before you update your CV, do this first | career planning Part 1.
What We’ll Cover.
01. Why you’re actually moving.
Are you running from something? Or moving toward something better?
02. Our career planning framework.
The baseline conditions that, if unmet, will lead to regret.
What truly drives you - money, growth, impact, stability, autonomy
The specific value you bring, beyond your job title.
Where your next move fits into the bigger picture.
03. How to get started
Most people don’t start a job search with a plan. They start with a bad week.
An awkward performance review.
A project that went sideways.
A manager who made them feel like a drone.
A salary that suddenly feels… insulting.
And suddenly they’re on Seek at 10:47pm. Don’t be that guy.
Before you update your CV or start applying, this guide will help you think through five critical areas:
01. Reactive vs Proactive Job Searches.
In our experience, most candidates start a job search reactively.
They’re running away from something, be it burnout, poor culture, stalled progression, or underpayment.
Very few people start by asking: “What am I actually moving toward?”
The risk of rushing a career move
When you rush a career decision for short-term relief, you’re often forced into a position of compromise:
A small salary bump without long-term progression
A better brand name, but worse culture
A new title that doesn’t align with your strengths
A “safe” move instead of a strategic one
We’ve seen the horror story outcomes firsthand; candidates who:
Move twice in 6 months because the first move was reactive
Accept roles that looked great on paper but lacked real support
Burn bridges by jumping too quickly without understanding the market
A rushed move can cost you more than you think: reputation, career momentum, confidence, work-life balance, long-term earning potential.
The upside of having a plan
When you’re clear on what you’re looking for:
You interview better
You ask better questions
You evaluate offers strategically
You move with conviction and feel more confident in your final decision
Clarity makes you selective, and selective candidates tend to land better roles.
02. The Career Planning Framework
Before applying for anything, here are the core areas to think through.
Non-negotiables.
These are your baseline conditions:
Minimum salary
Commute time
Hybrid vs full-time office
Project type or asset class
Leadership exposure
Work-life boundaries
If you don’t define these upfront, they’ll get negotiated away in the moment.
Ask yourself:
“If my next role doesn’t have X, will I resent it in 6 months?”
Your core motivators.
Different candidates are driven by different things:
Money and financial acceleration
Prestige projects and brand
Learning and skill development
Autonomy
Stability
Impact
Lifestyle
There’s no “right” motivator, but there is alignment and misalignment. For example:
If you’re motivated by growth, a stable but flat organisation may frustrate you.
If you’re craving stability, a fast-scaling developer might overwhelm you.
So be honest with yourself about what is really driving you to take action.
skills & positioning.
Many candidates underestimate their value because they haven’t unpacked it. Others overestimate it (to their own detriment) because they don’t position themselves correctly in the market.
Instead of listing responsibilities, identify:
Commercial impact
Stakeholder management
Complexity handled
Revenue, cost, risk or delivery outcomes
And a big one if your role is project-based: what was the nature of the project (asset class, value, unique characteristics) and what part did you play in the final outcome
This becomes the foundation for your CV, your LinkedIn, and your interview narrative.
So take the time to map it out from the get-go.
Culture & Environment.
Culture isn’t just “nice people” , and even “nice people” can mean something very different depending on who you are.
We encourage candidates to think about culture as holistically as possible - that includes:
Leadership style (hands-on vs hands-off)
Decision-making speed
Risk appetite
Structure vs chaos
Transparency
Team size
Internal politics
Two businesses can work on similar projects but feel completely different.
Your performance and happiness are environment-dependent.
The long game.
Don’t just ask: What’s my next job?
Ask: What does my career look like in 5–10 years?
You don’t need to map out the rest of your life in detail, but future you will thank you if you take the time to reflect on the direction you want to head in.
Do you want to:
Lead teams?
Move into strategy?
Specialise deeply?
Broaden across asset classes?
Start something yourself?
Your next move should either:
Accelerate that path
ORBuild a capability you’ll need later
Even if you’re not 100% certain, choosing your own direction is always going to beat out someone else choosing for you.
03. How to Get Started.
STOP drafting that CV. Before sending a single application:
1. Write down your non-negotiables.
Be honest but realistic. This isn’t a dream board, and this isn’t about underselling yourself; it’s about knowing exactly what you’ll regret most to avoid making the wrong decision or wasting your time entertaining opportunities that just don’t fit.
2. Define your top 2 motivators.
If you can’t articulate why you’re moving, you can’t communicate that to an employer. It also might be a sign that your not yet ready to move.
3. List your 3 strongest selling points.
Not tasks. Capabilities that have real commercial impact that you can demonstrate.
If you can do those three things, you’re already ahead of most candidates.