By now, we’ve heard of “the great resignation”. If you haven’t, it’s a term that was coined in 2021 and spurred by the global pandemic. Under this great resignation, companies and organisations saw many of their staff resign from their jobs. There are many factors that influenced this great move and continue to be of concern to employers. The tide is still turning on this great move. If you weren’t part of the crowd that resigned but have considered it, why not take this time as we reflect on the year gone by and to rethink your career.
The shift
Am I in the right job? Is my job fulfilling? Is it time to priortise other aspects of my life? Pertinent questions that you should ask and prompted the big shift in people’s employees during the peak of the pandemic. And these are some of the questions that prompted many employees to rethink their careers amid the great resignation. People are looking for more flexible working environments, they want to achieve better work-life balance and have job satisfaction and fulfillment to some degree. Great questions to ask yourself every-so-often in your professional career. But what does this mean for you and me?
The great rethink
The great rethink triggers you to ponder whether you fit in with your company’s culture. Are you comfortable with your career growth and advancement opportunities in the company? Are you treated fairly? Are their policies in line with your values? If nothing changed in the company in the next year, two years or even five, would you still be happy?
If you’ve spent time on these questions and the answers aren’t indicative of a positive shift towards your goals and values, you are in the right space to think about what you want, value, and pin down what your life and career goals are. And then you need to begin searching for companies that “tick all the boxes.” You are allowed to rethink your career options. You can make a change. But the transition and the next steps are hard.
We’ve put together some helpful tips to help you along your way.
The next steps
The first thing to think about is what you do. Before deciding on a career shift that could leave you in the same situation in 18 months, you need to ask critical questions. You also need to come up with a career strategy that will get you the results you want. This will take time and work. And it definitely won’t happen overnight.
- Make work more enjoyable
Your thinking reveals that you do need a change. Before making the leap to another company, talk to your manager and find out if you can explore a different work and office set up. You may find that a hybrid working solution, more (or less) responsibilities, and flexible hours are all you need to make work more enjoyable.
- Take a break
When last did you take a break and go on holiday? Without your laptop or answering work emails by the pool? A step away and break could be all you mind needs to recharge and feel rejuvenated about your job again.
- Find out who you are
Alison’s Personality Test enables you to realise your career dreams by providing you with an extremely accurate report of who you are and why you do things the way you do.
- Invest in your skills
If you’ve found that the career you should be in doesn’t match with where you are, you can upskill yourself in preparation for your new career. Refresh your skills, learn a new language, or learn something completely new. Alison has over 400+ courses across a variety of subjects that you learn for free. This newfound knowledge will come in handy when applying for new jobs.
- Get a mentor
This is an often-overlooked area in our careers. We maintain a small circle of professional friends and acquaintances, often in similar industries and influence our decisions. Having a mentor will challenge you, give you critical feedback and encouragement. Mentors can also help you expand your professional network and provide you with leads and recommendations about what steps you can take.
- Build your brand
An interview is your sales pitch. You are selling your skills, values, and experience to potential employers. it’s essential therefore that you have a resume to match. Your Alison profile is a great tool that you can share on social platforms and with employers that tell people who you are. Your profile can serve as your personal brand. Think about who you are, what you’re selling and make sure your resume and profile reflects this.
- Have an action plan
Set some goals. What do you want to do or achieve, where do you want to go career-wise, how do you plan on getting there, and what tools do you need to ensure you reach your goals? Break these down into weekly, monthly, and even yearly goals. Place them where you can see them often to help you keep track of how you’re doing and a steady reminder to change track if one is achieved or perhaps not working.
Whether you choose to stay or go, know that nothing is ever set in stone. You don’t have to stay in a work environment that is toxic. And neither should you feel obligated to stay to “fix” what doesn’t work in the office or hope for changes when no efforts are being made toward it. Only you can decide what works for you. And when you’re ready, make the leap. You can have the career of your dreams.
