Keep up to date on articles and news and subscribe to my RSS feed. Thanks for visiting!

Switching jobs is huge step:

Getting a job offer can boost your sense of self-worth, give you an opportunity to beef up your resume, and make you tingle with excitement. But if you already have a good job, that enticing offer can also make you sick.

Why sick? Because if you decide to jump ship, there’s always a chance that the change could be a disaster. Your new boss could turn out to be a jerk.

Or — worst of all — the boss could tell you it’s just not working out.

On the other hand, life is all about taking chances. If you shy away from every risk, your career could become stagnant.

Taking the leap is probably easier for younger workers, said longtime employment counselor Arlene T. Dyer. But even older workers shouldn’t become complacent.



“Decent and better are two different things,” said Dyer, author of You Got the Job! Now What? “You can have a decent job, but if you feel that you won’t succeed, be promoted or it’s a dead-end job, then you need to look for something else.”

There is something to be said about stability, though, which is why Dyer recommends people thoroughly research a would-be employer.

Even if a prospective job looks great, you might have a gut feeling that something isn’t quite right. In that case, Dyer recommends, listen to your instincts.

Eight tips for those on the fence:

• Be a sleuth. Talk to nonmanagement employees and ask them questions about work environment, peers and expectations. Read anything you can find on the prospective workplace and company employees.

• Consider the little things. What’s the commute, dress code and office environment like? Will you get a company laptop? Parking? Combined, these little things make a big difference.

• Don’t rush. If the prospective employer tries to rush you into a hasty decision, it could be a sign that the job is not right for you.

• Ask for a counteroffer. Tell your current boss about the offer. A better counteroffer might motivate you to stay put.

• When in doubt, aim high. If you’re pretty sure the new job offer is not for you, what’s to lose? Swing for the fences and ask for a substantial increase in pay.

• Factor in moving expenses. If the new job is out of the area, make sure you can afford moving expenses. If the new employer isn’t willing to help, this suggests the company is cheap or financially strapped.

• Consider vacation time. If you leave a job where you have accrued three or four weeks vacation time per year, you could wind up back at one or two weeks off.

• Remember quality of life. A better job may make you happier from 8 to 5, but if you have to move to a dirty, depressing city, your off-time could worsen.