Changing jobs: your checklist from decision to day 90

Changing jobs: the checklist at a glance

Changing jobs well is mostly a matter of sequence. Whether this is a career shift within your field or a full career transition, each step below protects your reputation, your income and your momentum:

• Confirm the move is right for you, and for the right reasons.
• Secure a written offer before you resign.
• Check your contract for your notice period and other terms.
• Resign in person or by video, then confirm in a short resignation letter.
• Line up references and prepare a clear handover.
• Negotiate the offer, including pay, benefits and learning support.
• Plan your first 90 days in the new role.

When to change jobs, and is changing jobs every 2 years wise?

Should I change jobs? Look for lasting signals rather than a single tough week. You may have mastered your role and want a steeper learning curve, be ready for responsibility that lies beyond your current team, feel drawn to a different kind of work, or see that your skills have grown faster than your pay. In the US, CareerOneStop's Salary Finder shows pay data by occupation and location, which turns that last feeling into a fact you can act on.

What about changing jobs every 2 years? A move every couple of years can accelerate your learning and your earnings, and it introduces you to more people and more ways of working. Hiring managers look for the thread that connects your roles, so give each move a clear purpose and show what you delivered before you left. Staying longer brings its own rewards, such as leading a major project or growing into management, so let your goals set the pace.

Changing jobs during a mortgage application or on a UK visa

Two situations call for extra planning. If you are buying a home, share your plans with your lender or broker early, ideally before you sign a new contract or hand in your notice. The US Consumer Financial Protection Bureau notes that after you decide to proceed with a loan, the lender takes a careful look at your finances and may request documents confirming what you reported, since lenders generally must verify where your income comes from. Each lender sets its own employment checks, which may include questions about probation periods, so ask how a new contract fits their process.

On a UK Skilled Worker visa, a new employer means a new application. GOV.UK sets out the steps: you need a new certificate of sponsorship for the new job, and you apply to update your visa, as early as 3 months before your new start date. Your current job, notice period included, can continue while the application is considered, provided you apply before your current visa expires. Start the new role once your new permission is confirmed, and plan travel around GOV.UK's rule to stay within the UK, Ireland, the Channel Islands or the Isle of Man until you receive a decision.

How to change jobs: notice period and resignation letter

Line up your new role before you leave the old one where you can, and review the practical details first: bonus dates, accrued leave and any tuition support you are using. Your notice period is usually set out in your contract or employee handbook. In the UK, GOV.UK explains that you must give at least a week's notice if you have been in your job for more than a month, that your contract will tell you whether notice must be in writing, and that written notice is wise if you may need to refer to it later. In the US, many employers welcome two weeks' notice as a professional courtesy.

Tell your manager first, in person or by video, then send a brief, warm and factual resignation letter:

• The date and your manager's name.
• A clear statement that you are resigning, with your job title.
• Your final working day, in line with your notice period.
• A sincere thank-you for the opportunities you have had.
• An offer to help with a smooth handover.

References and a gracious handover

Leave in a way that makes people glad to recommend you. CareerOneStop advises asking each person before you share their name, finding out how they prefer to be contacted and sending them the job description and your resume, and it notes that references from past employers carry the most weight. During your notice period, write a handover document covering open projects, key contacts, deadlines and where files live, and thank the colleagues who helped you grow.

Negotiate salary for a new job

The offer stage is your best moment to shape your package. CareerOneStop suggests thanking the employer, expressing strong interest and requesting at least 24 hours to decide. It also points out that future raises build on your starting pay, so a thoughtful negotiation keeps paying off:

• Research the typical pay range for the role in your location.
• Base every request on the value, skills and experience you bring.
• Look beyond salary: schedule, remote work, leave, training and tuition reimbursement can matter as much.
• Keep requests brief and reasonable, and stay positive throughout.
• Once you accept, ask for the offer in writing.

Your first 90 days in a new job

The first 90 days in a new job set the tone for everything after. In days 1 to 30, listen and learn: meet your team, understand priorities and ask how success is measured. In days 31 to 60, contribute by taking on a visible project and delivering an early win. In days 61 to 90, propose an improvement, agree goals for the year and ask for feedback.

This is also a great time to invest in your next step. If your new role, or the one after it, asks for a degree, your experience can help you earn it. Universities assess prior learning through formal processes, and recognized experience can cover part of an accredited degree, with the remaining modules completed online on a schedule that fits your job. Credit amounts vary by university and program. A free Pathway Snapshot shows which routes suit you, and a Pathway Specialist replies by email within one business day.