Resignations on the Rise.

It may come as a surprise, particularly as we endure one of the worst recessions in recent history, that more British management quit their jobs last year than in 2008. Yes, it’s true. According to the Chartered Management Institute, 225,600 managers quit their jobs in 2009, a rise in resignations to 4.7%, compared with 4.5% the year before.
Restructuring and job insecurity are apparently to blame for staff jumping ship. As ‘internal transfers’ fall - dropping to 3.6% from 5.8% last year - fewer options are left open for disgruntled management.
So if these figures are representative, it would seem that the dark clouds of recession are not enough to keep unhappy British bosses in their jobs. Whilst it’s good to see that managers still place their career goals first, stepping out of the comfort zone needs planning, a strategy and a very clear understanding of the steps necessary to ensure that a career move does not become a career break.

So we asked a number of career experts for their advice on changing careers during a recession. Here are their top five recommendations:

1. Have an idea of what you want to do. Before packing up your desk it is important to know what makes you tick. What pastimes do you enjoy? What challenges do you relish? What motivates you? Write them down and think about them. This may indicate a new direction or highlight skills you can bring to your existing organisation.

2. Make sure you have a market. Research your new career goal online to distinguish if there is a need for your new skill package. Look at companies doing well and how your skills can transfer into a role there.

3. Rebuild your CV. Look at your career goal, your skills and your experience and create a CV to suit, or you can try the CV rewriting service at TheLadders.co.uk. They will help ensure your skills are translated effectively to your CV.

4. Find the Opportunities. A new direction may mean a new route to finding roles. Look on careers sites like TheLadders.co.uk to find positions that tick your requirements. Identify which type of companies and recruiters are advertising these roles. Look at industry associations, networking groups online and offline to produce a target companies list.

5. Don’t leave on a bad note – resigning from a job isn’t an excuse to bad mouth your employer - just because you are leaving a company doesn’t mean you won’t see or hear from them in the future. Make sure you leave any role on a positive note to ensure there are no bad feelings, as you never know when your paths will cross again.

Has the recession made you reconsider your career? Do you think it’s better to stay in an insecure role or ‘jump ship’?