Switch jobs in India while you are still employed, and resign only after a written offer. The sequence is: decide why you are leaving, target one role, interview without using office time carelessly, agree the offer and the joining date, then resign and hand over. Skipping ahead is how people end up with a notice period and no job.
Decide the reason before you open a job board
A switch to escape a bad week often recreates the same job elsewhere. Write the change you want: scope, pay, city, manager quality, or a skill you are not learning. Use that sentence to filter roles.
- If pay is the only issue, ask your current employer about a review first.
- If the work is the issue, a raise will not fix the next year.
- Give yourself a target of one role family, not a dozen.
Search while you still have the job
Employed candidates are easier to hire because the notice period is known and the story is simpler. Take calls outside work hours, and use leave for onsites. Keep the search off your work laptop and your work email.
- Tell recruiters your real notice period.
- Avoid announcing the search to colleagues until you resign.
- Keep performance steady. A reference may be checked.
Leave cleanly after the offer is signed
Accept in writing, agree the joining date, then resign. Offer a handover note and finish the notice you agreed. A messy exit follows you when the industry is small.
- Resign to your manager first, then HR, in that order.
- Document passwords, files and open tasks. Do not take data that is not yours.
- Ask for a relieving letter and experience letter as you exit.
Reason, written offer, then resignation. That order protects you.
Questions people ask
How often is it reasonable to switch?
- There is no fixed number of years. Two or more moves of under a year, without a clear reason, will be questioned. One well-explained move is normal.
Should I switch for a small hike?
- A small hike with better scope can be worth it. A small hike into the same work rarely is. Compare fixed pay, learning and the manager, not just CTC.
What documents should I collect before I leave?
- Pay slips, Form 16, appointment letter, relieving letter, experience letter and proof of full and final settlement. Store them in a personal account.
Related reading
Meera Iyer
Meera edits WePlacement career guides for people searching, interviewing and negotiating offers in India. She writes from questions recruiters and candidates ask every week.
