You’ve accepted a new job. Now what?

After all the “Congratulations!” have passed, it’s time to think about shutting down your search.

Sure, you could just ignore recruiter calls and employer emails, but you might need those relationships again one day, and you never know when that might be.

Whether you were in the IT job market for years, months, or just a few short weeks, it’s important to close one chapter in your life before starting a new one. To avoid burning bridges, take the proper steps to ensure you’ve shut down your job search appropriately.

Taking your resume down from job sites isn’t hard. Neither is changing the status on your social networking sites. But there is more to wrapping up your job search than you may initially think. Keep these tips in mind to make certain you’ve tied up all the loose ends:

Inform the Right People

Think about all the people you reached out to for help with your job search. You probably enlisted family members, friends and former coworkers, for starters. Let these people know about your new job first, and enjoy the kudos for a search well done.Next, make a list of all the recruiters, business contacts and networking groups you need to update.

Calling personal and professional contacts after you’ve made a decision to accept an opportunity may feel uncomfortable or unnecessary when you’re eager to move on to your new job. Think of that call or email as a courtesy: you wouldn’t want someone to offer your name as a prospective candidate when you’ve already accepted another position.

Preserve the relationship by thanking them for their assistance, and leave the door open to continue to work together in the future. Consider saying, “I really appreciate you introducing me to XYZ Company but I have found another opportunity which is a better match to my goals.” Be gracious and express appreciation. And remember the golden rule: always be professional.

Withdraw Your Candidacy

If you were in an extended or very active job search, you were probably under consideration at a few different companies. Do them a favor and email your contacts at the companies you were in the process of interviewing with to let them know you’re no longer in the running.

Express your appreciation for their interest and tell them you have accepted a new job. Do this out of courtesy! It’s very frustrating for a hiring manager to be surprised when they call a candidate to follow-up on someone they think is an active candidate, only to discover they’re already in a new job.

Keep that positive connection and create goodwill for future opportunities by being proactive and notifying them that your status has changed. This level of professionalism will be remembered, and it may benefit you in the long run.

Send an e-mail to all the recruiters and agencies you were working with, informing them you have accepted a new position. Don’t expect an agency that was actively promoting you to let you go easily; but if the opportunity is a true fit for your criteria, a recruiter with integrity will be pleased for you!

Go Online: Update Social Media and Job Boards

Lastly, don’t forget to take your resume off all job boards and websites, or turn your status to inactive. If you leave your profiles up and active it could indicate to your new employer that you may still be looking, which is not an ideal first impression.

Remember social media sites like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook where you may have posted a profile or status update about your search. Share the good news about your new position, and add your new job to your profiles.

By taking the time to provide closure to your job search, you’re giving yourself the best opportunity for a new beginning. You’ve most likely put in a lot of hard work to land this new position. So relax, give yourself a pat on the back, and treat yourself before starting your first day.

Image by Sasha Wolff via Flickr.

So you’ve accepted a new opportunity… Congratulations! While this is an exciting time, there are a few final – and important – steps in your job search. Even though you’re looking forward to your new position, it may still be difficult to resign from your current job. At the same time, it’s easy to forget some critical steps in winding down your search in your haste to move on.

Agile’s top ten tips for a graceful exit can make the transition to your new work place as smooth as it can be.

1. Be firm, positive and decisive. Your decision is final. It meets your criteria and you are moving forward. Think about saying, “I have thought this over carefully for a long time,” or “I’m moving on to a career opportunity which suits my desires and goals.”

2. Be professional. Always! Be firm and professional when resigning your current position. “Thank you so much for the opportunity you provided me,” or “The experience I gained here was invaluable.”

3. Inform, don’t discuss. You are simply informing your employer of the situation, not discussing whether you should resign.  Be assertive in stating, “I am now submitting my 2 weeks notice,” or “I have made a firm decision with un-biased data.”

