Archive for the ‘new job’ Tag

What Did You Learn At Your Last Job?

Posted February 15, 2011
Filed under: Job Hunt, Work | Tags: , , , , ,
* Comments (1)

Whether you’ve been laid off due to the economy, left your previous employer due to mutual differences, or are leaving your position to move on to a brighter future, all professional positions can be considered learning experiences. It may be hard to see past terminations and lay-offs due to downsizing. But! consider that the average American will change their career 3 to 5 times in a life time, leaving a job in the grand scheme of things should just be considered part of life. Think of the following few things after you leave:

Lots of people use a previous position to rule out their next step in a career.  Maybe the position will help you become more specialized in specific area. Or, even realize that one specific specialization is not the area for you.

Did you hate working on your own? Maybe you loved the specialization but you want to work on a team to support the cause.  Or did that team just clash with your views? Maybe a different company will help you realize your dream.

How about your boss? Was there something that just irked you about your boss? Did her make-up just drive you up the wall?  Or maybe it was something real, like no feedback on projects that just was not helpful. Well, during your next interviews take an extra look at your potential boss’s appearance or ask on one on one feedback.

Was there a way paperwork was completed that drove you crazy? Ask about administrative policies. Did your previous company take forever to reimburse travel expenses?

Ask! Find a company that meets your expectations! So many people say that you are interviewing the company as much they are interviewing you. If you don’t feel like the company is a good fit for you, you’ll just be back at square one. And that’s a bummer.

Professional development does not stop when you don’t have a job. When you walk out the door for the last time, ask yourself what you learned at your previous place of employment and how you can find a new employer which builds on what you learned while you were there.