Changing jobs: from the first thought to your first day

When should you change jobs? Signs it is time

Everyone has bad weeks, and that is not a sign that you need to leave. But if the same thoughts keep coming back month after month, it is worth taking them seriously.

Before you decide, ask yourself whether the problem can be solved where you are. A conversation with your manager about new tasks, more responsibility or better pay can sometimes change a lot. Check what is normal pay for your job with the Salary check, so you know whether your pay really is low before you raise it.

If you recognise several of these points over a long period, it is time to start looking for something new:

• You have stopped learning, and your tasks are the same as two years ago.
• You dread Monday as early as Sunday afternoon, week after week.
• There is no way forward, whether in responsibility, skills or pay.
• Your pay is clearly below what others get for the same job.
• You disagree with the direction the company is taking, or with how people are treated.
• Over time, the job is affecting your sleep, your health or your family.

Search discreetly while you are still employed

It is almost always wiser to look for a new job while you have one. You negotiate from a safer position, and you do not have to take the first offer for financial reasons. Start by writing down what you want to keep from your current job, and what you want to get away from. If you are unsure about the direction, the career quiz can suggest jobs that suit your interests.

Once you have found a job to apply for, you can paste the ad into Selja and get a professional, ATS-friendly CV and cover letter tailored to the job in under a minute, built on what you have actually done. Under Jobs in the app you will find fresh jobs from arbeidsplassen.no. Read the guide on how to find job vacancies as well.

If you apply for a job in the Norwegian public sector, the list of applicants is usually made public. You can ask to be left off the public list and explain why, but the employer assesses the request and can say no. If they do, you should be told, so that you can decide whether to withdraw your application.

A few simple rules keep your job search discreet:

• Use your own computer, your own phone and your private email. Do not save your CV on your employer's shared drive.
• Schedule interviews early in the morning, at lunchtime or in the afternoon, or take time off. Many employers hold first interviews on Teams, which makes it easier.
• Be careful about making big changes to your LinkedIn profile all at once. LinkedIn lets you show that you are open to new jobs to recruiters only, but there is no guarantee it will not reach your own employer.
• Do not tell colleagues that you are applying. Word spreads faster than you think.

References when your manager does not know yet

Your new employer will often want to speak to references, and many would like to hear from your current manager. That is tricky if your manager does not know you are applying. Say it plainly: “My current manager does not know I am applying. You are welcome to contact her once we are close to an offer, but I would prefer you to start with these two.” Most employers understand.

Good alternatives are a former manager, a colleague who has left, or a client or partner who knows your work well. Always ask your references before you give their names, and tell them which job you have applied for, so they can highlight what is relevant.

How to resign from your job properly

Do not resign until you have a signed employment contract from your new employer. A verbal offer is nice, but the contract is what counts. Read your own employment contract before you resign as well. Look at how long your notice period is, and whether you have a non-compete or non-solicitation clause that limits what you can do afterwards.

Under the Working Environment Act, the notice period is one month unless something else has been agreed in writing or is set out in a collective agreement. Many people have agreed three months, and the law sets longer periods for those who have worked in the same company for a long time.

The notice period starts on the first day of the month after you resign. If you hand in your notice on 10 March and have one month's notice, your last day at work is 30 April. If you resign on 1 April, your last day is 31 May. So it pays to resign before the end of the month, not just after it.

Resigning in writing is the norm, and it gives both you and your employer a clear date to count from. Talk to your manager first, preferably face to face or on video, and hand in the written notice the same day. Your manager should not hear it from someone else.

What to say and write when you resign

Keep it short, friendly and free of criticism. You do not need to explain all your reasons. An example: “I have accepted a new job, so I am resigning from my position. I have enjoyed working here and learned a lot, and I will do what I can to make the handover go well.”

Ask for written confirmation that your resignation has been received. Also agree how holidays and time off in lieu will be handled during your notice period, and how the work will be shared out in the last weeks.

The resignation itself can be a short email or a letter. It should include the following:

• Your name and the position you are resigning from.
• A clear sentence saying that you are resigning, and the date.
• The day you count as your last working day, based on your notice period.
• A short thank you for your time at the company, if you like.
• Your signature if it is a letter.

Counter-offers: should you stay if they offer more?

Sometimes your employer responds with a counter-offer, such as a higher salary or a new title. It can be flattering, but think about why you wanted to leave in the first place. If it was only about pay, a good counter-offer might solve it. If it was about your manager, your tasks or a lack of development, a pay rise rarely changes much in the long run.

Ask yourself: Why did I not get this before I resigned? And what will it be like to carry on when both my manager and I know I was on my way out? It helps to decide how you will respond to a counter-offer before you hand in your notice, so you do not make a big decision under pressure.

If you are choosing between two offers, it helps to put pay, pension, working hours and other terms side by side. With Compare job offers in Selja you upload two job offers and see which one gives you the best total package. Read more in the guide to comparing job offers.

The last weeks in your old job

How you leave is remembered. Do your job properly until the very last day, even when your motivation has gone. Many industries in Norway are small, and you may meet the same people again as clients, colleagues or references.

The holiday pay (feriepenger) you have earned is paid out when you leave, usually with your last salary. In your first year in the new job, your pay is often reduced when you take holiday, because the holiday pay for that time has already been paid out. Set aside some of the money so your holiday does not become a financial surprise.

Go through this before you leave:

• Write a handover note with ongoing tasks, contacts, deadlines and where things are kept.
• Go through your tasks with the person taking over, if someone has been appointed.
• Ask for a written certificate of employment. You are entitled to one when you leave, stating among other things what your work involved and how long you were employed.
• Return your laptop, phone, keys and access card.
• Say a proper goodbye to your colleagues, and connect with them on LinkedIn.

Your first months in the new job and the probation period

Most new jobs start with a probation period. It can last up to six months and must be agreed in writing. During probation the notice period is 14 days unless something else has been agreed, and that applies both ways.

Use the first weeks to listen, ask questions and get to know people. Agree early on with your manager what is expected of you after one month, three months and six months. Ask for a review meeting during the probation period, so you know how things are going before it ends.

It is normal for the first months to feel demanding. You have lost the routines and the network you had, and everything takes longer. Give it some time before you conclude that the move was a mistake.