Once you’ve been in your first position a year or two, it may be time to think about making a strategic career move. Why? No matter how well you’re perceived in your current role, you’ll move up more quickly if you change jobs. Now that you have some experience under your belt, you can command a higher salary, a better title, and more responsibility if you go elsewhere. Your 20s are the best time to make such a move, because you possess a certain degree of personal freedom. Most twenty-somethings don’t have to worry about how a job switch will affect their children’s school schedule or healthcare benefits. You uncover a new opportunity—and carpe diem!

Unfortunately, the decision to leave a job is not always one you have the luxury to make. Sometimes, for reasons you might not be able to control, you may be fired or laid off. In this chapter, I’ll discuss how to detect and repair when your job may be on the line. Next, if you’re ready for that strategic career move, I’ll walk you through some techniques for scoping out a new career or position inside and outside your current company. I’ll also cover good reasons to leave a job that aren’t so strategic, such as being in an abusive situation. Finally, I’ll talk about ways to make a graceful exit and preserve ties with your employer that will serve you well in the future.

When my friend David was fired, he saw it coming. He had a new boss, with whom he clashed terribly. David had been an excellent employee, but after his new manager started criticizing him all the time, David lost his motivation. Eventually, he was just going through the motions. Once David’s manager officially documented his poor performance, David knew his days were numbered. He was not surprised when he got the axe a month later.

Some bored or miserable employees might not have the emotional energy to consider whether they might be fired. Maybe it’s all they can do to drag themselves to work in the morning. They think about quitting, but because they don’t have anywhere else to go, they stick around and put in the minimum effort. Does this describe you? Let this serve as a wake-up call: If you hate it enough and don’t do anything to fix the problem, your job is probably in jeopardy. Why? Long-term job dissatisfaction is difficult to hide. Your boss probably knows you’re unhappy, and, if the situation continues, she’ll probably find a way to get rid of you. Here are some other scenarios that should set off your smoke alarm:

We all go through periods of trouble on the job. Even if one or more of these warning signals applies to you, the black cloud may pass, or you may be able to work through it. Understanding when you’re in danger of being fired can only empower you. Whether your job is being threatened by colleagues’ perception of wrongdoing or actual wrongdoing, knowing what you’re up against will help you determine a course of action. Appropriate resolutions vary. For example, if you’ve been chastised for bad behavior, you should cease the action immediately and show genuine remorse for any trouble you’ve caused. Alternatively, if your boss feels you’re not producing, you should document your tangible contributions and present them to her at every opportunity. Did your manager give you a performance plan? That piece of paper (or two) should be your new Bible. Live by it. Make sure you measurably improve in each designated area by the deadline noted in the plan.

In most cases, your boss won’t fire you without a legitimate reason. Don’t give her one. Once you discover where things are not working, swallow your pride and take the necessary steps to protect your career and your future.

In the corporate world today, layoffs are so common it’s scary. Companies have to answer to Wall Street and their shareholders, and when an organization fails to meet its projections, a logical first step is to “trim the fat”—or eliminate jobs. Regardless of your reputation or skill set, your company might decide that your position is expendable, and they will send you packing. Usually you will have a lot of people in the same boat as you are because companies typically lay off many employees at the same time. On the one hand, being laid off is easier to stomach than being fired—it’s less personal and you often can’t do anything to change the decision one way or the other. However, layoffs are more disconcerting because it’s harder to see the writing on the wall. Concerned? Keep on the lookout for the following danger signs:

Pay attention to these indicators. You must not permit yourself the luxury of denial or thinking a layoff could never happen to you. If you suspect that you are about to become a victim, take action before you are officially unemployed. Use the tactics from Chapter 1 (such as compiling a power resume and networking for job leads) to get a jump on the situation. In your 20s, you’re typically not at a level that warrants a cushy severance package, so create an emergency financial plan that will carry you through a temporary loss of income. While you’re at it, investigate post-employment health insurance options such as COBRA, and your company’s policy for rolling over 401(k) funds.

Sometimes, a layoff will take you completely by surprise. This is a traumatic experience, but do not allow it to destroy your confidence. Prospective employers recognize that companies are downsizing all over the place, and they will probably not hold a layoff against you. You should have no trouble landing on your feet, provided you start looking for another job right away. Interviewers will appreciate your resilience, whereas they may become skeptical if you stay off the market for too long. So if you’re ever laid off, hold your head up high. Look at it as a good opportunity to find a company that truly values your talent and expertise.

