1300 363 128
“I’ll just stay”. Thinking the timing is not right to move jobs? Think again. It just may well be the perfect time.
Harvest Director, Maree Herath shares an encouraging story about the decision to continue on or change jobs.
As a veteran in recruitment, I have so many stories that have led individuals to amazingly successful careers, it makes me wonder why so many people just sit in less than desirable conditions.
I know the economy is fickle and there is a huge amount of financial and/or mortgage stress on households. I also know that in crisis, people are less inclined to move, hanging onto the stable in what can be a turbulent world.
However, I would encourage anyone who goes home less than happy in their role, with their team or their company to just consider if the grass is greener.
Enter the story of my brother-in-law.
He was a qualified industrial designer who went overseas straight after his studies and gained an industrial design role. He was in Hong Kong as a footwear designer with a local Chinese company when his recruiter sister-in-law (me) moved there for my “global opportunity’.
At the time I worked in two major sectors “property” and “trade” and trade included roles from procurement, sourcing to product design and development, merchandising and the like for major brands to global retailers.
Enter a footwear design role I was briefed on by my client – an Australian retailer with global ties. I had no-one for the role and, yes, I did the inevitable – headhunted my brother-in-law.
At the time Hong Kong was in its crisis. The planes had crashed into The World Trade Centre in New York, the property market was plummeting and Hong Kong’s economy at the time, being directly pegged to the US dollar, was in turmoil (as was the US).
He was not on the lookout but didn’t want to let me down and so said yes to be interviewed.
Now, while you’d like me to say… “I got the placement and he was the one!” … he wasn’t. However, he did buy me time to find the right candidate for my client.
What it did, however, was plant a seed.
“Maybe there is something more?” he thought, and he started to look at the market and what was on offer. He then started to be purposeful and actively applied for roles with companies he could see himself forging a career path with.
Within 12 months he’d landed a gig with Adidas (yes that tiny sporting brand) as Footwear Designer. He thanked me for being the catalyst – even when he wasn’t on the market – to just explore.
And to the end to the story.
We’ve both left Hong Kong. I am still a recruiter – heading up my own boutique practice in Geelong, proudly giving to my region where I grew up in the areas of recruitment, HR, careers and capability. To my brother-in-law. He’s now in Germany and has over 20 years under the belt with Adidas.
He progressed to Senior Footwear Designer to Design Director to Head of Design and at last look he was VP Design for the Paris Olympics. Not bad hey!?!
So, if you’re thinking the timing is not right, it just may well be.
My brother-in-law wouldn’t have dreamt of where he would be in 20 years when with the local footwear company in Hong Kong.
Food for thought if you you’re thinking “I’ll just stay…”
If you are contemplating a career change or new job, contact the team at Harvest Talent Recruitment & People Solutions t: 1300 363 128
