The first thing you should do when you decide to change jobs is not to write a resume or work history. First of all, it is important to prepare in advance, such as why you thought about changing jobs, and how long it would take to get a job offer.
This time, I will introduce the preliminary preparation for job change activities that you want to do before applying for a company. I will introduce 5 things so please use them at the time before changing jobs.
1. Clarify the purpose of changing jobs
If you proceed to the company selection without clarifying your purpose of changing jobs, you may not be able to summarize your motivation well, or you may be stuck in answering questions. “Why do you want to change jobs now?”, “What do you want to gain by changing jobs?”, and “What do you want to achieve by changing jobs?”
2. Make a schedule
It is recommended to set a goal of when to join the company in advance, and then work backwards to calculate the timing to start moving. For example, if you want to work at a new job in September, you need to start preparing by June at the latest. In general, there are 1 to 3 interviews per company, so you need to adjust the schedule for the companies you want to participate in. If you are working long hours at your current job and find it difficult to take paid leave, it is a good idea to start looking for a new job with plenty of time to spare.
3. Self-analysis and career inventory
If you write a list of what you have learned, the jobs you have worked on, and the qualifications you have acquired, it will become a material for your strengths and appealing points. For those of you who say “I don’t have any special skills…”, it will be an opportunity to reconfirm what kind of values you value and whether you are suitable or unsuitable, so I recommend writing them down little by little. It can prevent you from placing excessive expectations on your new workplace, which will help prevent mismatches with companies.
4. Calculate the time and money required for changing job
Often overlooked, a career change can cost more than expected. You will need a span of one month at the earliest, or six months or more at the longest, so you may have to pay for train fares, eating out, and in some cases, lodging expenses in addition to Shinkansen fares and airfares.Don’t forget to think about the expenses before and after changing jobs and make a budget in advance.
5. Prepare your resume and work history
As a preliminary preparation for changing jobs, the last thing to work on is creating application documents such as resumes and work history. Even though it is just a document, it takes a certain amount of effort and time to create it by focusing on self-promotion and motivation. Especially if you are changing jobs for the first time, I guess it is almost the first time to write a work history, so you need to give yourself plenty of time to get started.