At the beginning of 2016, I read on Xing that 25 percent of employees think about changing jobs during the year. A fourth of all employees is therefore in the starting-blocks. And I immediately thought, that this did not take into account the ones who had simply not thought about it yet, because they were not asked the question. Plus all those who would unfortunately not make the decision themselves, because the decision would be made for them behind closed doors.

Things change faster than you think

For this reason alone, every employee should in fact always keep in mind a possible change of employment, even when everything is right. Because it could happen faster than one thinks: opportunities, desired and feared changes, are simply in the air.

If you adopt a proactive attitude, you place yourself in a better situation. The following 10 tips shall increase your chances to induce interesting developments in your career:

• Use social business networks: If you do not have a profile yet, subscribe to LinkedIn (currently the worldwide largest platform of the sector) or XING (primarily active in German-speaking countries).
• Do not fear doing some self-marketing: Given that people who are good at self-promotion tend to present themselves in business networks better than those who do not consider it important. Just think about the fact that you cannot be more visible than how visible you make yourself!
• Clearly demonstrate your interest in changing jobs: This can be done in quite an offensive way by clearly setting your professional profiles on a "Job-seeking "; or "Open for a new challenge"; status.
• Suggest your intentions more discreetly: Those who do not wish to trumpet the fact that they want to change jobs, can at least show their openness by ticking boxes which indicate an interest in "Career opportunities";. Networks usually offer such options through "Business contacts"; or "Networking";.
• Skill endorsements: Get LinkedIn skills endorsements. You actually do not have to ask someone to endorse you. You just need to start endorsing some of your contacts‘ skills, who will in turn endorse your qualifications.

What is important to a headhunter?

I am now going to tell you on which elements I focus when searching for adequate candidates in social networks. If you want to be approached by a recruiter or headhunter, you should pay special attention to the following points:

• Polish up your professional social media profiles: They should include specific terms providing a thorough description of your experience. You can make them appear either in the list of your skills or in your detailed resume.
• Highlight your previous changes of occupation: Show that you have already looked for and/or used career development opportunities in the past. These may be development opportunities both within your company or outside. You will want to make these types of job change clearly visible in the field where you describe your responsibilities and list the positions you held. Someone who has been working years in the same position within the same company for the past ten would only be approached by a recruiter or headhunter if it was known that the person is going through a phase of great professional dissatisfaction – which seems quite unlikely and thus rarely generate requests.

The longer the rumor mill churns

If as an employee, you have little or no influence on the following developments, you should nevertheless not disregard them but try to make them work in your favour. When looking for suitable candidates, my colleagues and I pay particular attention to upcoming changes within the company:

• Take any takeover rumours seriously: If you hear possible takeover rumours, you should definitely prick up your ears – irrespective of whether this is just idle talk or a real sign of change. Headhunters know that such situations make employees nervous – it usually opens them up to new opportunities.
• Carefully analyse job reductions: Companies which have recently reduced their number of staff employ worried employees. If they were not affected by the last reduction of staff numbers, they nevertheless feel apprehension. When is the next round planned? Recruiters know that they will find people who are open to a new job offer among these employees.
• Read the balance sheets: People working in companies showing modest annual figures feel unsecure about the future. Their company might soon consider implementing cost-saving measures or staff reductions. The workforce has good business activity indicators. Take them into account to consider a possible job change .

What about poaching outstanding talents?

Is it an unfair labour practice from us, recruiters and headhunters, to take, or to ‚poach‘ as often said, its outstanding talents from a company? One of my relatives blamed me for this once. To him, headhunting was not an ‚honourable‘ job – if one could consider it a job at all. I would answer that it is, like everything else, a matter of style. I do not stand for aggressive, damaging headhunting. I simply provide support to those who wish to improve a situation.

My profession has undergone important reforms and is now far removed from its once "talent rustler"; image. It is in the nature of things that headhunters represent a risk to the companies since they headhunt skilled employees. On the other hand we offer suitable candidates interesting career opportunities. We give them the possibility to leave an unsatisfactory or unsecure position. I you pay attention to the elements listed above, you give yourself a good chance to be approached.

Shall I give a try?

Of course, when being approached or given advices, you do not have to immediately grasp any offered opportunity. You should first carefully assess if the offer suits you. Most employees do not wish to change jobs for changing jobs – they will want to be offered the "right"; opportunity. "Right"; meaning a first-class offer that one cannot possibly turn down, which is as individual as any employee and position and therefore needs to be carefully assessed.

I wish you many open doors in 2016 – whether you use them or close them shall depend on your current job level satisfaction.

Dr. Irmtraud Lang, Chemist and Owner of gloor&lang ag, life science careers