12/17/2024-Ready to change the wallpaper?

The temptation to jump ship is often strong at the end of a long, hard year. But before making the change, ensure you’re "running to" and not "from".

There’s no such thing as "up and to the right" every year in sales.

Your bank account noticeably swells some years, and others, you barely get enough to buy a new toaster. That’s sales. Commission growth is not even.

Before you run wild with your thoughts about moving on – which happens this time of the year – consider the right reasons to job hunt:

1. You’ve stopped growing and learning.

2. You’ve stopped believing in management and/or the company’s vision and mission.

3. Your manager doesn’t help you develop skills.

If you are considering a move, spend time today doing the classic "PROS/CONS" spreadsheet drill to determine whether this is the right time and move.

First, list all that you want in your next role. Then, weight each criterion. Make sure you rank "compensation" below "learning and growth" or "manager strength."

It is much more important to work under a manager who will teach and coach you smartly than to chase the next hot thing.

Even while you watch your sales buddies change jobs frequently, you understand that it is better to "stand and fight" for as long as possible in each sales role. Unless it’s totally unbearable, stay put as long as you can to go through cycles that will teach you great lessons about your skills and ability to persevere.

Generally speaking, it takes about two years to "own" a sales job. Year three is when the rewards start rolling. So before you jump, ask the first and most important question: "Have I given myself enough time to be successful in my current role?"

Before embarking on a switch, the next significant consideration is to ensure the next role will align with your long-term career goals. And if you still need to establish career goals, now is the time!

Finally, do you have enough info to know whether the new role will be better for you? If not, you must do more research and digging to learn about the company, the company’s culture, your manager, market strength, and expectations…to name a few.

Your PROS/CONS sheet will be invaluable during this exploration phase. Good luck.

Interviewing is SO much fun, eh?

Perhaps this skit from Key & Peele will ease your anxiety about the hoops you’ll soon have to jump through on your journey to a new gig.

Either way, you’d better start practicing the story about your "best sale."