From Stuck to Hired: 3 Steps to a Game-Changing Career Move

Hello everyone,

Nearly a year has passed since I successfully made a career move, and I’ve finally had some time to reflect on the whole journey - and overcome a bit of laziness to share it here. I hope my experience can be helpful for those of you who are thinking about making a change.

This job switch turned out to be even better than I expected. My new company offers improvements across the board - from scale and culture to growth opportunities. Best of all, I received a total compensation package that's double what I was getting before. Surprisingly, the new role also comes with less stress at times.

This was my first time changing jobs at a more senior level (not as a junior anymore), and I learned a lot through the process. Below are some of the key takeaways I’d love to share with you:

• Prepare for your battle

“Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle.” If you're thinking about changing jobs, solid preparation is key.

Start by researching the current job market - look at supply and demand trends by browsing job boards and reading relevant news. Economic and political situations can also impact hiring, so staying informed is helpful.

Next, for your specific role, identify which skills are currently in demand. As you go through job listings you’re interested in, take note of the skills that show up repeatedly in the job descriptions. Compare these with your current skill set - what are your strengths, and what areas need improvement?

For any gaps, consider taking online courses or earning certifications. At the same time, turn on job alerts on platforms like LinkedIn or Seek so you can stay updated on new opportunities as they appear. It’s also a good idea to research the market rate for your current role to better understand whether it’s the right time for a move. I often use Glassdoor for this.

• Never doubt your worth

Once you’ve done your preparation, the next step is to start applying. One key piece of advice: don’t underestimate yourself during the job search. I’ve seen many people hold back just because a job description says “5+ years of experience.” They immediately assume they’ll be rejected and decide not to apply. But the truth is, if you’re confident that you can handle the responsibilities listed, you should absolutely go for it - even if you don’t meet every single requirement, like years of experience or certain certifications.

Personally, I applied to any role that felt like a good fit, even if I was missing a few listed criteria. And guess what? I still got called in for interviews consistently. The job I currently have stated “5+ years of experience, mid-senior level” in the JD, and at the time, I only had 1.5 years working in Australia. But the daily tasks matched what I was already doing, so I applied - and ended up getting the offer.

Your CV can’t fully reflect your true potential. Let your knowledge and experience shine during the interviews - that’s where you really get to prove yourself.

• Master the negotiation

Once you start getting positive responses from your applications, it’s time to plan your strategy for negotiating the salary you want. From my own experience, HR typically brings up salary at two points in the process:

1. During the phone screening: Most companies have a set budget for each role, so HR often asks about your salary expectations early on to see if there’s a match. If it’s too far off, they may decide not to move forward to avoid wasting time on both sides.Before applying, I usually check salary benchmarks on Glassdoor. If a role offers significantly less than I’m aiming for, I don’t apply. For jobs that do match my expectations, when HR asks about my expected salary, I respond with something like:“What is your company’s budget for this role? There’s no use quoting my expectations if they’re outside your range.” Once they share the budget, you can negotiate more effectively and explain your range, backing it up with your experience - e.g., “I believe I’m worth this range because I’ve done X, and I bring experience in Y…”

2. During or after the final interview: Sometimes HR will bring up salary in the final interview, but more often they’ll call afterward if they’re close to making an offer. At this point, they might outline the full package and ask if you’re happy with it.Make sure to ask about bonuses, performance reviews, and other benefits. If the offer meets or exceeds your expectations and you don’t have other options, you might accept right away. But if not, let them know you’d like to take some time to think it over and follow up via email.

In your response, you can mention that you're considering other offers and highlight how you’re uniquely positioned to fill gaps in their team - this shows that your ask is thoughtful and justified. To do this well, make sure to research the company carefully and ask insightful questions throughout the interview process. I’ve successfully negotiated a 10% increase on a base salary using this approach - though I later declined that offer in favour of the job I have now.

That’s it from me - wishing you the best of luck in landing a job that’s the perfect fit for you!