The pandemic has created a new set of values for workers. Being stuck at home for extended periods of times has caused some employees to reevaluate what’s important to them. For many, they want more work-life balance. CNBC reports that pay has come in second to work-life balance as a reason to look for a new job. Employers are even having trouble getting employees to return to work at their desks as they want to remain working from home. If you find yourself being one of those looking for more balance, here are a few steps to take when making a job change.
Think about why you’re making a change. Alex Durand, the founder of Frable Consulting, suggests that his clients look at three Cs to decide if changing careers, or just looking for a similar job, is the right move. The first is competency, which means to assess where your baseline skills are for the jobs you’re seeking. Second is challenge, which involves how much you want to be pushed outside your comfort zone. Finally, there’s curiosity, and that is indicative of how intrigued you are by your field and find yourself wanting to keep working in it. Durand suggests if one of these Cs is missing, that can typically be solved by a new job within your company. If more than that is missing, you may be looking at a career change.
Start planning the switch. To set out on the journey of trying to figure out what you want to do next,
start creating a list of ideas. What do you find challenging? What piques your curiosity, both at work and personally? Research what skills are needed for the jobs that intrigue you. That may be in the form of other people who hold those jobs or a professional career coach. All of these things will help you make a plan to switch jobs or careers, whichever ends up suiting you best.
Network and update your resume, LinkedIn, etc. Start thinking about who can help you in this job or
career change. And think about what you can provide this person as well, because the best networking that takes place is reciprocal. Update your resume and LinkedIn profile and then reach out to these people. Bring up that you’re thinking about making a change in how and where you work. At first, you’re just making contacts, so as you come to the conclusion what kind of change you want to make, the connections are in place to find a job.
According to Forbes, when Prudential recently surveyed workers in general, they found that 48% of
Americans are giving serious thought to making a change and the kind of job they want for their future. The pandemic has set much of this in motion, so we should expect to see an increase in job switching for the time being. If you find yourself in this group, start making some plans as you will likely be in good company. Think through your qualifications and start reaching out to others as a place to start.
https://www.cnbc.com/2021/08/17/work-life-balance-is-the-top-reason-people-want-to-change-
careers.html
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jackkelly/2021/06/23/millions-of-workers-plan-to-switch-jobs-in-pursuit-
of-a-work-life-balance-growth-opportunities-remote-options-and-being-treated-with-
respect/?sh=29fb52d22365
https://www.themuse.com/advice/how-to-realistically-change-careers-when-your-current-job-totally-
drains-you