After 5, 10 or 15 years in the same company, it's normal to have professional doubts, to wonder about the meaning of your job or your working conditions. Moving on to the next stage in your career is becoming increasingly tempting. But what do you do after working in the same place for so long?
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Why is it difficult to change companies?
When you started working there, you probably never imagined you'd stay with the same employer for so long. And if you're already tired from your current full-time job and family lifeit will seem all the more it's hard to muster the energy to start looking for a new job.
You joined your company for a specific assignment, and then stayed for five years, ten years or even longer. You opted for a stable job and knew what to expect on a day-to-day basis. You've probably progressed, moved on, climbed the ladder. You're familiar with your colleagues, your commute, the canteen, your benefits. In a nutshell, you're in a certain comfort zone, and part of you dreads shaking it with new experiences.
This inertia is linked to fear of change and reluctance to compromise. Dreading your departure when you've spent several years with the same company is quite understandable. normal.
But over time, you've started to feel like you've stagnated, that you've put down roots, and you can't find your way around. You may no longer be aware of your professional valuebecause fear and inertia make you doubt.
You will probably find yourself in one or more of these situations:
- You think you know what you're worth here but you don't know what you're worth in another company. You're recognised internally for what you do, but you don't know what your experience is worth elsewhere. And you're increasingly afraid of losing your employability.
- It's been a while since things aren't going well in your current job, and you're beginning to doubt your skills. You start to worry about your value on the job market.
- You have the impression that what you can do, many can also do. You're no longer aware of your expertise. This fear is irrational and stems from the fact that you haven't had to deal with the reality of changing jobs for a long time. If that were the case, you'd know that most new jobs require an adjustment and learning phase once you've joined a new employer, regardless of the expertise of the new recruit!
By imagining leave your job and your companyYou're anticipating that you're going to have to lose certain habits and the comfort of your routine. You see the sacrifices you have to make to change jobs, and you may be tempted (usually unwittingly) to sabotage your chances.. Or you start to tell yourself that your current job may not be so unbearable and that this personal project can wait. You play it down, closing your eyes more and more to what's going wrong. And you come back to your original question Is it really a good decision to give up the job you're so familiar with? CQFD!
How do you change company after several years?
Define your "why change" but above all your "why change". now "
Understanding why you want to change company will help you focus on the end goal. It will motivate you to find space for your job search instead of filling that space with anger or fear.
But don't forget to define the "why now". This will encourage you to dare to take action and take the first step towards a new opportunity.
Work in small steps, it's easier than climbing Everest in one go
Starting a job search from scratch can be daunting and disorientating, especially if your last job interview was when you were single and/or without children !
Methods have evolved with new generations of graduates. So take your time and work step by step. Don't get into a race to the bottom where signing your new contract with your next company is the jackpot. First of all, take the time to explore the job market and assess how your assets match up to it.before thinking about building a new CV along those lines.
Remember all the times you've already managed to leave.
It's only human not to want to take unnecessary risks. But if the risk is the dissatisfaction of stagnating in your professional life, is it really the right choice for you? Especially as you've no doubt already experienced making difficult decisions to leave something or someone, while recognising that it was for the best? Think, for example, of getting divorced or selling a house you've been happy in... So many tough choices, but in the end they proved to be worth it for your personal development.
How do you explain his resignation after so many years with the company?
You are the key to your explanation.
Does your current job enable you to achieve your goals and your career development? Why emphasise your / yours? Don't start with the company (what it has or hasn't done for you recently, how it treats you...). Talk about yourself, your needs and your career development. Your company may regret your departure, but it will not be able to tell you that your needs or career plans are not legitimate: they are yours, and by definition they are legitimate.
For example, if you say "I feel I've done all I can do in my job", that's your opinion - you're neither right nor wrong. But saying "you can't offer me any new career prospects" is leaving the company, putting the responsibility for your decision on your employer. This will expose you to a "right/wrong" debate.
How can coaching help you make a smooth change of company after several years?
Coaching to help you focus on what you can control
Recruitment processes differ from one company to another and take varying amounts of time. Some have a maximum of two interviews, while others may have six or seven, with tests and reference checks. Some take a few weeks to hire, others a few months. And some companies change their job descriptions or salaries after the advertisement has been published or after an interview phase, without you knowing why.
You have no control over these factors.
Similarly, you have no way of knowing whether you are a good fit with the company's culture. And you have no way of knowing how many interviews you'll have to go through before you find the job that's right for you, or why a hunter who has been hunting you assiduously evaporates at some point.
Professional coaching will help you to avoid getting stuck on those things that will sap your energy and keep you going round and round without making any progress in your job search. This type of support will enable you to focus on what you can control to maintain your positive momentum.
Coaching to prepare you to overcome the difficulties and rejections inherent in any job search
It's never pleasant to be told "thank you but your profile doesn't match" or "your application, although very interesting...". Not to mention experiencing this several times in a row. These small blows to the ego can quickly turn into big blows of demotivation, especially when it's been a long time since you've tried your hand at job hunting.
Professional coaching will help you determine what you learned from each application experience, and then differentiate your role from what was out of your control in each negative hiring response.
Coaching to help you stay on course
As the weeks, and perhaps months, of searching go by, your motivation can waver, and routine can take over. After all, you always know what you're losing, without knowing what you're going to find in a new company.
Professional coaching will help you remember what no longer suits you in your current job and keep in mind that your needs and aspirations have evolved in recent years. Similarly, coaches are good people to talk to about what would happen if you stayed with your company for another year, two years, five years...
Ultimately, if you want to leave your company after staying for several years, you need to desensitise yourself to the fear of change so that new opportunities seem less and less frightening. To do this, start by indulging yourself while you warm up and shake off the rust.
