Your personal strategy when deciding to apply/look for positions?

DatabaseHead

Just curious how the forum views this topic.

Do you wait for things to fall apart? Do you stay content regardless? Are you continually seeking the next best thing? Do you set time lines and if those aren't met you move on, AKA follow a rigid plan? If you are working in a large enterprise do you look internal first or just jump external? Do you reassess daily, weekly or monthly? Maybe large organization shifts get the wheels turning. I am really curious on the forums approach.

I've read A LOT of career books and each one mentions different methods. (of course some overlap but they all have a variant approach). Kind of leaves you hanging.....

matai

I'm pretty quick to start looking if I have a bad feeling about my current employer. You are the only one who is in charge of, and cares about your career. Businesses give a lot of lip service to valuing their employees, but at the end of the day, they will cut you if it is to their benefit. I don't think that's a bad thing, it's just the way it is. Recently read "Workplace Poker" and really enjoyed it.

stryder144

My career is my business and I treat it as such. In many ways, I am always open to future opportunities. If it fits my career plan (think personal business plan), then I will entertain the new job. If it doesn't, I will pass on it.

PC509

I keep improving, keep getting certs, keep learning new things. This gives me more opportunities at my current position and more experience. I do plan on moving up at my current employer, though.

However, I'm always looking for better opportunities. I'm treated very well at my current employer, so it'll take a lot to entice me. It's my career, and I'm in charge of it. I am very happy where I'm at, but if I ever get in a rut, I'll have the skills and education to move on. They do have a security engineer position opening temporarily filled until next year. That makes my CISSP a 2017 goal (I have the education, the experience to get it, too!).

When it's time to move on, I'll know it. I'll entertain other offers, but I'm loving where I'm at, so the offer will have to be great! Maybe a zoo or something as long as I have access to play with some of the animals. Or the beach. I'd love to be the security guy at a business on the beach.

Fulcrum45

For me it used to be based solely on money. Striving to make enough to not only survive but be comfortable. Now that I finally have that situated I'm assessing other things. If I implement project A, will they still have a need for me? What happens after project A? Will I stagnate and get complacent? Now that money is no longer the factor it once was I'm looking at more subtle signs that tell me when it's time to move on. I have faith in myself knowing that if the writing is on the wall, I'll be able to read it.