Don't be afraid to change jobs

I have a friend who recently received a call from a recruiter – went along these lines:

‘Hi – I got your details from someone about a vacancy I have, they thought you would be perfect for the role’.

After some discussion, seems indeed he will be perfect for the role AND it’s more money!

Snap hey?! Isn’t that everyone’s dream? To be headhunted for more money, because your reputation precedes you!!! Ok – if you have a background in sales, this is a pretty common occurrence, but for most people it can be a bit daunting. As a matter of fact, my friend was so caught off guard that he didn’t know what to do. So he called me (as I mentioned before, I have a sales background and have been headhunted a few times). He wanted some advice, seems he really likes the idea of the new role, but he has thought up about 100 excuses not to make time to attend the interview.

Now comes the fear

The more thought he has give to this new opportunity, the more filled with fear he gets: ‘what if they don’t like me’, ‘I’m not worth that much money’, ‘at least where I am now I know what I am in for’. He is now thinking that even though he is in a job where his appreciation is extremely low and his pay is on the bottom end of the scale, that at least he has a secure job.

People fear the unknown, the fear of failure (or for some success), the fear of making bad decisions – these can all be debilitating.

Why should you fight the fear

This is not uncommon – the media has us in a tizz about the lack of good jobs out there, we all know people who are finding it difficult at the moment and so it can be understood if your default mode is fear and rejection of opportunities. But what if this is exactly the opportunity for you! After all, if you have been sought out, you can guarantee that someone thinks highly of you! People don’t tend to recommend others if it will make them look bad!

How do you fight the fear

In simple terms, the known is better than the unknown – so assess the risks, break them down and look realistically at whether the ‘risk’ can be justified. If you are a naturally cautious person, look for some help and advice from someone who is a calculated risk taker!

• Ask yourself some questions:
• What do you stand to gain from taking the new job
• What is specifically worrying you about making the move
• What’s the worst thing that could happen
• What can you do if the worst thing happens
• What can you do to minimise the worst thing happening
• Are the negative thoughts I have about myself REALLY true

As you answer these questions, you might find that you can avoid the worst, you might find that you can address the worst in the job interview, you might find that you have made it bigger in your mind than it actually is.

Remember that failure is not the end of the world, in fact risk takers understand that failure is an opportunity to grow and learn. Indeed most failures are small compared with how large we make them in our minds! You can embrace the fear – as fear is always the feeling before a big breakthrough!

The bottom line is you DESERVE to better yourself and you shouldn’t let fear stand in the way – go on, get out there and reach for that dream!!