4. Put it in writing. Not email, but a formal letter. Remain professional, always, and reference the date of your notice and your last day of work, which should be 2 weeks from the date on the letter. This is also an appropriate place to thank your employer for employing you!

5. Practice. Delivering the news that you’re leaving isn’t always easy. Practice what you want to say so that you feel comfortable. Your employer might be caught off guard by your resignation and ask difficult questions, or they might clam up and end the conversation quickly. Don’t take your supervisor’s response personally and be prepared that this might not be the last discussion.

6. Questions. There can be difficult questions at this phase of your job search. Be ready to answer inquiries like:

• “Why are you leaving?”
• “Where are you going and what will you be doing?”
• “What can we do to change your mind?”
• “Will you think about this before you leave?”
• “I want you to talk to our VP first.”
• “How much money did they offer you?”

These are all valid questions, and you should be prepared in advance with appropriate responses, even if your response is, “I prefer not to say.”

7. The offer and money. It truly is in your best interest not to discuss the offer, money or your new employer. A good way to answer tough questions is to say the offer was fair and you are happy about it.

8. Remove your profile. Now that you are resigning to move on to your new opportunity, it’s time to shut down your job search. Take your resume off all job boards. If you leave this profile up and active, it indicates to your new employer that you may still be looking!

9. Deactivate. Send an e-mail to all staffing agencies and recruiting firms you are working with to inform them that you have accepted a new position. Don’t expect the agency to let you go easily. If the opportunity is truly a good fit for you, an agency with integrity should be pleased you have found the right position.

10. Shut down. Email the companies that had you under consideration for a position. Express your appreciation for their interest and tell them you have accepted a new job. Do this out of courtesy! There is no such thing as burning a bridge, if you are professional. This creates goodwill and it may benefit you in the long run.

Following these tips will ensure a smooth transition to your new job, avoiding awkward situations and setting yourself up for a great new professional beginning.

This blog, the second of a two part series, focuses on candidate salary requirements and how job seekers should handle salary issues before and after an employer makes an offer.

Last week we blogged about candidate salary requirements, and things employers need to consider before extending an offer. We gave an example of a highly qualified candidate who provided her salary requirements to the recruiter before the interview process began.  The IT recruiter submitted the candidate and her salary requirements to the client.

The rest of the scenario goes like this:

However, when the company extended an offer, the salary is less than what she requires.  She declines the offer and accepts another one that is within her salary range.

But what if changed the scenario to the following:

However, when the company extended an offer that met the candidate’s original salary requirements, she realizes that she forgot to account for some of her living expenses. The candidate decides she wants more money, and refuses the client’s offer.

Job seekers – don’t get yourself into this situation. Not only is it unprofessional, but it can damage your reputation within the technology community.  Before you agree to interview with a company, here are five things you need to seriously consider as it relates to salary.

1. Make sure you not only have your “ideal number,” but also have a “bottom line” amount.  This is important because in most cases a particular job will have different compensation ranges depending on the size of the company, how your skill set matches the job description/requirements, and your actual work experience. Unless you match the employer’s requirements perfectly, and you’re the only qualified candidate or the employer’s number one choice for the job, getting an offer that meets your “ideal” salary is probably unrealistic – even in this competitive market. 
2. Research the salaries and hourly rates of the job you are interested in.  What is the average pay range in the market/industry? Understanding what the typical going rate is will at least give you a good idea of how realistic your numbers are.
3. Don’t be in denial.  If you come across that “perfect” job, but the recruiter tells you that the employer can only pay $75,000 and you want $85,000 – you need to seriously think if the job really is the “perfect” one.  What you want doesn’t mean you’ll get it – especially if the employer has specified what their absolute amount is.  And don’t fool yourself into thinking that a $10,000 pay cut is acceptable unless there is some substantial trade off that can justify less pay (i.e. stock options, saving money on gas by telecommting, 401K match, etc.) .
4. Include benefits into the equation.  Be sure to take into consideration your existing benefits package versus the potential employer’s package.  How much comes out of your pay check each month?  A lot of times questions regarding benefits don’t come up till AFTER the offer.  For example, if you are paying insurance for your entire family, the cost differences can be huge depending on the company’s benefits package. This amount can more than make up for any salary difference. If you’re at a large company now and thinking about a position with a small company, benefits may not be as attractive and you’ll be paying more out of pocket.  So…do your home work before, and at least be ready to ask the questions. 
5. Be prepared for a counter offer from your current employer.  If you’re top talent, the company you’re at will most likely want to keep you.  And if they know you’re leaving, they’ll try to keep you by making an offer you can’t refuse.  But remember that in most cases, counter offers don’t work out.  Employees who accept counter offers at their existing employers end up leaving within a year (if that long).  Bottom line…if you start your search and begin interviewing, be ready to leave.  Know what it’s going to take for you to accept an offer with a new employer and stick to your guns.  Otherwise, you may end up in a tug of war between your current company and the new company. And if that happens, you may very well end up being the loser.

