This ebook explains how to make a smooth transition to a new job in engineering.

1. DAN TRUPP AND RAY BROWN
HOW TO MAKE A SMOOTH
TRANSITION TO A NEW JOB
MAKING
YOUR MOVE:

2. /02
Whether you’re in your first job out of college or a
mid-career engineering professional looking to make a
change, when it’s time to make a career move, there are
many things to consider besides landing a new position.
Let’s face it: the time surrounding a career move is one of upheaval, from resigning
from your old job to integrating properly into your new company. And without proper
guidance, this upheaval, though exciting, can feel overwhelming. After all, you don’t
want to burn any bridges when transitioning out of one position into a new one where
there are a lot of unknowns.
This ebook is structured to guide you smoothly and effectively through the process of
transitioning to a new job by making informed decisions and taking appropriate actions.
INTRODUCTION
KEY HIGHLIGHTS
In this ebook, you’ll
learn how to:
• assess your motivators
for wanting another job
• resign amicably
• make the most of the
onboarding process
• integrate into your new
company’s culture

3. /03
PART I:
MOTIVATORS
FOR MAKING
A MOVE

4. Before looking for another job, it’s wise to spend some time reviewing exactly why you
want to move on from your current position. Set some time aside to find out what your
precise pain points are, because by analyzing the reasons you want to leave, you’ll be
better equipped to accept a new position that doesn’t have the same drawbacks and
meets more—or even all—of your requirements.
The reasons for wanting to find another job can vary from person to person, but the 2014
Kelly Global Workforce Index shows there are a number of commonly cited causes, including:
• Dissatisfaction with salary, benefits, and other financial incentives. This pain point
is cited by 60 percent of engineers as a reason to look for another job with a different
employer. Dissatisfaction can easily occur if you’ve been with your employer for a
couple of years and have been given more responsibilities—but your compensation
hasn’t increased correspondingly. At the same time, you might learn about
comparable positions that simply pay more or have better incentives.
• Lack of opportunities for advancement. Almost half of all engineers would leave
their employer if there were no more room for growth with the company. A lack of
opportunities for advancement can occur for any number of reasons, including
limitations due to the size of the company, corporate hiring practices, or in-house
competition for promotions. Whatever the reason, it’s usually preferable to move on
than to stagnate.
PART I: MOTIVATORS FOR MAKING A MOVE /04
60 percent of
engineers cite
dissatisfaction with
salary, benefits, and
financial incentives
as a reason to look
for another job.
DISSATISFACTION
WITH SALARY
60%

5. /05PART I: MOTIVATORS FOR MAKING A MOVE
• Inferior work-life balance. Increasingly more workers are looking for a good work-life
balance, meaning they’re looking for more flexible work arrangements, less overtime,
and, in general, a better time distribution between their professional and personal
lives. As a result, 38 percent of engineers cite an inferior work-life balance as a reason
to make a career move.
• Current management. Almost a third of all engineers mention current management
as a reason for changing jobs. Whether it’s the inability to see eye-to-eye or issues with
the way a department is being managed, problems with management can be a major
pain point.
• Poor staff morale. Low employee morale can result from many things including
constantly changing goals, misunderstood expectations or lack of communication.
And, according to 31% of engineers, it’s a powerful motivator to look for another job.
38 percent of engineers
cite an inferior work-life
balance as a reason to
make a career move.
INFERIOR WORK-
LIFE BALANCE
38%

6. /06PART I: MOTIVATORS FOR MAKING A MOVE
• Stress. Work can be stressful for any number of reasons, varying from being
overburdened or participating in difficult projects to friction with colleagues or the
company suffering financially. Almost a quarter of engineers name stress as a reason to
look for another job.
• Lack of training and development programs. In our rapidly changing society where
innovation and the adoption of new technologies occur at a rapid pace, it’s imperative
for workers to continue to develop professionally. That’s why it’s unsurprising that
almost a fifth of all engineers cite a lack of training and development programs as a
reason to leave their current job.
• Lack of global or international opportunities. With increased globalization, 20
percent of engineers state a lack of global or international opportunities is a reason
to change jobs.
20 percent of
engineers state
a lack of global
or international
opportunities is
a reason to
change jobs.
LACK OF
OPPORTUNITIES
20%

