We will regularly publish career advice for our candidates. This one is aimed at people with up to 5 years experience.
Key learnings:
- When is the right time to move?
- Should you specialise?
- When you can expect a payrise?
- When can you move internationally?
As the job market accelerates globally, we have compiled a quick guide aimed at answering those questions candidates have when evaluating their career.
Evaluating where you are in your career is a great way to keep yourself focused and interested in what you do. You need to make a list of what is important to you, ask yourself the hard questions and put the wheels in motion.
This can be a confronting process, but is also liberating. It is a great time to ask yourself what you like doing, where you want to be in five/ten years’ time and figuring out how to get there, as well as the following:
When is the right time to move?
Candidates often ask how long they should stay in a job before making a move. Everyone’s situation is different but the most common reasons for changing jobs at this level are changes in management, limited promotion opportunities, a desire to work in a different type of business or in a different role; or it could just be as simple as a contract position that has ended. We ran the numbers on placements* and found that 48% of Executives change employer within three years with a further 30% changing within five years.
*All placements at this level
Should you specialise?
We find that most Executive positions are generalist and include both BD & Marketing elements in the role so it is a common that people at this level raise this question. It is actually a great time to make an evaluation of your career, identifying what your next move will be and making sure it is inline with your career goals.
People at this level tend to make the move across from BD to Marketing or vice-versa very well and while specialising can be a beneficial to your career, it also can be a risk so we advise that you consider the following:
- What skills do you need to build: Ask for a job description for your specialism of choice and find the gaps between your experience and the role you want next. Where are you lacking experience? What can you do in your current job to gain this? Some firms hire on the candidate’s potential so it can make a big difference if they can see that you have done everything you can in your current firm to gain experience. There is a big difference between saying you want it and actually making it happen. Show your next employer your commitment to it.
- What you enjoy in your role: This one seems obvious but can be underrated. If you are able to identify what areas in your current role you enjoy, you will be in a better position to make an informed decision as to what you will be losing or gaining in your next role.
- Where the market is going: This is ever changing but at the moment, in addition to generalist BD & Marketing experience, the skills that are predominantly sought after by our clients are pitch/proposals management and client relationship development.
Can you expect a pay rise?
Yes, you can. Based on our placements, on average candidates received between 5-10% increase from their previous role. At the same time candidates are more than ever considering making a move based on the opportunity rather than the salary but predominantly get an increase as well.
To research what your salary potential you can use our Unique Salary Benchmarking Tool available in SRound™ .
Where can you move to get an international career?
If you are considering an international move for your career, then there has never been a better time to explore opportunities; there are usually always Executive/Advisor roles in Australia, Hong Kong and greater China, Dubai, Singapore, New Zealand and the UK. Clients in these locations are regularly hiring at this level and are very willing to look at candidates looking to come in and gain international experience. Some of the Asia based roles look for Mandarin language skills but not all. Many of our clients are willing to relocate candidates. We provide career guides on various locations.
This guide cannot replace real time advice and so we welcome an opportunity to speak with you at any time to discuss your own questions and advise you on current opportunities. Please contact us.
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