This blog, the first of a two part series, focuses on candidate salary requirements and what employers need to consider before they make an (attractive) offer. Part two will concentrate on job seekers and handling salary issues once an employer makes an offer.

Here’s a situation that we hope isn’t becoming a trend.  A highly qualified candidate provides her salary requirements to the recruiter before being submitted to the client.  The IT recruiter submits the candidate and communicates the salary requirements to the client.  The client company is very interested in meeting her, and the interview process goes smoothly.  The candidate is excited about the opportunity and believes the company will make her an offer.  But then she received the news from her recruiter.

The company extended an offer, but the salary is considerably less than what she requires. The candidate is very disappointed and somewhat perplexed as the company is aware that she has another job offer on the table.  Without hesitation, she declines the low-ball offer and accepts the other one that is within her salary range.

Hiring managers – don’t lose top IT talent by making an offer that they can refuse.  Here are five things to consider before choosing candidates to interview:

1. Be sure you’re aware of each applicant’s salary requirements before you begin the interview process. Know how much you’re prepared to offer if you find the right candidate for the job.  If you’re presented with a qualified applicant who falls outside the salary range, determine whether you may be willing/able to meet the desired salary.  If you cannot, then it’s best to move forward with other candidates. 
2. As the market continues to improve, IT professionals now have more career options. And as more jobs open up, candidates have the luxury of picking and choosing the right opportunity for them. Perhaps companies could offer lower salaries a year ago because the candidate pool was so big. Candidates didn’t have as many choices, so they were willing to take less.  That’s all changed.  Today, most qualified candidates don’t have to accept an offer that they aren’t thrilled about – because they most likely have or anticipate a better offer.  And if you hired talent at a lower salary during the Great Recession, be prepared to adjust their wages or risk having them jump ship soon.
3. Beware of the “haggle” factor. Most candidates do not want to go back and forth on negotiating salary with a potential employer.  If the candidate has provided a salary range, she may not mind negotiating a final amount if the offer falls just outside that range. However, coming back with a lower offer sends bad signals, which in turn, can create doubt with the candidate as to whether your opportunity is really the right one. And if your offer is too far off the salary mark, it’s likely the candidate won’t even try (or want) to negotiate.
4. Understand why the candidate wants what she wants. Usually, there are factors driving a candidate’s salary requirements such as commute, work from home flexibility, benefits, bonuses, etc.  For example, a candidate might expect $70,000 for a particular position, but since the job will require a longer commute and no bonus potential, she determines anything less than $76,000 will be a deal breaker. Do your best to find out those things that are affecting the candidate’s salary request. If adjusting the salary amount isn’t feasible look at other options that will help make your offer more attractive (i.e. mileage allowance, flex time, telecommute, etc.).
5. In most instances, an employee has one chance to be satisfied with their salary – and that’s with the first offer you extend. Once a candidate is hired, she can look forward to a yearly raise of three to five percent (if she’s lucky).  Within a few years (if that), she’ll be unhappy and look for other opportunities that pay more. By offering a salary the candidate is happy with up front, the risk of “defection” may be averted.