As I’ve talked about before, few corporate employees today are lifers, or individuals who stay at the same company for the duration of their careers. In particular, junior employees are both encouraged and expected to move around during their 20s. Even if you’re happy with your job, it always pays to be on the lookout for the next big thing. This way, instead of waiting patiently to be promoted year after year, you can sell your skills to a new employer for a higher title and salary right now. In this section, I’ll discuss the mechanics behind smart career moves, including how to transfer to a lateral position within your current organization, and how to scope out opportunities in a new company or in a new field.

One important caveat before I begin: Be wary of changing jobs too often. As a twenty-something in business, you should hold each job for at least a year before you consider a change. Individuals who switch more often become known as chronic job jumpers, and employers avoid these candidates like the plague. When a hiring manager sees a resume listing four jobs in three years, he won’t wait to hear your explanation. He’ll think that you can’t hold down a job, and he will move on to the next person.

If you are a chronic job jumper and find yourself looking for a way out once again, you might want to do some soul-searching. A pattern of unsatisfying work experiences could mean that the problem lies not with the jobs or the companies, but with you. Here’s an example: In my early career I worked with a woman named Joselyn who was a few years older than me. Joselyn tried in vain to find job satisfaction in a few different positions. Eventually she realized that, although her five work situations had been very different, her negative attitude was the one constant. She wasted a lot of time looking high and low for a better job when she should have been focusing on how she could be happier and more effective where she was. Don’t let this happen to you.

As you’re preparing to make a move, ask yourself the following questions, to ensure that you’re leaving for the right reasons. Consider the answers carefully, and be realistic!

The longer you work at a company, the more exposure you have to different functional areas. You may have even been fortunate enough to experience a job rotation, or a series of assignments in various parts of the company designed to provide a breadth of experiences. As you get to know more players and talk to them about what they do, you may find your interest peaked. There is usually no shortage of opportunities for driven and well-regarded twenty-somethings who want to transfer internally. Managers are always looking for good employees with a basic skill set and industry/company knowledge who won’t come with huge salary requirements. Also, companies generally prefer to fill open positions by hiring from within. Some even have policies dictating that they must consider qualified internal candidates before they can expand a job search outside the company.

One type of internal transfer is the lateral move. In a lateral move, a strong employee takes on a new position at the same level as his former position. Most companies encourage these because they are mechanisms for keeping good people happy and sufficiently challenged without promoting them. Lateral moves also save businesses the cost and risk of bringing in new employees who are unknown commodities. You may want to consider a lateral move if any of the following circumstances apply:

Think a lateral move is right for you? You should certainly go for it. Just keep in mind that, in order to learn about internal opportunities, you will have to do the leg-work. You may get lucky and have a savvy manager approach you with a job offer, but, in most cases, you’ll be on your own. Start by finding out if your company publicizes job openings to employees and review the Website religiously. If you see a position that intrigues you, discreetly follow up with the hiring manager. While this process is in motion, keep the prospects coming in by networking with as many senior managers as you can. Get to know them on a personal level, and ask them casually what they’re doing in their groups. During these discussions, never criticize your current manager, department, or position. If a manager thinks you’re a spoiled brat who’s running away from a difficult work situation, he won’t want to bring you on board. Phrase your inquiries positively and innocently—you just want to learn, remember?

Scouting out an appropriate opportunity to transfer internally is one thing, but actually making the transition happen is quite another. Here are a couple of tips that will help you. First, just because your company is behind your decision 100 percent doesn’t mean your boss will be. Whether you’re pursuing a move through human resources or directly with another manager, keep the discussions under wraps until the transfer is close to being finalized. If your boss doesn’t want to lose you and finds out what you’re up to too early, she may subtly—or not so subtly—block your progress. Once it’s time to ink the deal, make sure HR is in the loop so that everyone involved adheres to the agreed-upon transition plan. Don’t depend on your old boss and your new boss to work it out among themselves. Your old boss may try to hold on to you as long as she can, and, next thing you know, you’ll have a major territory war on your hands.