7. /07
PART II:
MAKING A
BETTER MOVE

8. Once you’ve decided to make a move from your current employer, it’s crucial that
you don’t just take the first opportunity that comes up simply because you need a
change. You need to make sure you’re making a better move that will advance your
personal and professional goals.
Keeping your current pain points in mind, make a detailed wish list for your new position
that considers aspects such as compensation, company culture, room for growth, work-
life balance, and opportunities to work internationally or in cutting-edge fields. Decide
on which points you’re prepared to compromise and which are non-negotiable, and use
this list as a guide when evaluating potential positions.
Once you begin the job search process, refer to the Kelly Engineering Resources®
ebook
—Weighing Your Career Options—to guide you through the steps necessary to properly
evaluate job offers and select the one that’s best for you.
PART II: MAKING A BETTER MOVE /08
BY ANALYZING
THE REASONS
YOU WANT TO
LEAVE YOUR OLD
JOB, YOU’LL BE
BETTER EQUIPPED
TO ACCEPT A
NEW POSITION
THAT MEETS
MORE—OR EVEN
ALL—OF YOUR
REQUIREMENTS.

9. /09
PART III:
THE
RESIGNATION
PROCESS

10. /10
The resignation process is one of the most sensitive aspects of transitioning to a
new job. Even if you’ve signed a contract with your new employer and have agreed
on a start date, it’s crucial that you handle your exit from your current organization
professionally. Remember: you don’t know when you’ll need a reference from your
current boss or an old colleague, so do everything you can to ensure an amicable
resignation process. Here are some do’s and don’ts to bear in mind:
• Do know exactly why you’re resigning. Especially if you find it difficult to say
goodbye, use the pain points list you created in Part I of this eBook to remind
yourself why this position is no longer good for you. If you’ve already accepted
another position, make a list of why you prefer this new job and how good it will be
for your career.
• Don’t use your resignation as a way to leverage a counteroffer from your current
manager. You can read more about this in the following chapter, but overall, when
announcing your resignation, you should be 100 percent certain that you will be
leaving your current employer, as well as prepared to leave immediately in the
unfortunate event you’re asked to.
• Do make an appointment with your manager to resign in person. During this
meeting, inform your manager that you’re resigning and state the exact date
you’ll leave.
PART III: THE RESIGNATION PROCESS
You should be 100
percent certain that
you will be leaving
your current employer.
BEFORE RESIGNING,
BE CERTAIN.
100%

11. /11
• Don’t feel pressured to volunteer more information than necessary. Even if you
have a good relationship with your manager, providing too much information can
work against you in the event matters become disagreeable. It is likely that your
manager will be interested in the reason you are leaving, so give some thought to
this ahead of time so you are prepared with a respectful response.
• Do offer to help make the transition to your replacement as smooth as possible.
You can offer to train your replacement or, in the event your position involves highly
specialized work, be available for questions after you leave.
• Don’t inform your colleagues you’re leaving until you’ve told your manager. You
don’t want your manager or somebody in HR to hear about your resignation through
the grapevine.
• Do follow up your verbal resignation with a written letter to your manager and HR.
This formally indicates the termination of your employment and will be added to
your employee file.
PART III: THE RESIGNATION PROCESS

