When recruiters think of the perfect candidate, theoretically it would describe someone who is always interested in speaking to you, is excited by appropriately matched jobs that you discuss with them and is immediately available to start, however this is not always the case.
It seems with a large sum of the younger generation negotiators, those participating in graduate schemes or who have worked within Agency for just a few years enjoy the role and the companies they work for, but they want to explore more in another part of the business. The only issue being that it’s not always the easiest transition and sometimes they find themselves waiting for a few months before they can do so. There are also many other factors that must be weighed up before these decisions can be made, which I feel candidates often forget about, including their colleagues who may have requested the same thing before they did or who may have worked for longer in the same position as they have, leading the employers to wonder, “how could this affect the wider team?”
Other candidates decide to look elsewhere in the sector for roles which offer better suited workflows, more exciting projects, healthier work/life balance or a higher basic salary. This is often more rewarding for both parties when done right. The candidate experiences a new role and a new environment that is better suited to them, allows them to learn new things about themselves and the work that they do or provides them the right level of flexibility for their desired lifestyle. In addition, the recruiter can add more strings to their bow, create a long-term relationship with the candidate and become more credible in the wider and emerging market spaces developing themselves and the knowledge they acquire.
I would always advise, depending whether the candidate is passive or actively searching for new opportunities, to consider that pushing yourself outside of your comfort zone rarely tends to disappoint if what you are searching for is genuine progression, development, opportunity and a long-term, prosperous career. Yes, sometimes, employers can offer the right opportunities internally that provides frustrated employees with a new focus and long-term satisfaction, however, far too often we speak to candidates who accept short-term gains i.e. the dreaded counteroffer, without considering the bigger impacts on themselves, their careers’ and the businesses they work for.
As sectors are becoming more diverse, it is becoming harder at times for candidates moving jobs, to appeal to and remember their main motivations. For Residential Estate Agency, broadly speaking there have been only a few roles that people tend to move between up until recently; beginning in Lettings or Sales and moving up the career ladder to become Managers, Directors etc. however, it has begun to change. Candidates must be prepared to remain true to their motivations, honest to their employers and realistic with their recruitment consultants so that we can all become the best versions of ourselves together.