Also, avoid talking about the move to your colleagues before it’s official, because you might compromise your reputation in the group if the job falls through. You’ll also feel like an idiot. Look at it this way: If your team were going to the Super Bowl, you wouldn’t talk about the victory parade until after the game, right? Same goes for your potential hot new job down the hall!

It’s easiest to look for a new job while you’re still employed. Makes sense, right? You’re more attractive to hiring managers because you’re free of the unemployment stigma. And because you’re still receiving a steady paycheck, you come across as more discerning. Prospective employers know you’re not desperate enough to take a job that’s not a good fit.

Before you start talking to anyone about a new job, crystallize your big-picture goals so that you know exactly what you’re looking for. Update your resume with all of your new skills and accomplishments. Next, explore the job-search outlets described in Chapter 1 (such as Websites, networking, and headhunters) to get the ball rolling.

Ideally, you will want to do all of your job-searching research outside of business hours, but this just isn’t practical. Do what you need to do while on the clock—just be careful that you don’t get caught! Surf career Websites discreetly. Don’t blindly send your resume all over the Internet or respond to job postings without knowing where they’re coming from. And if you can, register with career sites that allow you to protect your listing from your existing employer.

As far as your colleagues are concerned, it should be business as usual. Don’t arouse suspicion by changing your patterns. Use sick days to go on interviews if you must, but try to stack up your appointments over a two- or three-day period so you can chalk your absence up to an actual illness. Similarly, if your company dresses in business casual, wearing a suit to work will send a clear signal that you’re interviewing during your lunch hour. Change en route instead.

When making calls to potential employers, use a private office or conference room. Set up a separate e-mail account for your job search, and if you need to fax your resume, hit your local Kinkos. Remember that you are still receiving a paycheck from your current company. Don’t spend too much time job searching when you should be working, and make sure you’re producing on a regular basis. If anything, you should work harder than ever so that you can count on strong references down the road.

While we’re on the subject of references, don’t ask anyone from your current job to be one. Hopefully you have other options, because it’s never a good idea to let people at your company know you’re looking. Unless you want your whole office to know about your plans, don’t tell a soul—even your closest colleague or your mentor.

As you interact with hiring managers and headhunters, be assertive about what you’re looking for. Prospective employers prefer candidates who are in good standing with their current employers, so act as though you’re happy at your job even if you’re not. Your reason for leaving should always be a positive one. For example, you’re looking for an opportunity to expand your skill set and take on new challenges.

If you get an offer, think through the logistics before agreeing on a start date. You still have a job and need to give two weeks notice before departing for greener pastures. When you accept a new job, let your current boss know first, as a courtesy, and assure him that you will do everything you can to transition your responsibilities smoothly.

In a perfect world you would love your job to death and would only consider leaving for “good” reasons, such as the career opportunity of a lifetime or your spouse’s relocation. But at some point in your early career, it’s likely that a job won’t work out the way you planned. For reasons beyond your control, you may find yourself in a bad work situation that mandates quitting sooner rather than later.

No matter what the trouble is, it’s usually best to stick it out until you get something better and are able to jump right into another position. However, as I’ve talked about, finding new employment takes time. If your work is seriously compromising your mental or physical health and it’s torture to go into the office every day, you might not want to wait. After all, no job is worth sacrificing your well-being. Here are some scenarios that may warrant leaving now and worrying about the consequences later:

Under some circumstances, it might be wise to pay human resources a visit before handing in your resignation. Sometimes, particularly in harassment cases, HR may be able to step in and quietly resolve the issue without costing you your job. In general, though, be wary of complaining to HR. Your HR rep’s job is to side with the company you both work for, so don’t blindly divulge information to her as though she’s your therapist. Even if your situation is objectively horrible, be positive about seeking a resolution, and don’t tell your HR rep anything that could be used against you.

Also, remember that when it comes to HR, you can’t necessarily count on confidentiality. To be safe, you should assume that anything you say in an HR rep’s office will get back to the person or people you’re talking about. And if your conflict is with a senior manager, you may not get a fair hearing. When it’s “his word against hers,” many HR reps will side with the more senior person involved, prejudicing them against you—the junior employee. Now don’t get me wrong: certain issues, such as sexual harassment, need to be confronted, and HR can be a useful ally in helping you do just that. Just keep in mind that the decision to involve HR should not be made lightly, and make sure to think through the consequences before making that call.

