A Job-Hunting Survival Guide for the Great Resignation: Finding the Right Workplace Matters More Than a High Salary
The world has entered the era of the Great Resignation. In the past, people looked for a job first to make a living and only then to realize their own worth; today they care more about work-life balance. In this era it is no longer companies choosing employees but employees choosing employers. When talent has more opportunities to pick a company, how do you find the workplace that is right for you?
Many people treat salary and benefits as the top criteria when changing jobs. "But in most cases, even with a high salary and good benefits, if you can't find a way to thrive in the new environment, it's hard to hold on to that offer in the end," says Tsehau Chao, co-founder of 5xRuby. Both conditions are indeed essential, she notes, but they can't be the only yardstick. She points to several mindset-related reasons why employees feel they can't stay, including being unsure whether they are a good fit for the job, being unable to make the most of their strengths, lacking passion, excessive pressure and poor communication. In other words, unless these issues are addressed, no matter how attractive the company's offer is, you won't find happiness in your work or grow in your career.
Job-Hunting Survival Guide: To-Do List!
☑ Figure out your "position" at work
Your company gives you a job title, but you have to think seriously about what your position in the workplace really is. For example, consider whether you are a "specialist" or a "generalist." A specialist is someone who excels at and masters a particular field, while a generalist can apply skills across different fields. In a fast-changing era the generalist's qualities have their place, but if you focus on honing one skill—especially as technical talent—you can also find your place in the workplace. Alternatively, you can gain insight into your personality through the well-known Jungian 16-type personality test (https://www.16personalities.com/) and cross-reference it with your field of work. Whichever angle you take, anything that helps you find the answer is worth a try.
☑ Clarify why you are "unhappy" at work
People spend eight hours (or more) a day at work, so being unhappy there is painful. Examples include a tense work environment caused by a moody manager, frustrating cross-department communication, or too many cliques in the company. Some people swallow their unhappiness in order to do their job well, and over time they may no longer be able to digest it. If your strategy is to endure the discomfort, you are giving up your chance to grow. "The best approach is to find the root of your unhappiness. The more causes you identify, the clearer the problem becomes, and the easier it is to find a breakthrough and face it bravely," says Chao.
☑ Recall how you react when "setbacks" occur
When you hit a setback, do you choose to face it or run away? "Running away or quitting isn't the problem. The problem is how you handle it the next time it happens—you can't run away every time," says Chao. She explains that Taiwan's educational environment trains people to think linearly and complete tasks step by step; when something happens that has no "right answer" and they don't know how to respond, they feel frustrated. Interpersonal and communication issues at work are also common causes of setbacks. Chao advises: don't spend too long wallowing in a setback. If you can't get past it, talk to a trusted friend outside the situation—people outside your own bubble can offer more objective advice.
☑ List your soft and hard skills
This is the most critical step in finding the right workplace for you. Every job change should bring a new breakthrough in your career. "If you've changed jobs two or three times but never sharpened your expertise, your experience will just stay where it is," says Chao. She recommends first listing your soft and hard skills, confirming what your target company requires, and then checking whether you meet those requirements and whether your expertise and knowledge are outdated or need updating. "As you become more senior, employers will also expect you to get things done better than junior staff." Reviewing and strengthening your professional skills is what turns them into solid backing for your job search.
Find Your Own Job-Hunting Survival Guide
Not sure where to start? 5xRuby offers four key directions—"Opportunity Assessment," "Personal Fit," "Professional Expertise" and "Risk Assessment"—to help you think deeply and find the workplace that suits you best.
[Figure 2] Four key directions of the job-hunting survival guide to find the right workplace for you. (Image: 5xRuby)
5xRuby has always paid close attention to issues around engineering talent. Starting this year, we have also launched a newsletter subscription (https://5xruby.com/zh/subscribe/new) that provides industry perspectives, tech news and community event updates free of charge from time to time to anyone who needs them. Everyone is welcome to become a Friend of 5xRuby.
About the Company
5xRuby is the largest Ruby / Rails system development company in Taiwan, providing system development, technical consulting and corporate training services to clients around the world. We have also long been deeply involved in the tech community, working to advance its growth and help engineers advance their careers. Our corporate value is "Use the tools that make engineers happy to create services the world loves."
*5xRuby (五倍紅寶石軟體開發) is not affiliated with any other educational institution of the same name, and our business and operations are entirely independent. We make this statement to avoid confusion. Our company website is: https://5xruby.com/
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