12. /12
• Don’t add more information than necessary to the letter. It should state your
resignation and the termination date of your employment (usually two weeks after
your resignation, unless otherwise specified in your contract or negotiated by your
employer). Other than that, omit information such as your reason for leaving or who
your new employer is. As a rule of thumb, keep your letter of resignation short and
to the point.
• Do thank your boss for the time you spent at the company. In your letter, state
again that you’re willing to help make a smooth transition to your replacement, and
also indicate your intentions to remain on good terms.
• Don’t include any emotional or unprofessional statements. Even if you can’t wait
to leave the company, keep your letter of resignation as professional and amicable
as possible.
Depending on the circumstances of your resignation, your last weeks at your current
company can be pressure-filled and very busy. Many employers take advantage of the
offer to train a replacement, so be prepared to work very hard for a while. But no matter
how busy you are, don’t forget to contact HR about things such as unused vacation days,
signing bonuses, pension, and any other matters that need to be addressed in order for
you to wrap up your old job and move on to your new position.
YOU NEVER KNOW
WHEN YOU’LL NEED
A REFERENCE, SO DO
EVERYTHING YOU
CAN TO ENSURE
AN AMICABLE
RESIGNATION PROCESS.
PART III: THE RESIGNATION PROCESS

13. /13
PART IV:
COUNTEROFFERS

14. When you announce your resignation, your employer could well make you a counteroffer
in an attempt to get you to stay. However enticing the offer may be, it’s almost never a
good idea to accept it, and here’s why:
• Counteroffers are often made to avoid inconvenience. It costs time and money to
find and train a replacement, so it’s only logical that your current employer will try to
get you to stay. However, what often happens is that the promises leveraged during
a counteroffer are merely a fast tracking of a salary raise and/or promotion you would
have coming anyway. This means that if you accept the counteroffer, you’ll merely have
temporarily speeded things up—but you’ll likely have to wait longer for any future
raise or advancement opportunity. Moreover, situations like these beg the question:
why didn’t they offer you the raise or promotion earlier?
• Oftentimes, a counteroffer is made as a temporary fix while your employer
searches for a replacement. This means that as soon as your employer finds a good
candidate, you could be cut loose. Remember: everybody’s replaceable, and your
employer knows it. It then becomes only a matter of time before your employer can
get your replacement up to speed.
PART IV: COUNTEROFFERS /14

15. • Your loyalty will likely be called into question. If you’ve indicated that you want
to leave, there’s one thing that often can’t be fixed: the trust between you and your
employer. In fact, it could be irrevocably damaged. You could find yourself locked out
of opportunities because your loyalty to the company is called into question.
• No matter how attractive a counteroffer, it usually doesn’t address the pain points
that caused you to look for another job in the first place. Getting a raise or being
promoted won’t address any issues you have with management or might not positively
impact your work-life balance. Bear your pain points in mind and assess objectively
whether a counteroffer can truly address them.
• You don’t want to burn bridges with your potential employer. If you’re really
interested in working for the company that made you the offer that caused you
to resign, you don’t want to burn any bridges. But if you accept a counteroffer,
you’ll most likely forfeit any future chances of working at the company that caught
your interest.
Statistics show that the majority of workers who accept a counteroffer find themselves
back on the job market within a year. This can either be because they’re let go by their
employers or because they resign due to pain points that haven’t been addressed. The
numbers don’t lie: it’s rarely a good idea to accept a counteroffer, so give any you receive
proper consideration.
/15PART IV: COUNTEROFFERS
STATISTICS SHOW THAT
THE MAJORITY OF
WORKERS WHO ACCEPT
A COUNTEROFFER FIND
THEMSELVES BACK
ON THE JOB MARKET
WITHIN A YEAR.

16. /16
PART V:
MAKING THE
MOST OF THE
ORIENTATION
PROCESS

17. /17PART V: MAKING THE MOST OF THE ORIENTATION PROCESS
Your first months at your new company lay the foundation for the rest of your career
with your new employer. The sooner you can become productive, the better your job
prospects and the higher your chances of a successful career. That’s why it’s important
that you make the most of your orientation process and learn how to navigate the
company as soon as possible.
Your primary goal during the orientation process should be to get the resources you
need to do your job well and function within the company. Keep the following points
in mind:
• Be proactive. Your colleagues might think you know everything by the end of the first
week, but more often than not, you’ll still be in a learning curve. Be proactive and do
your best to find out all of the information you need by asking questions, requesting
assistance, and even shadowing others on specific tasks when necessary.
• Know the members of your team. Though this might seem like a logical step, it’s
not unusual for a new hire to walk into an office, only to be left to his or her own
devices on the first day because everybody’s so busy. Instead of waiting for people
to come to you, reach out to colleagues to introduce yourself. Ask your manager
to identify colleagues with whom you’ll be working most closely, and make a list of
their names and job titles. Then do your best to establish strong relationships with
these team members.