Life in the corporate world isn’t always fair, but it’s helpful to know when your workplace has crossed a legal line and when the company is well within its rights. For example, did you know that in most states in America, employers have the right to discriminate against employees because they are too young? Yes, it’s true. The U.S. federal law only protects people from discrimination if they are over 40 and considered too old.

Have you ever heard the legal definition of insubordination ? The word insubordinate can be dissected as in = not, and subordinate = subject to the authority of another. Someone who is legally insubordinate refuses to recognize the authority of the employer, which can mean anything from cursing your boss out to refusing to complete a task that you consider unimportant.

And get a load of this one: In North America, most employees are at-will. This means that representatives of a company hire you because they feel like it, and when your employment no longer suits their purposes, they can let you go with no strings attached. So, essentially, you can be fired for any reason or no reason at all. This is why most mass layoffs are legal.

Scary as these examples may sound, the law is generally on the employee’s side. In the courts, employees are awarded millions of dollars every year for being:

You don’t have to have a law degree to understand your rights as an employee. Fair Measures, a company specializing in management practices that create fair workplaces for employees, has a terrific Website (www.fairmeasures.com) with tons of useful information about disability law, discrimination law, overtime exempt law, privacy law, sexual harassment law, and wrongful termination law.

When you’re a victim, it’s reasonable to feel angry and cheated. But do your homework before you take action that could backfire. If you think you’ve been treated unfairly, investigate the issue thoroughly before you make public accusations or hire a pricey attorney to file a suit on your behalf. Once you have the facts and understand your options, you can set out to protect your rights with confidence and conviction.

After the stressful process of looking for a new job while you’re still employed, accepting an offer is a huge relief. At last, you’re free! You probably can’t wait to share your good fortune with the world and tell your boss where she can shove that evil assignment she gave you last week. You might think that because you’re leaving, you don’t have to worry what people think of you anymore. This is not the case. Unless you want to erase everything you’ve accomplished since your first day on the job, your departure must be as strategic and deliberate as your arrival.

This starts with your resignation. Under no circumstances should you let on that you’re leaving before you have a signed agreement and official start date from your new employer. If you jump the gun and blab to everyone, and then your job offer falls through, your best-case scenario is that you’ve got egg on your face. The worst-case scenario, of course, is that your boss is insulted enough to fire you. Here are some other suggestions for making a smooth exit:

Many companies request that departing employees do exit interviews with HR. The person conducting the interview, who probably doesn’t know you from a hole in the wall, will usually expect you to divulge why you are leaving and how you feel about your experience with the company. When it comes to exit interviews, stick to official business as much as possible, and in providing constructive criticism, proceed with tact and caution. Although it may be tempting to use the meeting to spill your guts about the company’s difficult personalities and insufferable policies, don’t give in. Once you’ve made the decision to leave, airing your grievances won’t do you a drop of good, and the risk of offending people is too great.

The most important thing to remember when leaving a job is to fireproof your bridges. It’s a smaller world than you think, and you never know when you’re going to need these people again. And who knows? Maybe you won’t even like your new job and will want to come back someday. At the very least, you want to be able to count on one person at the company to serve as a reference for you in the future. During your last few weeks, do everything you can to leave behind a squeaky clean reputation. Be conscientious and thorough as you’re wrapping up or transitioning projects. Even if you’re leaving because you can’t stand your department, act like a team player and keep your negativity to a minimum. If your colleagues take you out for lunch or throw you a going away party, congratulate yourself. It means you’ve handled your departure in exactly the right way.

So what’s your course of action if you want to leave your job, and don’t want to get another in your industry? You might have noted a few options, including going back to school, starting your own business, and making a career change. Over the last several years, I’ve been asked for my advice on all of these paths, so read on before you decide to climb down off the ladder.

I just heard yet another sad tale about a twenty-something with a newly minted MBA who’s having a devil of a time finding a job. When employers see MBA on her resume, they assume that she should be looking for a management position. Unfortunately, because this grad’s previous positions were primarily administrative and customer-service oriented, many employers don’t think she has the practical experience to qualify for such a position. I’ve gotten dozens of e-mails from graduate school alumni in similar situations. After spending tens of thousands of dollars on an advanced degree, they find that they are no more marketable in their chosen field than they were before they started school. The only difference now is that their job search is more urgent because they are deeply in debt.

