Perhaps your job is great! Things are swell and you have the perfect mix of performance and growth opportunities. That’s why today is the right time to interview with another organization. A piece of career advice I once received, and which has stood the test of time for myself and others, is to “interview once a year whether you need to or not.” Why’s that? Doesn’t interviewing mean you hate your job and need to quit? Not necessarily – here’s 6 reasons why:
- You never know when you’ll need your interview skills, and it’s important to keep them sharp. You may unexpectedly find yourself in need of a job, or with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, where your interview performance will be key. By interviewing once a year, you’ll ensure those skills are ready.
- Interviewing helps us process our story. Our careers tell a tale, and in an interview we often have to repeat our story of challenges and successes to others. Interviewing puts us in a position to hone this story and actively reflect to confirm it’s the journey we want to be leading.
- Our resumes and social presence stays fresh. The interview process is the perfect time to tweak your resume, update LinkedIn, and post to other social sites. It’s far easier to incrementally maintain these important documents than to have to do major updates later.
- We learn a lot during an interview. Approach an interview as much with your ears as your mouth. How does the organization operate? How do they approach the role you have, or the one you want? What can you take back to your current role and organization to make it the best yet.
- You’ll find new reasons to love your current role. Over the years at an organization, you lose the passion from the ‘honeymoon’ phase when you were first hired. You now know all the warts and downsides to your role. However, an interview will show you that other companies have the same, or worse, faults. This can be a healthy reality check and reinvigorate your love for your job.
- Career pathing should consider opportunities elsewhere. You’ll learn during the interview more about your strengths, and your growth opportunities, for your role at any organizations. Or reach higher and see how you compare to the next position you want. You’ll better know what you should be learning and developing to be relevant and exceptional in the industry. Be sure to ask for feedback after the interview to get all the info you can.
With these great reasons to interview, not even listing the fact that you might find and get your dream job, it’s time to take action. Over several years of interviewing, I’ve found the best approach is to be honest and transparent with your boss. Using the reasons above, explain why you find it important to interview at least once a year. There’s a lot in it for your boss! You are making the offer to go out, become re-energized, bring home new ideas, and help craft your development plan. Plus it’s a great conversation starter with your boss about what’s motivating and demotivating for you right now. I’ve had all my bosses be on board with the plan and it’s only made our relationships stronger. It may get you on a list with HR that you’re looking around, so be sure to also formally close the process with your boss by having a debrief when you’re done.
Go out, interview, and best of luck!
Further Reading