The last twelve months have been very unpredictable, which means that even though some jobseekers may be cautious, there are many taking the opportunity to explore new career options.
The pandemic has been the push that many people needed to make a switch in career. For many of the candidates we talk to, the shift to working from home was the big change. While Covid has unfortunately decimated many businesses and even entire industries around the world, others have thrived—creating many new opportunities.
If your industry has been impacted by the spread of COVID-19 and no longer offers reliable employment, it may be necessary for you to change careers or industries altogether. Or, perhaps you have desired a career change for some time and now is a natural time to build the skills you need to enter a new industry or role.
Regardless of your circumstances, there are strategies that you can use to set yourself up for a successful career change.
One of the main points that job seekers need to convey is adaptability—this was true before COVID-19, but is even more important now. Other considerations that are unique to the current economic environment, are which industries are struggling the most, and which are more resilient and can offer new opportunities driven by innovation. We are seeing some business sectors in Luxembourg still growing quickly with exciting long-term prospects. Many companies are going through a digital transformation which also creates new and different job opportunities.
One of the most important ways to invest your time during a career transition is by reflecting on your current situation. By doing this, you can create a good understanding whether this is the right time to change careers. What do you want to achieve out of your career change and what do you need to do to make it happen?
Contemplate why you want to change careers. Making a shift under the current situation will present different challenges, so it’s important to consider whether there are other alternatives. If you are unhappy with the jobs that you’ve held in the past, could it have been because of your company or direct manager instead of the job itself?
Businesses have experienced extreme change in a short amount of time since the start of COVID-19 and they may prioritize applicants who can not only adapt with them, but also help the company thrive during change.
You might be ready now to start searching for your new role and even consider a new industry. During times of economic disruption like the previous year, you may need extra patience with yourself and others.
Use your personal and professional network to identify new opportunities and learn about changes that you can make in your job search to find more success. You might be surprised by how many people are willing to give you a lead for a job, helpful advice or words of encouragement. You can use your network in Luxembourg to acquire a reference from an organisation, although it is important to have more factual than circumstantial information to rely upon.
Job searching can be challenging and even more so during COVID. It can help to accept that rejection is a natural part of the process, therefore its natural to free frustrated, but try to shift toward positive thinking as soon as possible. Persistence is a powerful tool, so rise to the difficulties associated with your search and keep moving forward to find the right opportunity.
