The great resignation of 2022: how do you make the right choice?

It is a true luxury for professionals: at the moment, there are more vacancies than there are job-seekers. Recent stats from the Belgian Ministry of Employment reveal that the number of vacancies has nearly doubled in the past year. International recruitment specialist Robert Walters therefore expects to see a lot of movement on the job market in the months ahead. Their recent global salary survey shows that no less than 66% of surveyed professionals plan to change jobs in the next 6 months.

For those who have postponed searching for a new job because of the corona pandemic, it is now the perfect time to make the switch. But how do you make the right choice? Here are 3 top tips from Özlem Simsek, managing director at Robert Walters Belgium.

Tip 1: What makes you tick?

Özlem: “Ask yourself the questions: where am I in my career, and what are my ambitions? Now is a good time to choose a new path. Organisations are having a hard time to hire their perfect candidate, so they’re open to think out-of-the-box and give people time to develop. Have you ever thought about switching to another type of organisation or another role? It’s time to make it happen! We see for example an increased number of finance professionals who switch to becoming an interim manager, to have more flexibility and autonomy.”

Tip 2: Everyone's a critic

“Of course it's good to talk to family and friends about career possibilities, but too many opinions will make you hesitate. Trust your own instinct”, says Özlem.Speak to different employers to find out what excites you and get advice from a recruitment consultant. They know the market, can help you figure out what’s important to you, and can come up with ideas you hadn't thought of yet.

Tip 3: Happiness at work

In today’s war for qualified talent, employers offer competitive salaries and excellent fringe benefits. But realise that in the end, it’s simply about whether you find satisfaction in your day-to-day work. The satisfaction offered by bonuses and salary increases is often only temporary, while growth opportunities, training programmes and a lot of flexibility ensure more happiness at work in the long run, says Özlem.