18. /18
• Get your equipment. Many companies provide laptops and/or phones to their
employees. Make sure you get any equipment as soon as possible so you can use
these tools to amp up your productivity.
• Find out who your trainer or mentor is. Whether you’re being formally trained on
the job or not, you’ll likely have a trainer, mentor, or go-to person who can answer
your questions and provide you with general direction. Make a point of finding out
who this person is as soon as possible and check in regularly with him or her. Use
your trainer or mentor as a resource to learn everything you need to know in order
to perform your duties well.
• Review your responsibilities with your manager. To ensure you know exactly
what tasks you’re supposed to be performing, review your responsibilities with your
manager. Establish a timeline to achieve certain things and check in with him or her
about completion.
• Learn how the company’s databases work. Locating information is key to
functioning properly in a new job, so it’s imperative you learn how to navigate your
company’s databases. Ask your manager or trainer to show you where to find and
store the data you need, and take note of any processes or procedures you’ll be using
on a regular basis. Remember to respect and employ all data security measures wisely.
PART V: MAKING THE MOST OF THE ORIENTATION PROCESS

19. /19
• Find out who the internal and external stakeholders are. Many projects have
internal and/or external stakeholders who are invested in a good outcome. As much
as possible, find out who these stakeholders are and why they’re invested in these
projects. The more you know about the value of the work you do for your company
and its partners, the better equipped you’ll be to make decisions that benefit you
and your employer.
During the first few months of your new job, it’s imperative that you keep reaching out
to your team for information and assistance. Remember: each appointment you make
and every relationship you build has the potential to be a step forward in your career.
YOUR PRIMARY
GOAL DURING THE
ORIENTATION PROCESS
SHOULD BE TO GET
THE RESOURCES YOU
NEED TO DO YOUR
JOB WELL AND
FUNCTION WITHIN
THE COMPANY.
PART V: MAKING THE MOST OF THE ORIENTATION PROCESS

20. /20
PART VI:
HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY
INTEGRATE INTO YOUR
NEW COMPANY

21. /21PART VI: HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE INTO YOUR NEW COMPANY
During the orientation process, you not only have to get what you need to do your job;
you also have to integrate into your new company. This might sound easy, especially
if you’re excited about your new position and are enjoying your work. However, each
organization has its own unique culture with specific methods, shared beliefs, and
common goals that everybody, from the newest intern to the most senior CEO, adhere
to. And unless you make a concentrated effort to fit in, you could wind up on the
sidelines and risk becoming unhappy in your job.
According to Forbes, 89 percent of hiring failures are caused by the candidate not
being a good cultural fit for the company. That’s a staggering statistic, and one
you don’t want to become a part of. Note that the longer you work for a company,
the more integrated you become with its culture. So if you were with your previous
employer for more than five years, it’s imperative that you discard entrenched beliefs
and methods and adapt to those of your new company.
89 percent of hiring
failures are caused
by the candidate not
being a good cultural
fit for the company
89%

22. /22PART VI: HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE INTO YOUR NEW COMPANY
Here’s the good news: you can learn about your company’s culture and use your acquired
knowledge to help you integrate. All you need is an open mind and a willingness to learn
and adapt. Keep the following points in mind:
• Observe. Instead of assuming you know the best way, take a step back and observe
how your new colleagues do things. Don’t challenge them to do it your way: build
relationships by learning their ways of accomplishing tasks.
• Ask as many questions as you need to understand the why. It becomes much easier
to embrace new methods if you understand the reasons for doing things a certain way.
• Do your best to fit in. Get to know as many people as you can and show a real
interest in them. Find common ground. Becoming friendly with your colleagues is the
fastest way to integrate into the company’s culture.
Never make the mistake of observing and listening but not adapting. It’s easy to resist
change, but the consequences could adversely affect your career. Instead, if you’re
having trouble adopting certain methods, procedures, or beliefs, look for a way to
compromise. Determine what works for you, what works for the team dynamic, and how
to invite a relationship between the two.

