It's important to keep an open mind in today's candidate-driven market because you never know what opportunity may be out there that could take your career to the next level. When considering a new job, it's imperative to think about all aspects to ensure you're making the right decision.

1. If you’ve looked at any job boards lately, you probably
noticed the abundance of open roles. When this is the
case and talent is limited, it’s referred to as a
candidate-driven market. The U.S. has been
experiencing this type of market for several years,
especially in the sectors that Helbling & Associates
specializes in - architecture/engineering/construction,
facilities management, and real estate development.
Even if you’re not actively looking for a new job and
engrossed in your current one,
don’t be surprised if there’s a role
and potential employer out there
that would pique your interest. As
search consultants, we’ve
witnessed this scenario with
hundreds of professionals. After all,
the whole idea behind utilizing a
search firm is to identify, attract,
and secure passive candidates -
those who aren’t actively looking for
new jobs but are open to considering attractive
opportunities should they come along.
Most always, our candidates are satisfied at their
current organizations and in their roles. When receiving
our calls, they either politely decline to continue the
conversation, refer us to another colleague who may
be interested, or give us a few minutes to describe our
client and its opportunity. Regardless of the scenario,
what we typically find is that, even though they are
happy with what they are doing, they still find
themselves naturally pondering the questions of :
• Is there a better role and cultural fit for me?
• Can my employer offer the career progression that
I want? If not, how can I progress my career?
• Do I want to do something different?
You may even be asking yourself these questions now.
Look at the upside. If an opportunity
presents itself when you aren't looking for
one, maybe it was meant to happen and
it’s good to keep an open mind. After all,
the best time to consider a new job isn’t
when you need to do so or when you’re
unhappy with your job. Exploring new
career opportunities should be exciting
and fun. And, you don’t want to feel
“under the gun” when making such a
significant decision. If you do feel pressured, there’s a
greater chance to make a wrong decision.
Being passive to new job opportunities actually puts
you in the driver’s seat much more so than when you
want or need a new job. You can carefully consider a
role and organization, and if it’s really what you want.
You know that you are truly interested in a role when
you’re pursuing it even though you have a great job
already. That’s always a good sign that you’re following
your gut instincts.
Keeping an Open Mind in This Active Job Market
& How to Evaluate an Opportunity
Sami L. Barry
Being a passive job
seeker actually puts you
in the driver’s seat. You
don’t have any pressure
to pursue an opportunity.
It’s an ideal situation.

2. Helbling & Associates is a retained executive search firm specializing exclusively in facilities
management, construction, engineering, and real estate development.
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Keeping an Open Mind in This Active Market & How to Evaluate An Opportunity
As we all know, following your gut doesn’t always lead
you in the right direction, and this can certainly be the
case when considering a new job. That’s why
analyzing your motivations and thoroughly evaluating
a new opportunity before making the jump are critical
to ensuring you’re making the right decision.
Consider these questions the next time you find
yourself pursuing an opportunity, and you’ll be
confident you’re doing the right thing.
The role:
• What are the responsibilities and challenges of the
role? Do they intrigue me?
• Do I possess the skills that lead to success in the role?
• Will the role expand my skills and knowledge?
• What are the short- and long-term expectations of the
role? Am I confident that I can develop and
implement such initiatives?
• Will I flourish in the role?
• Does the opportunity support my long-term career
goals? Is it a step in the right direction?
• How does the role impact the organization? Will I
have an opportunity to truly make a difference?
The organization:
• What are the organization’s values and principles? Do
they reflect my own?
• What are the organization’s short- and long-term
objectives?
• What is its corporate culture? Will I like that type of
environment? Is it a place I can see myself working?
• What are the traits of its successful employees? Are
they similar to my own?
• What is the immediate supervisor like? Will I be happy
working with him/her?
Compensation and Other:
• Is the compensation package attractive to me?
• What are the core benefits (i.e. medical, retirement)?
How do they compare to my current ones?
• Does the company offer other benefits or perks (i.e.
tuition reimbursement, child care, flexible schedule)
that are valuable to me?
• Is the commute satisfactory? Are the travel
requirements doable?
• Does the opportunity complement the work/life
balance I prefer?
• Is there any other component to consider?