You have been at the same company since you entered the CCM discipline, you have finished your apprenticeship or graduate scheme, and you’re starting to realize that a considered move to a good business will give your career a real boost. So, what next?
You need to make sure this move is progressive, or why bother? Now is the time to think about what you want from your role. Before you go to the external market, make sure you have explored every possible opportunity with your current employer, give them the opportunity to come up with something for you. If they can’t, then you have a few things to consider.
I don’t have a CV anymore!
That CV you used to get your first job is now redundant, employers want to know what you have achieved in CCM, that bar work you did in your year out isn’t relevant anymore. Your LinkedIn profile is a good place to start when writing your CV. Our consultants will happily help you get your CV into the best possible shape.
How do I find out about the best jobs?
While a lot of roles are advertised, a lot aren’t. It’s never too early to start building relationships with recruiters in your field. They can advise you on internal moves; benchmarking your salary, guiding you on how to build a profile that is attractive to the best businesses, and of course, when the time is right, helping you make that move.
Should I move sector?
One of the great things about Commercial and Procurement is that the skillset is so transferable. Employers like it when they can see that individuals have thrived in different environments. The sectors we see the most activities are IT/Technology & Outsourcing, Defence & Aerospace, and Infrastructure Services (Telcoms, FM, Utilities and Rail). We have dedicated consultants aligned to each sector, they can advise you of the specific opportunities and challenges in their sector and help you make the cross-sector move if that is your desire.
What experience will benefit me most?
There isn’t one answer to this question, but generally speaking, variety is key. Businesses don’t commit to huge long-term contracts in quite the way they used to, so having a team who are adaptable is a huge advantage. If you can build a mix of pre-sig and post sig experience, along with some exposure to sub-contract,s you will be well placed for most opportunities. Your early years should have grounded you in drafting, how a contract fits together, understanding the financial pressure points, the difference between real and perceived risk and of course the art of negotiation. Now is the time to build on that.
What salary uplift is realistic?
It’s a sellers’ market, I don’t remember a better time to look for a job, particularly for second job moves, and you are likely to get multiple attractive offers. A word of caution, this move is about the future, build a great career and the money will come. Pick the right job, not the best salary. But as a rough guide, you can expect 10-20% uplift for that first move.
If I work with Arguile Search, what should I expect?
The first step is to have a call with one of our consultants, we want to know your career aspirations, what makes you tick and what the perfect role would look like. We may well agree that, for now, you are better served where you are, if that’s the case we will diarise a follow-up.
If you are ready to move, we will tell you about live and prospective opportunities and agree to target the ones which fit best.
Before each interview, we will give you a detailed brief based on our experiences of prior interview processes and the experience of previously placed candidates. Afterwards, we will have a wash up to understand how it’s gone and to enable us to head off any issues with the client proactively.
At the point of offer, we will then support you in the negotiation of the best package and help you navigate handing in your notice and exiting your current employment in the best way. But our job doesn’t stop there, we want to continue to support you through your role and help you to get the very best out of your move.
Find out more about changing roles: info@arguilesearch.com
