The Top Five Reasons to Look For a New Job

Posted On: August 6, 2012

Part One of a Three Part Series on Professional Career Transition

Running lodging and F&B operations is hard work, whether you are leading on the front line, from the corporate office, or on the road. So many of you are in all three places in the same day!

And the higher you go up the ladder the harder it gets. You may not have the long weeks in the trenches, but the demands for you to keep your team motivated, navigate challenges, implement systems, endure long meetings, and tow the company line all while driving revenues and profits provide a different set of challenges.

I am biased, but I believe that hospitality professionals are the hardest-working group of people in the world. You invest in your work with your brain, your braun, your sweat, and even your blood. Between the kitchen and the bar, I don’t know anyone who hasn’t had to find the finger cots.

Your significant investment must yield a return. If you are with an innovative company that values employees, offers on-pace growth opportunities and a fair compensation package, then there is a high probability that you are “on the right seat on the right bus.” Stay the course. 

However, especially in this post-recession economy, many companies are falling short. They are not investing in their employees, and, even though sales have grown, are not bringing on needed managers to help shoulder the load. To help decide whether it is time to make a change, run your current situation through this filter of the top five reasons to look for a new job:

Career Path	Your current company does not or is no longer providing the opportunity for you to reach your long-term career goal. You need to continually look to the future, and if, for example, your lodging employer has changed their business model by outsourcing all of their F&B, you are no longer planted in fertile soil to get you to your goal of Corporate Food & Beverage Director.
Unprofessional Environment	Conduct by your superiors that creates a work environment which is disrespectful or negative, or one that does not value employees is a legitimate reason to move on. As well, move on from an employer if you discover they break the law or side-step proper sanitation, accounting, or payroll practices. (Sidebar: Never accept cash as compensation because you will be breaking the law too, and you will have to explain that to your future prospective employer. Not good.)
Values Alignment	If your employer is engaged in business practices that contradict your personal values, you need to find an employer with whom you are a better cultural fit.
No Growth Opportunity	If you have been faithfully building a steadily-progressive career but your employer is no longer able to promote you within a reasonable time, you should look for opportunities with a company that can. Likewise, if the company is financially unstable, jeopardizing your basic financial security, you need to protect yourself and your family by finding a more stable environment.
No Challenge or Innovation	If you are not being challenged in your position and your skills are getting stale, it may be time to make a move. As well, if your company is complacent with products, methods and practices that have fallen behind contemporary practices you need to change companies. If you stay much longer, you will have serious trouble competing for a great job with a progressive company because your skills will be behind the times.

 If one or more of these apply to your current job, call a Strategic Hospitality Search recruiter to discuss your options. Our clients rely on us to advise them of talented candidates who are a fit for their companies.

Bookmark our job listing page and check back frequently, because we are posting new positions every day. Send us a fresh resume so we can update your confidential file and keep our eyes open for the right opportunity for you.

Our September newsletter will continue in this series with “Do You Know How to Resign?”

Joseph D’Alessandro is the founder and president of Strategic Hospitality Search, a successful national-scope executive and management search agency based in Chicago.

Strategic Hospitality Search | StrategicFIT
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