Moving jobs in 2018? Here’s a 4 step guide to starting the process

1. Really consider what you want from a new role

To think about what your next job will involve and to form the basis of your job search discussions, it is firstly important for you to have an understanding of what you enjoy doing, what duties you dislike and those that you are indifferent to, but which are just necessary for your specialist area. It is also practical to think about what skills you are keen to develop and the skills which you truthfully know need developing. To get to this breakdown you should make lists on all the aforementioned points. Salary is also key to include and so note down your current remuneration breakdown and reflect on what sort of salary you are open to.

2. Your CV

If you do not have one, you will need to write a CV or update your existing one. This can initially sound like a large task, but actually once you have the framework in place, it is easy to then add duties, projects and skills to it. My advice is to write an initial CV, print it out so it is handy to make notes on, and then over the course of a week, add additional points to it as you remember them. There is a lot of advice on the internet on the best CV framework and what to include, and do not be concerned about keeping your CV to two pages – this is an urban myth! However, 4 pages is really the maximum length considering the amount of time a hiring manager will spend when reviewing a CV.

3. Contact Brewer Morris

At Brewer Morris we recruit across all industries on the in-house tax side; across the accountancy firms – Big 4 through to independent firms; as well as into the law firms. I specialise in recruiting for the Big 4 so can give you an overview of the market and where the trends are as I am in regular contact with Tax Partners and Directors and so have a good understanding of both their current and future needs. Once your CV has been written, I will happily review it and make recommendations where required. I will be able to discuss your current salary and what you can expect to get in your next move; and importantly talk you through the opportunities in the market and how they fit in with your career plans. This will then form the first stage of your job search, moving to the next step which is to make the applications.

4. Network

Finally, if you have a good network then utilise it. Contact old colleagues and friends in your professional network – meet up for coffee, lunch, drinks or simply send an email; and use your contacts to get a different view of the market. By contacting your network regarding your job search, you are allowing yourself to have focused conversations with familiar faces and you will gain wider market knowledge from varying perspectives, which in turn may highlight different opportunities to explore and thus widening your job search.

What are you waiting for? Get into the driving seat of your 2018 career move.