Use Short Term Opportunities To Find Long Term Employment

Online, November 20, 2009 (Newswire.com) - In today's competitive market, many employees consider their current job merely a stepping stone to their next position. That's why it's important everyone has a game plan for moving on to another job, even if you're currently employed, according to Kay Stout, Executive Advisor, with Oklahoma Professional Search.

"Today, three years is considered long term employment. That's why, regardless of the reason for staff changes, whether it's a talent upgrade or to please stock holders, a long term job is really a short term opportunity," Stout said. "If you're looking to move up the ladder, you should start preparing almost as soon as you begin your current job."

Being ready for your next opportunity, according to Stout, means building a paper and electronic trail of connections and maintaining records of employment, copies of work reviews, a roster of people you've met inside and outside the company, and any additional information that could help you in the future. "You can't be too meticulous and remember that, once you leave a company, there are some items you won't be able to retrieve, so get them while you can," she noted.

"If you're just beginning at a new job, you're at an advantage and, in theory, have plenty of time to plan, and prepare for, your next move," Stout added. "If you've been at your current position awhile, catch up now and start taking notes of the documents relating to your present job and those that former employees have left with."

The final preparation to make is mental, according to Stout. "If you find a job you want to spend the rest of your life doing, great! But, since five years with the same company is considered a lifetime these days, always be prepared to deal with the fact that a short term at one employer may merely be the opportunity you need to land a better, long term position elsewhere."

About Oklahoma Professional Search:
Oklahoma Professional Search has offices in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Okla., offering human resource consultation in the areas of career transition, outplacement, and executive search. The company is a member of The State Chamber, The Employer's ERS Council, the Oklahoma Association of Personnel Consultants, and is accredited by the Better Business Bureau. For more information please visit www.oklahomaprofessionalsearch.com/

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