To me, this phenomenon speaks to the danger of going back to school without a great deal of forethought. So many people choose a graduate program because they aren’t sure where they want to go with their careers, when in reality, they should first be doing a cost/benefit analysis to determine what such a program is going to bring them in terms of increased job prospects and financial compensation. Of course, before investing an enormous amount of money, time and effort securing an advance degree, they should also do enough research and have enough hands-on experience to know that they actually like the field. I’ve heard lots of stories of twenty -somethings who graduate with a PhD, JD, or MBA only to end up deciding they want to do something else entirely. Lawyers become advertising directors, doctors become life coaches, marketing executives become journalists, and so on.

Bottom line: Although returning to the safety of books and finals might feel more comfortable than the workplace grind, graduate school is not something you should do just for the heck of it. Rather, you should first determine in concrete terms why you need the advanced degree to move ahead in your career of choice, and then map out a plan for how you’ll use the training and degree to facilitate the level of success you desire.

Sometimes people ask me why I haven’t gotten an MBA, and the reason is this: I now work for myself, and as such don’t have a company subsidizing the $50K tuition. If I’m going to pay that kind of money out of my own pocket, then I better be sure I’m going to make it back with my post-MBA income. I know for a fact, though, that this won’t happen. I’m at a point in my chosen career at which getting an MBA won’t make much of a difference at all. I would like to get an advanced degree someday soon, but I don’t kid myself. It’s because I like to learn, not because I think it’s a magic ticket into an uncharted area of the career stratosphere.

In between the first and second editions of this book, I published another career advice guide called How’d You Score That Gig?: A Guide to the Coolest Careers and How to Get Them. During the research phase, I interviewed more than 100 people who currently hold their dream jobs. These individuals were, among other things, travel journalists, event planners, fashion designers, forensic scientists, interior decorators, and Internet business owners, and most of them made a successful transition from another field while they were in their 20s.

In fact, the 20s are an ideal time to make a career change, for college students and recent graduates have much more flexibility when it comes to test-driving different fields. The process of self-discovery is much easier when you’re unfettered by family responsibilities and substantial financial burdens, and when you haven’t yet reached a level in a career where it’s tougher to turn back.

People who change careers in order to do what they love have one thing in common: persistence. As unattainable as your dream job might sound, with the right amount of forethought and preparation, you can make the move as well. To get started:

The Small Business Administration (SBA) reports that there are about 26 million small businesses in the United States, and recent surveys indicate that 72 percent of Americans want to start their own business. In addition, 84 percent believe they would be more passionate about their work if they owned their own enterprise.

So if you want to break out of Corporate America and forge your own destiny, you’re certainly not alone. But how do you know if you have what it takes to be among the successfully self-employed? Well, to start, the personality characteristics necessary for starting and sustaining your own business include a willingness to sacrifice, a service orientation, leadership ability, business intelligence and creativity, management ability and organization, optimism, a competitive nature, a sales orientation, and confidence.

Those are some lofty traits, and it’s a cold hard truth that not everyone is cut out to be self-employed. You should think long and hard about whether you want to do it, in addition to whether you could do it. A few years ago, for instance, I thought I would make my living as an independent freelance PR consultant. I even tried it for a while, and attracting clients and generating a steady income were actually easier than I anticipated. However, I soon realized how much I missed the camaraderie and teamwork of working in a PR organization, and how much I hated administrative tasks such as invoicing and preparing status memos. When I worked for myself, I was responsible for every aspect of my business, even the parts I wasn’t great at and didn’t particularly want to do. If you want to be an entrepreneur, keep this in mind. It’s not just the glory, it’s the guts too.

Despite limited financial resources and start-up experience, and a lack of credibility with potential investors and clients due to their age, twenty-somethings are launching their own enterprises in record numbers. There have been endless how-to books on this subject, so I’ll limit my advice to a few key points.

Whether you’ve snagged a higher position on the corporate ladder or are planning a move that will forever change the course of your career, you can bet that the next few years will be an adventure. It is my hope that some of this book’s lessons will serve you well. And now, onward and upward!