Candidates | David Dodge, CPC
Change jobs during a pandemic?
As risky as that action sounds, that is what a dozen or so of our candidates did over the past 18 months. We were, of course, excited to help them find their next roles at the time, especially during a period when not many companies were hiring. We decided to check back in with them recently to see how their new positions were working out so far.
We asked them the following questions:
Q1 What are the three best things you like about your new company or position?
Q2 What surprised you the most (good or bad) when you took on your new role?
Q3 On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being Ecstatic, how happy are you that you made the switch?
Q4 Also, feel free to share any other thoughts you have about the process or our services or anything else you feel would be helpful.
Below are four of the responses we received from candidates we placed with 3 different client companies:
Respondent #1.
Q1 “I love everything about my company and position. If I had to narrow it down to only three, it would be: 1) My boss is amazing! He is a great mentor and manager. He understands how to lead. He makes everyone he works with want to be better. 2) My coworkers. Everyone I’ve met is supportive and truly works as a team. I have not seen any “elitism.” 3) All the learning opportunities. I am now a CCSFP!”
Q2 “How good management makes all the difference in the world. I love the work I do.”
Q3 “1,000. Maybe more.”
Q4 “You two were a joy to work with. Always professional but also kind and helpful. You made the whole process, which is difficult in nature anyway, not just smooth, but enjoyable! That’s really a gift. I STILL shake my head in wonder at how it all came together because of you two.”
Respondent #2.
Q1 1. I really like the investment they’ve made in my department. They want our department to grow, and they have given us the resources and support to make that happen.
- I also like the leadership both within my department and firm wide. In my department, I know my department head is invested in my growth/department’s growth and has done an excellent job helping me acclimate to the firm. The team is also very easy to work with. The firm wide leadership has also been impressive.
- The culture. It has been an easy place to get acclimated to, even during COVID. I enjoy the people I work with and the work environment. Everyone also made a strong effort to make sure I was able to transition into the firm easily.
Q2 “I think the biggest surprise to me was how much I liked the size of the firm. This company is smaller than my previous firm and I have really enjoyed this. There is a great sense camaraderie within the firm and my department. They also have a sophisticated client base and have a lot of opportunities. It is a great mix and I have really enjoyed it.“
Q3. “8.5. I have really enjoyed working at the firm so far. My department is a great group with excellent leadership. The overall firm environment has been great.”
Q4. “I think both of you are excellent listeners. When I originally didn’t think I would be a good fit for what your client company was looking for (general tax manager), you followed up and explained that they would be open to a position that more fit my skillset. I really appreciated that. Overall, I enjoyed working with you and appreciated your help through the process.”
Respondent #3.
Q1 “I feel like I have an opportunity to learn and grow. I have only been here a few weeks, and I feel like I have already been learning things beyond just software changes.
It seems that the firm does try to incorporate some fun into the daily grind. I have already had the benefit of going to a company function, where I heard stories about previous ones.
The team that I am on seems very cohesive. I don’t know exactly how the “water cooler” type talk will happen in an environment where most people are still working remotely. But I feel very welcome in reaching out for help.”
Q2 “It was shocking how nice it was to be able to actually get out of the house and work at an office. I like having the flexibility to work remotely. But, having some separation from work and home again has been really nice.”
Q3. “10 – I am ecstatic that I made the switch.”
Q4. “I wasn’t really looking for a new position. I was in a position that didn’t really require me to stretch and was getting quite boring. I had accepted this, as I have young children at home, and they are my priority. The exciting thing is that I don’t have to put my career path on hold just because I have kids at home. I figured I would wait until they were in school before I tried anything radical to jumpstart my career growth. Now I feel like those two things aren’t mutually exclusive. I can develop professionally and still have time to try to be a good parent.”
“Thank you again for lining me up with this position. I think that it is going to be a wonderful fit.”
Respondent #4.
Q1 “The people are friendly, collaborative and care about doing a good job. They also care about the people around them.”
Q2 “I was surprised at how open, honest and direct the communication is. It is a healthier culture than where I was before.”
Q3. “9. I’m incredibly pleased I made the switch. There is tremendous opportunity with lots of potential for improvement which matches my strength, so it is a good fit.”
Q4. “I appreciate you taking the time and having the insight to suggest recommending me for this position. Not everyone would have seen how this match was going to work, but you did.”
So, if you are feeling like your current employment situation is not living up to your ideal dream job, what’s holding you back? If these people could make the move during the middle of a pandemic and get the positive results they have realized, maybe you can to.
Get in touch and let’s discuss.
