8 Reasons Why Right Now Is the Perfect Time to Change Jobs

A third of your life is spent at work. 

Let that sink in for a moment: The average employee will spend approximately 90,000 hours at work over the course of their lifetime. If you’re not happy with your career or your current employer, now is the time to make a change. 

Yes! We’re suggesting that you take a risk and bet on yourself during a pandemic.

You might think that changing jobs in 2020 would be one of the worst ideas ever. In some industries, you may be right, but for the mortgage industry, now is the perfect opportunity to make a move and level up your career.

We’ve outlined eight reasons why this moment is a great time to change jobs, even if it’s in the middle of a pandemic.

1. Crises show you what’s important

If you were at all affected by COVID-19, whether by illness, furlough, or watching someone you care for suffer, you may have been faced with the harsh reality that what you expected for your life isn’t quite where you ended up.

Crises have a way of showing people what they really want from their lives. Whether you’ve found yourself struggling with unemployment or health concerns (or even if you’re surviving the pandemic relatively unscathed), pause to consider what type of opportunities can come out of this trying time.

Have you been holding yourself back from leading others in your office? Maybe a move to management would better serve you and your team. Find your current work uninspiring, and you’ve always been interested in what it would be like to work in the mortgage industry? Apply! Looking for a company that puts their employees first? It’s time to make a switch.

Crises may invite anxiety and fear into your life, but they also open doors that you might not have been comfortable walking through before.

2. You want better people in your network

If you’re spending a third of your life in the workplace, don’t you at least want to like the individuals you’re working with all those years? If you’ve struggled to build connections with your current colleagues or you feel as if the people on your team are dragging you down with old-fashioned tactics or unmotivated attitudes, consider looking elsewhere. Your peers will always influence your work via your output, your attitude, and your access. Find a place with people who will support you, lift you up, and encourage your growth.

3. You’re not learning enough

Your employer should offer you opportunities to continue to learn and grow. If they aren’t, don’t let yourself become complacent. Working in the mortgage industry means you need to know about a lot more than finances and real estate. You need to understand how to market yourself on social media, how to ask for testimonials from your customers, and how to effectively email your clients, among other things. But if you’re not provided with the training on how to get better at all these other facets of your career, it’s time to look elsewhere.

4. You’re tired of coasting

You’re doing well in your career. You get along with your coworkers. Your supervisor seems to like you, and your clients are always pleased with your work. Yet, something seems to be missing. You feel as if you’ve been coasting for a while. You’ve found yourself wondering, “Wait, Is this what being a ‘grown-up’ is really all about? Show up. Do the work. Go home and repeat? Something is missing. This isn’t enough.”

Here’s the thing: if you feel like you were made for more, you probably were. Don’t settle for the life you’re living. Build your motivation and up-level your career.

5. The money isn’t enough

You thought you were hired at a good rate when you first joined your company, but now you’re not too sure. A colleague just shared with you their job-offer package after they transitioned to a new company, and you’re jealous! Not only is their starting offer higher than what you’re currently making now, but there was a signing bonus to sweeten the deal.

Here’s why: Your annual raise is based on your initial salary offer. Work for the same company for a long time? Well, you might not be earning up to your potential.

And let’s not forget that bonus your friend received. Many companies are offering signing bonuses to new employees. These are great at any time of year, but when the economy is financially unstable, a signing bonus may be the very push you need to consider looking for work elsewhere.

6. You want better benefits

Let’s not forget that there’s more to a job offer than just a salary offer. The benefits package should be a determining factor as to whether not to make a career move. If your current employer’s benefits offering is lackluster, jump ship! You shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not you’re fully covered in the time of a medical or dental crisis, and you should have easy access to benefits like life and disability insurance. When you reevaluate your career trajectory, know that you deserve benefits that make you feel covered and confident that you’ll be protected when you need it most.

Is your current company providing you with additional paid time off in the event COVID-19 affects you or your family? You may never need to use those hours, but that added benefit is the sign of a company that really cares.

And, let’s not forget about other important benefits, like vacation days. There might not be as many places you can travel to during a pandemic, but a trip to the beach, a hike in the fall, or just a day to kick up your feet on the couch and binge on Netflix all day can boost your mental health.

7. You see what companies are made of

Knowing how an organization treats its employees can help you determine whether or not it’s a place you feel comfortable working. But, how do you know you can trust curated social media feeds and websites featuring employee testimonials?

Well, most of the time, you don’t know whether you can or not! But during a pandemic, there is no scripting, planning, or “branding” an organization’s decisions. How they choose to protect and support their staff speaks volumes for the type of company you’d be working for. 

Did they show a lackluster response to managing the outbreak? Were their employees complaining of being overworked while working remotely? Were they they first organization to shoo their staff back into the office? Those might not be the best places for you.

Look for a company that allowed their employees to work remotely, and provided all the tools and support they needed to make that transition successful. 

8. There’s room for negotiation

Pre-pandemic, employers set the terms for what it would be like working for them. Most often, you’d be applying to strictly in-office jobs, where the hours were inflexible. As an applicant, you can either take it or leave it. 

But now, the pandemic has taught employers to be more flexible to suit the needs of their best employees, and that benefit also trickles down to new applicants as well. Are you looking for a remote position at what was formerly a traditional workspace? Ask for it! Can’t work a nine-to-five, but you’re available from 10-to-six or willing to work four 10-hour days a week? Speak up during your interview or after you’ve received a job offer. 

Smart companies care more about getting the right talent in than they do your requests for accommodations. This isn’t to say they’ll be able to accept every request you submit, but if you’re even considering applying for a new job during the pandemic, know that you have more power to negotiate the perfect-for-you opportunity.

Successful professionals of all industries follow one principle that allows them to up-level their career time after time: you need to take risks.

Dust off that resume and let it do some work for you as you apply for a new job that will inspire you, push you to grow, and give you a better work-life balance.

And while you’re here, find out why Embrace Home Loans has been named one of the Best Places to Work for 14 years — and counting. We’re actively recruiting loan officers, underwriters, loan processors, and other essential positions to meet the growing demand for our mortgage products.

Visit our Careers page to learn how we support our teammates and view (and apply for) our open positions.