudha lakhera
But, before attending to the expected ‘millions of job offers’ (once ‘they’ discover ‘I’ am out in the job market) am faced with the huge challenge of compiling a resume! Over the years I have edited and scripted many a resume successfully but when it comes to one for myself - I am at sea! In desperation, I share a three page (resumes should be brief but descriptive they say) thesis on myself and ask my friends for their inputs. My masterpiece in the making in trashed and I now have on hand a dozen resumes none of which look like mine 
Some of these resumes could sure land me a plum job, going by the content, I seem to not only be doing my CEO’s job but also putting the entire management to shame with my dedication, productivity and hard work.
Next to tackle is the covering note. None of the sites, HR professionals or books agree on this one. Whatever, you churn out is either too verbose, too bland, too long, too short…uff!
Now that I am the proud owner of a passable ‘resume’ (still doesn’t do justice to my immense talent and experience ;)) and a covering letter what next? Simple float the resume around, talk to some consultants and wait for the emails and calls to flow… Damn! all this time there was no dearth of opportunity and now, all of a sudden, there seems to be a drought in the job market
So why am I “looking at a job change?” Asks every other cliched interviewer. “Because I need change and also a larger packet to take home” I want to say. However, putting on my best professional tone I talk of having ‘reached the zenith of my career with my current employer’, how much ‘I want to use my skills’ to help xyz company ’scale new heights’, how I wasn’t contemplating change but when I heard of an opportunity with ‘this!’ company I couldn’t resist etc etc… Next comes ‘What do you know about this company?’ ‘Mostly everything that can be found on the net!’ would be a suitable retort but no!. I talk as though, I have been researching the organization with single minded devotion for the past six months and hoping to add a couple of thousand to my package, stress on their excellent human resource practices
Faced with another dilemma - this time an ethical one, of going for interviews on company time - your’s truly makes a clean breast of her intentions to the CEO. He promptly awards her with instruction to serve a months notice with a few additional days thrown in for good measure. After all a replacement has to be found and inducted…!
So here I am, at my old desk trying to document, handover, induct, clean up my system, give explanations, bid farewell and counsel my team who seem to have developed ‘wont let you go’ syndrome
And the interviews? Well, I just don’t seem to have enough time on working days and the recruiters don’t seem very excited about seeing me on a non working one
Do I see my boss smirking?
Your musings on changing job is indeed amusing. The tons of tailor made and dry cleaned resumes projecting the brand new self is common these days. The tepid approach towards the end all these exercies is something I could identify with and made me smile:). I enjoyed reading this post…….love…PGR
Nice post and very well written.
Enjoyed the post! Had myself been thru some of the points you mentioned - having changed jobs 3 to 4 times! I felt the time after you give your letter till you get releaved is great to enjoy;-) Envious colleagues, relaxed days, etc! Ah, am I not looking for another change now, eh! You surely captured all the points!
In-between-jobs is possibly the only time when people feel “happy”, and it is a gr8 idea to have a longish gap between jobs. Nicely written and you bring out the dilemmas and anxieties really well.
SO longg later a post! Job change.. wheww that sure can be a task.. but hey show them that you are working as a consultant/freelancer so that they are conviced that you are not rusting there but are nrerely taking a “break”!!
thats a crazy thing to do. announce you are changing jobs before landing up on a job.
amusing muse…seems u muse on everything under the sun!….had blast wid the pici:)
Amusing…just as your handle suggests….but in case if you do know that Sandy is the interviewer then please ask what Howard Roark asked while he was interviewed….”Do you have work for ME to work?”, may be you can decide to stress that ME a little longer so that you show that punch and knock out Sandy…errr…..interviewer
The-in-between times, at times, are great fun. You are in between a current and a future job. You are perhaps looking a little irreverentially at your boss, at your colleagues, at work. The boss is a trifle scared of you.You are trying your best to be a cat and not have dog( loyal) like emotions. You have new respect for your current job. But you have decided enough is enough. You are anxious of the new place, what it has in store. But excited alright. I like your muse. It is like your name sake. Cheers!
Next time u go for an interview and someone asks why do you want to change jobs, just ask first if they want the truth or something you make up - it adds a sense of humour, you come across as smart and honest and go ahead and tell them I have a lot of ambitions in life and the pay there really isnt enough. Next question is usually what are you expecting…state what you expect. If they say, isnt that a bit too much, tell them you are worth every bit of it and that if they dont give u an opportunity they will never find out what they have missed! - I”m a human resources head, this is how I”d take it
Oh all the angst of jobs and their workings thank god I”m not so well paid I really don”t have mush expectation - I want them to finance my basics and let me write! Besided more money more work and I”m too lazy and love my hammock more! Great post AM funny and clever!!