COVID-19 pandemic has left 147 million people unemployed globally.
Economies across the globe are slowly reopening, allowing these 147 million people to resume their job hunt. The various unemployment schemes introduced by world governments have as well given many unemployed people room to breathe. In the UK, the Department for Work and Pensions invested 238 million pounds under the Job Entry Targeted Support (JETS) scheme to get the furloughed employees back to work.
However, with the increasing unemployment rates and lots of industries facing a prolonged economic slowdown, furloughed employees from these industries cannot entirely rely on these schemes. They are expected to not only resume their search for a new job but also look for other options for career growth.
Embarking on a career change post-internship or after years of experience in an industry that is no more witnessing growth might seem like a daunting task. It’s especially challenging during these unprecedented times when businesses themselves are unsure about what the future holds for them.
The next few sections offer advice on how to prepare yourself for taking that big step and changing your career in this day and age.
1. Prepare Your Mind
Chance favors the prepared mind.
Louis Pasteur
The first step to embark on your career change journey in this new normal is to accept that you can no longer continue working in the same career you have been doing for years. The new normal demands you to make a different career choice due to the changing market condition and economic slowdowns like hospitality and tourism industries.
Therefore, it’s vital to prepare your mind for the change that we’ve been witnessing and how it can further affect your work-life balance and possibly impact your personal life as well. This preparedness will empower you to be firm with your decisions and lay the foundation for a successful career change.
The more prepared you can be, the better you can evaluate what career change you would like to have and how it can benefit your aims and career goals.
2. Do Your Research
Some industries have been worse affected than others, but a few have shown a quick economic recovery. You need to acknowledge that there is not one graduate labour market but a very diverse job market with different opportunities for graduates and experienced professionals.
Dig deep into the industry trends and growth projections to get a broader view of employment opportunities and the job market you‘re interested in. Check out industry publications, individual company websites’ career pages, and blogs to get better insights into their job vacancies and impress potential employers.
Though the mind might not be entirely clear about the career path you should be opting for, research with your core competencies and the market scenario in mind will help you with better decision-making. This decision-making helps in defining the action points needed to make the career change successful.
3. Revamp Your CV
It’s never the wrong time to dust off your old CV and make it as concise as possible for the selective recruiter to know what to expect from you in this new normal. CV writing is a skill and a very crucial aspect of the job process. Therefore, go through the particular job skills that the new career role demands g and tailor your CV accordingly.
Considering it’s a career change, you might even want to take account of some globally-renowned certified online courses or specialized degree programs to help your CV stand out from the rest and gain more expertise.
For instance, the addition of an MBA program degree such as MBA in hospitality if you’re targeting the hospitality sector, or a digital marketing certification from a well-known academy would help your CV with a much-needed boost to establish yourself quickly and better in the new career.
Additionally, gain advice from some highly-recommended career blogs and online videos to help you create a successful CV for a job in the new normal. That will help you learn from the mistakes of the fellow career changers and what essential skills to highlight to make a successful career change.
4. Think about Your Future Goals
Ask yourself: what are you expecting out of the new change? Are you merely looking for a career change that can tide you over or something that can be the next big step in your work life?
Do you have the required skill set and competency to qualify for the job you picked? Or, how will this career selection impact your personal and professional growth in the coming years?
These are the standard interview questions that you might come across, but not the ones that can be answered quickly every time. Well, definitely not if you are unclear about the career choice you have made and what it holds for you in the future.
Deciding your goals and what you hope to achieve with the new career will help you filter the job roles better and figure out what’s best for you. Jot down the questions you might have for someone who’s making a similar career change. Answer them yourself to be prepared for the different career stages in advance.
5. Embrace the New Normal
It’s 2020, and things are not the same! Accept the fact that the way things used to work has changed significantly, irrespective of the career or job sector you opt for.
Even if it’s a role similar to the one you did before, the COVID-19 pandemic has changed most of the aspects of various work processes. The change has not been limited to a shift to remote working. Businesses have revamped their organizational values and methodologies in accordance with the new situation.
Also, in order to embrace the changes in your career of interest and establish yourself as a promising candidate, it’s necessary to research how the new normal has been practised. Gather information on how the companies you are applying for are adhering to social distancing norms to protect their employees.
This information will also speak volumes about how these companies or businesses treat their employees and what kind of work culture you can expect.
We have outlined the tips that will help you make a career change in COVID-19 and beyond. Evidently, the norms and market situation are continually changing and demanding that graduates as well as working professionals evolve along with the circumstances.
Hence, to succeed in this continuously changing and increasingly volatile market, you need to:
- Be patient: They say, give time some time. The economy is continuously fluctuating, so don’t be disheartened if you fail to figure out the right career choice for yourself. Observe industry trends and evaluate what’s best for you.
- Be limitless: If you’re ambitious enough to have the courage to start a career afresh and burn the midnight oil in order to succeed in it, then don’t limit yourself with what you can do and what you can’t. Until you succeed, Explore, Act, and Repeat.
- Be focused: Practice ‘attention to detail’ rather than just quoting it on your CV. Don’t get distracted and stay focused on self-improvement and the emerging work trends.
Anita Sambol
With years of experience as a content strategist and creator, Anita has a ‘super-power’ of being a clear human voice for brands when talking to their audience. One of the projects she currently enjoys the most is being a content associate to EU Business School, where she’s also including her own experience from student and business life.
Featured Photo by Christina Morillo from Pexels
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