Things you should consider in your next job search, including when to make a career change, benefits and legal considerations, and evaluating company culture. This talk is aimed at technical professionals, but much of it applies to anyone trying to grow their career.
2. About Me
(What makes me think I know so much about this anyway?)
Diversity recruiting
Software development Consulting
Conference organizer & sponsor
Tech community supporter
MBA, Organizational Leadership
HR training
Career Community
Education
8. The best time to look for a
new job is when you don’t
actually need one
#protip
9. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
Not learning
10. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
No career progression
11. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
No investment in growth
12. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
Title-only promotion
13. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
Instability
14. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
Changing company culture
15. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
Relocation
16. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
Abusive or disrespectful leadership
17. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
You dislike your coworkers
18. Top 10 Signs It’s Time To Think About a New Job
(In No Particular Order)
You dread going to work
19. Identifying Career Goals
What
are your
strengths?
Why do you
work in tech?
What do you
like best?
What’s your
ideal role?
What work
Would you
do for free?
What is your
career path?
26. The Salary Question:
How Should We Answer It?
Name your target
Ask for a range
or
Emphasizing negotiability or other priorities is helpful
27. Salary Negotiation: Do Your Research
Friends & peers
Salary calculators
Online job listings
Public documentation
28. Salary Negotiation Tips
• Emphasize competence, not ego
• Organized thoughts
• Listen to the other person
• Understand limitations
• Reasonable counteroffer
• Consider alternative compensation
• Limit personal details
30. Your
Health
Insurance Evaluation
• Cost
• Family coverage
• Network
• Deductible
• Copay
• Policy type
• Specialized procedures
• Alternative care
• Mental health benefits
31. Fact: Nearly 20% of adults
have a mental illness.
Source: http://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/statistics/prevalence/any-mental-illness-ami-among-us-adults.shtml
32. Mental Health Disclosure
Why?
• ADA protection
• Job accommodations
• Empathy
• Stress relief
Why Not?
• Protect privacy
• No accommodations needed
• Fear of negative reactions
37. What is it?
Idea, invention, or process deriving
from the mind or intellect
Why does it matter?
You want to understand limitations
on things you create
Intellectual Property
38. Who owns It?
• Opensource: Not owned
• Employer IP: Employer owns
• Written for yourself: Your own
Intellectual Property
What should you ask?
• Who owns work done for
employer?
• Limits on IP outside of work?
39. Non-Compete Agreement
What is it?
Employee agreement not to work in a
similar capacity to current one if it
competes with their employer
What are its limits?
Time from end of employment
and/or distance from current
employer
Enforcement can be tough & varies by state
40. (But you should totally consult one if something makes you uncomfortable)
Job search questions tend to fall into one of four categories – Professional Growth, HR & Benefits, Legal Considerations, or Cultural Questions.
The big question you might have is how you know when it’s time to look for a new job.
A Note About Process
We saw the typical job search process earlier. This is not a resume-writing or interviewing-tips session. So we’re going to assume the following:
You’ve thought about the previous questions & have a decent (not perfect) idea of what you want in your next opportunity.
You’ve found some companies that seem to line up with those opportunities & applied for positions with them.
You’ve now moved the actual interviewing & hiring process
What to ask/evaluate in a policy
Deductible: amount you pay before insurance starts covering things
Copay: amount you pay for things like office visits or prescriptions
Type of policy
PPO (Preferred Provider Organization): No referral for specialists & may have out-of-network options
HMO (Health Maintenance Organization): Referrals needed for specialists & no out-of-network options
HSA (Health Savings Account): High-deductible that lets you put pre-tax earnings into a special account just for healthcare. Money not spent can roll over. Lower premiums & tax advantage, but more up-front out-of-pocket cost
Resource: US & World News article on what to consider
Resource about this topic: UMass Medical School document
By this point, you think you’ve found The Job and are happy with the salary and benefits. Before committing, there are a couple legal things you’ll want to ask about.
Compensation, HR, and legal considerations all look good. But how do you know if a company is truly right?
It’s time to decide whether to take the new opportunity.
Thank all the people I’ve talked to about these things over the years – formally (open spaces, hiring panels) & informally (conference hallways, Twitter, and over drinks and/or games). Their questions and experiences helped build this talk.