Changing Your Career After Coronavirus

Now that things are starting to settle after the coronavirus pandemic, we are all trying to get accustomed to ‘the new normal’ as we return to our jobs and head back into the office.

However, for some of us, the outbreak and its aftermath have given us a lot of time to reflect.

Those who have been on furlough, as well as those who have spent time working at home away from their office, their line manager and colleagues, have had time to think about whether their current role is the right choice for them.

Others who have been made redundant have concluded that now is as good a time as any to forge a brand-new career path.

Why change roles?

According to a survey from Totaljobs, 70% of UK workers are likely to consider working in a different sector as a result of coronavirus, with 20% of workers actively seeking a new career out at this moment in time.

So, why are people making a move to a brand-new career? Reasons why include:

• A desire for a better work-life balance: Working from home has been a game-changer for many, especially those who did not have the option to do so before. It’s given people more time at home with their partners and children and the extra time has been able to be spent on hobbies and projects around the home
• More money: Time spent at home has left some people with more money in their pockets as they have not had to spend money on commuting, work clothes and eating out. People may elect to move career in order to earn more money
• Wanting more of a challenge: People have had a lot of time to think about their career over the past few months, and if their current role is enough to keep them fulfilled. If you feel that you have become complacent in your job and your skillset is becoming stale, then a change of career that allows you to gain new knowledge and opportunities may help
• A desire to do your dream job: Some of us fall into careers that we don’t want to do, just to pay the bills. Sometimes the career that you chose to go into in your twenties may not be the one that is right for you in your thirties or forties. Staying at home has been an excellent opportunity for people to think about changing career, doing something that they are genuinely passionate about and that makes them happy to get out of bed every day
• Fear of unemployment: Industries such as hospitality have taken a significant hit this year, and people who are yet to return to work have concerns that there may not be a job to go back to, especially when the furlough scheme ends in October
• Wanting to be happy: We spend a third of our day at work, so its only natural that we want to in a job that makes us content. An unsatisfactory and stressful work life can quickly cause burnout and easily bleed into our home life, making us unhappy

If you are looking to switch careers, here are our top tips for making the transition as smooth as possible, no matter your age or circumstances.

Do your research

Moving from one industry to another is not something you can do overnight. You’ll need to do some research to see what qualifications are required, how you will progress in your new career and if the salary matches your expectations. If you are already in a role, you will also need to determine how you will move into your new career.

There is plenty of information available online, or you may be able to schedule a phone call or video chat with someone who works in the sector you want to work in so they can tell you about their experiences.

Remember to think about how the industry sector will fare in the future. For example, if you want to go into retail or the travel industry, how will these sectors be affected long-term by coronavirus? You do not want to train for a brand-new career if you are not able to get a job in the industry.

Look at your current skills

You need to look at your skillset and character traits to see if you can map them to a brand-new career trajectory. Sit down with a cup of tea or coffee and write down what you are good at, and what skills you have that need improvement.

Some skills like communication, leadership, time management and problem-solving are great ones to have as you can apply them to a wide variety of different careers.

Leverage your network

It always helps if you know someone who works in the industry that you want to work in. This person can mentor you and offer support and advice, or even provide you with an ‘in’ and introduce you to people who may be potentially interested in employing you.

Talk to people you know, either face to face on social media platforms like LinkedIn. If you work with clients in that industry, you could offer to buy them a coffee outside of work and ask them a few questions about their experiences.

Look at online learning

If you need a qualification to move into your dream career, you will need to go back to college or university to achieve it.

Online learning is a great way to do as you can you plan your online education around your current role and home life. Another benefit is that as you are not going into a building and sitting in a lecture room with other students, it allows you to remain socially distanced.

Take a leap into the unknown

Rather than waiting for someone to open the door for you, sometimes you need to open the door yourself. Taking a leap of faith, no matter how small, may feel scary, but you may look back in five years’ time and realise it was the best thing you ever did, as it brought you to a career that you love.