Why We Stay

In all your time as a job candidate, you’ve probably seen and heard plenty about what makes a job worth pursuing. These are the things that are meant to pique your interest when you’re reading job descriptions or participating in interviews. They’re the highlights, like specific perks and benefits or unique cultural characteristics. What they are and how effective they are depends on what the job is and what you’re looking for, but they’re emphasized so that you’ll be motivated to apply and come on board.

 

That doesn’t mean they don’t matter. They matter so, so much! A new job is a huge change in your life, so you need to know what it’s really going to be like before you decide to pursue it. You need to know what it will provide for you, and whether or not you will feel like you belong.

 

There’s something else you need to know, though. It’s not something that’s generally a focus in the hiring process, but it becomes incredibly important once you’ve stepped through the door for your first day.

 

Why should you stay?

 

You might find that the answer to that question has a lot in common with your reasons for pursuing the job in the first place. It could be as simple as the compensation or the benefits. Perhaps it’s the sense of purpose the work provides, or the belonging you feel in the workplace. Maybe you love and appreciate the people you work with and/or for, and they love and appreciate you right back. Often, it’s some combination of all these things, along with one more crucial factor.

 

Can you grow?

 

When you stay at a job for any length of time, you’re investing your invaluable time and energy in helping your employer to reach their goals. Here at KinderCare Learning Companies, we firmly believe your employer should invest in you to help you reach your goals, too.

 

“KinderCare has so much opportunity for growth and development. I love that there is a career pathway, lots of opportunities available and a culture of encouraging employees to continue growing throughout their career. I started out as an Assistant Teacher, worked my way up to Center Director and now get to help support our company in a whole different way.”

 

• Amy Berk, Sr Talent Acquisition Business Partner

 

When you’re considering options for that next step on your career journey, you’ll need to do some investigating to find out if a company has a culture of growth. Seek out specific learning and development opportunities you’d be interested in taking advantage of. See if you can find any stories of employees who have grown their careers while working there. Be sure to ask the people you talk to throughout the interview process what growth looks like in their organization, and how your own growth would be supported.

 

It’s also helpful to set aside some time to take stock of your goals, so you know exactly what to look for. Build a list of all the things you hope to accomplish and ask yourself if the job you’re thinking about could help you put check marks next to them. This tip works long after you’ve already started working in a new role, too. Revisit your list periodically to check on your progress, figure out what’s changed, and decide if you need to add any new goals to keep yourself engaged.

 

Everyone has different aspirations, but no matter what yours are, it’s important to find a job you can grow in – because that’s a job worth staying in