Pay attention to salary requirements when candidates are submitted, and ensure your company is able to meet those terms (or can at least offer options that will offset the difference in salary) before moving forward in the hiring process.  IT professionals aren’t feeling so desperate that they have to accept “unacceptable” offers.  If you don’t give them what they think they’re worth, another company probably will.  Your company should be asking “What will the cost to our business be if you lose top talent to competitors who are more than happy to pay up?”

Each week, our blog provides advice and tips to both IT job seekers and hiring personnel within IT organizations.  We blog about things that will help job seekers land the perfect job, and provide hiring managers with information that will help them hire and retain top talent . We blog about these things because we’re the experts when it comes to IT recruitment. We’re the experts, but sometimes we find ourselves in sticky situations – like not finding out what a candidate’s real motivators are until after a job offer is on the table. 

If only we had the opportunity to go back in time and start the IT search over with these candidates.  If only we could have a redo. 

But this isn’t Hollywood and some cheesy movie where the lead character gets hit in the head and travels back in time to make things right. In real life, there is no re-do! However, we can take what we have learned from our experiences and help job seekers understand the importance of articulating to the recruiter what drivers will motivate them to accept a job before the search begins. 

For example,  not too long ago our agency was working to fill a permanent Project Manager position for our client’s legacy technology. Our IT recruiter was working with a candidate whom, based on his past experience, seemed to be a perfect fit. He went through a multiple interview process and was finally offered the job.  At the last minute, the candidate turned the job down for a contract position in another state. It had nothing to do with money, benefits, commute, etc., but it was the technology that the candidate would be working with that persuaded him to take the contract position. This web-based PM role was more in-line with where he wanted to go in his career. After the offer was made, the recruiter learned from the candidate that he agreed to interview with our client only because he wanted a new job.  It wasn’t until he received the second offer that he realized what technology he wanted to gain experience in to move his career forward..

But what if we were given a redo? What could be done to change the outcome?  

Before moving forward with any job opportunity, we would ensure the candidate knows the direction he wants to take his career. He won’t settle for something that doesn’t really interest him, even if he’s highly qualified. If the job opportunity doesn’t meet his criteria, we’ll encourage him to be upfront and let the recruiter know what technology and type of role will really get him excited. Once the recruiter understands his career goals, they’ll both be in a better position to find an opportunity that will motivate the candidate into saying “of course” when an offer is presented.    

Here’s another example. After interviewing for a position with our client, the candidate determined this was the right job for him.  The company liked him too, and an offer was extended to the candidate. There was just one problem. When looking at the total compensation package, the candidate hadn’t taken insurance benefits into consideration. It was at this point that the recruiter became aware how important insurance benefits were to this candidate.  The client agreed to increase his salary to help offset the cost of insurance, but after several days of going back and forth, the candidate finally determined that the offer was not in his family’s best interest. The end result? The candidate invested a lot of time and energy pursuing a job that didn’t make financial sense from the get-go, and ended up keeping the job he had.

How would the redo go? 

 The candidate would know up front what the total compensation package needs to be for him to accept the offer. If insurance is his key motivator, he’ll make sure he asks the recruiter and employer about the specifics regarding the insurance plan and costs early on in the process. If benefits are a show-stopper, he’ll tell the recruiter so that she can work with the client to determine how and if to proceed with the opportunity. If it’s not going to work, the recruiter will ensure his time and energy is spent pursuing another opportunity that meets his professional and personal needs.

If you’re a job seeker, don’t count on the redo. Be prepared, know what you want, and communicate those motivators to your recruiter so that when a job offer is made, you’re ready and willing to say “I accept!”

Got a job offer redo you’d like to share?