It can be difficult for contractors to know when to start looking for their next opportunity. Looking too early may mean that your schedule won’t correlate with a potential employer’s urgent timeline. Looking too late may mean experiencing a long gap between contracts, since the process of getting hired can take a few weeks. So what are some signs you need to look for a new job? Read on to learn more about how to tell when it is time to find a new job.
Communication is key to helping you time your job search accurately
One of the best ways to tell when it is time to find a new job is through clear, frequent communication with your recruiter and your employer. Contract work can be fickle: while ideally your work will always end right on time, sometimes contracts can either get cut short or extended for a variety of reasons. The more you communicate with your on-site manager, your recruiter, and anyone else, the clearer your contract’s timeline will be.
Open communication about your contract’s timeline will help your recruiter line up your next job accurately. You don’t want to look too late, such as when you’re already out of work. The process of updating your resume, finding a good match for your next position, and getting all the necessary paperwork done can take a few weeks. However, you also don’t want to look too early in case your existing contract gets extended and ends up overlapping with your new job.
All our recruiters at Black Diamond Network are experts at facilitating communication and staying in close contact with the right people to help get a precise picture of your start and end dates. However, it’s a good idea for you to be as proactive as possible, especially if there’s a chance you can get information while on site that will help your recruiter know when to start getting you ready to find another job.
Keep potential employers’ timelines in mind when you look for a new job
As you and your recruiter work to find another job for you, it’s important to keep potential employers’ timelines in mind. Many employers have urgent positions to fill, so starting to look for a new job too far in advance does not work for their more immediate timelines.
A new employer may also require background tests, drug tests, and other steps done before hiring a contract worker, which can take some time as well. However, the more you build your relationship with your Black Diamond Network recruiter, the more efficiently this process can get done, making it easier for us to help you find another job over and over.
Since, as we mentioned, many employers are looking to hire someone on an urgent timeline, Black Diamond Network is renowned for fast turnaround. That works to the advantage of everyone involved: you can count on us to match you to a number of positions when it is time for you to find a new job. The more you build a relationship with our recruiters, the better chance we can give you at quickly getting a new job that is also a good fit.
Consider if it’s worth it to complete your contract rather than find another job
Sometimes, there may be signs you need to look for a new job other than your contract coming to an end. Your team at Black Diamond Network will do our best to prevent this by setting you up for success through our contractor care program and constant good communication. However, you may notice some red flags during your contract, such as the following:
- No defined timeline moving forward, or work slowing down significantly
- Lack of communication, direction, or feedback
- Work that doesn’t match the job description
- Personality or other conflicts with members of the team
If you feel you are not being utilized to your full potential or experiencing any of these other warning signs, talk to your Black Diamond Network expert! It’s possible your recruiter will recommend sticking it out through the end of the contract before taking these as signs you need to look for a new job.
Why wait it out? If you’re making good money and want to maintain your reputation, completing the assignment helps enforce your track record of reliability and integrity. Reputation goes far in this industry and word gets around when people jump from project to project. While you finish your contract, your recruiter will commit themselves to ensuring you will get another project that better matches your skill set and aggressively pursue new work for you.
Ultimately, all of this goes back to communication. Solid communication will help you know when it is time to find a new job. Your recruiter will work to know the full story at all times, using regular touchpoints to make sure all people involved are set up for success. Keep in constant contact with your recruiter and your employer to ensure that everything will go smoothly. Black Diamond Network is experienced in getting the timing right when it comes to finding you a new job.
Contact us for more information.
If you need technical staffing support, contact your BDN account executive or call our toll free number, 800-681-4734. You can also email us at [email protected].
If you are a consultant looking to apply your skills, take a look at our current job openings at www.blackdiamondnet.com/jobs. You can also submit your resume at www.blackdiamondnet.com/submit-resume.