23. /23PART VI: HOW TO SUCCESSFULLY INTEGRATE INTO YOUR NEW COMPANY
For example, if the company culture encourages individuals to solve problems on their own
and you’re used to addressing challenges as a part of a group, you could solve a portion of
the problem by yourself and then ask other people for their opinions about your solution.
This makes you work as an individual while still inviting group participation at a later stage.
Integrating into the group is a gradual process, and one that you should work on every day.
Be prepared to try new ways of doing things, and keep an open mind to different beliefs.
Because the sooner you’re fully integrated, the sooner you’ll be productive and able to
move forward with your career.

24. /24CONCLUSION
Transitions can be exciting, yet stressful.
Once you’re aware of your motivators for wanting to make a move, it’s key that
your next opportunity isn’t just a bridge to get you out of an unsatisfying situation.
Instead, it should address your motivators and advance your career. Of course, when
leaving one job and starting another, you oftentimes have to accomplish tasks you’re
unaccustomed to, such as writing a letter of resignation or navigating counteroffers.
But if, from the very beginning of this process, you ask yourself the right questions and
concentrate on strengthening relationships, you can maximize your career trajectory
while minimizing your stress.

25. /25
SOURCES:
2014 Kelly Global Workforce Index
http://moneyfor20s.about.com/od/yourjob/tp/How-Can-I-Tell-It-Is-Time-To-Move-On-To-A-New-Job.htm
http://www.forbes.com/sites/jacquelynsmith/2013/09/04/14-signs-its-time-to-leave-your-job/2/
http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/articles/2013/08/12/8-ways-to-graciously-quit-your-job
http://www.asktheheadhunter.com/haresign2.htm
http://career-advice.monster.com/in-the-office/leaving-a-job/sample-resignation-letter/article.aspx
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resignationletters/a/resignationlet.htm
http://www.ere.net/2012/08/09/why-you-and-your-candidates-should-never-accept-a-counteroffer/
http://news.yahoo.com/why-shouldnt-counteroffer-133221049.html
http://www.articlesbase.com/career-management-articles/should-you-consider-a-job-counter-offer-395246.html
http://www.mribcs.com/counter_offer.html
http://www.kellyocg.com/Blogs/Onboarding_–_Make_the_most_of_a_new_hire_s_first_week/?terms=make%20the%20most%20of%20a%20new%20job
http://talent.linkedin.com/blog/index.php/2014/06/what-do-new-hires-want-from-onboarding-infographic
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/diane-gottsman/7-tips-for-a-productive-f_b_5226033.html
http://www.thedailymba.com/2010/06/21/your-first-90-days-at-a-new-job/
http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikaandersen/2012/04/25/the-most-important-reason-people-fail-in-a-new-job/

26. /26/26
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Search for jobs on our Kelly Career Network
®
, sign-up
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www.kellyservices.us/engineeringcareers to learn more.

27. EXIT
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ABOUT KELLY SERVICES®
Kelly Services, Inc. (NASDAQ: KELYA, KELYB) is a leader in providing workforce solutions. Kelly®
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ABOUT THE AUTHORS
DAN TRUPP is the Product Director for the Americas Engineering Product Center of Excellence
of Kelly Services, Inc. His primary responsibilities include leading strategic business development
of engineering workforce solutions throughout the West and Southwest regions of the United
States. He is an engineering subject matter expert for numerous industries including medical
device, aerospace, oil and gas, and semiconductor. Prior to joining Kelly, Dan held various
management positions with technical staffing firms in the United States. He attended Colorado
Technical University and is an active member of several associations including the Energy Professionals
Group, Colorado Governor’s Energy Board, and the Colorado Bioscience Association.
RAY BROWN is senior engineering recruiter with Kelly Engineering Resources®
and is responsible
for recruiting all levels of engineers in a broad range of industries. He has nearly 16 years of
experience in the technical recruiting arena.