Jobseekers have the market in their favor with 10 million job openings. About 65% of employees are looking for a new job right now, according to a survey from jobs firm PricewaterhouseCoopers.
Many people are citing salary as the main reason, followed by benefits, career advancement, and flexibility.
We went to the human resources experts at Robert Half to see how you should approach your current boss if you're looking into a new job.
“If it's, if there are things within the role that the manager might be able to improve, they might just not know, so I think opening up that line of communication is key. That is the first thing I would address,” said Stephanie Cook, District President at Robert Half.
If you're looking to stay but just want more out of your job, she does not recommend using another job offer as leverage to make changes happen. It could damage your credibility. You want to keep the conversation as positive as you can.
“You might miss out on future opportunities if your employers feel threatened that you're already looking outside the organization and that way they don't have a chance to really work on what's missing or what needs to be fixed on both sides,” said Cook.
She says once you've had those conversations and you still feel like there is no path forward at your company, then it may be time to start seriously considering another job.
Once you have an offer secured, it's important to have another conversation with your boss about your two weeks’ notice.
“When you find that opportunity, and you have the offer in hand, then just make sure as you exit the organization, it’s just as positive as has been the entire time you've been there,” said Cook.
If this is something you're nervous about doing, Robert Half recommends having a mock conversation with someone outside of work to make sure what you say will be received well.
