The COVID Crisis has been disruptive for everyone, and many people have found themselves furloughed or out of work for an extended period. While there have been hardships there has also been opportunities for reflection. Perhaps you’ve been thinking about a career change for sometime but the routine of life Ahmad kept you set in your ways. Or maybe you didn’t feel like you had the right skill set for a change but the break from work made you curious about what could be next for you. If you’re looking for a career change or some work that’s more fulfilling the following steps can help you chart a new career course.
Skills Review
Believe it or not taking control or your career is a creative process, and like all creative processes it begins with a bit of brainstorming. Your resume might look pretty good as it is but doesn’t be too fixated on the skill and achievement you have acquired to date. The fact is there may be a whole set of skills you’re not taking into account that could be very useful in a different industry, like direct mail marketing companies. Take some time to discover what skills you have. A good way of doing this is to choose a few random skills from a list and write a page tells the story of a time when you demonstrated this skill. Go back through the page highlighting any other skill you’ve written about. These skills also belong to you. Use the content to create a second page that’s more detailed.
Try It Out
Apply the skills list to a range of industries where you think these will apply. Communication for instance will be useful in most industries, you could apply it to charity work, teaching, or something you have wanted to do for a while. Don’t limit yourself in this process, the goal is to create as many viable options as possible. When you have a list, you can narrow it down to three options that stand out for you the most. The step is to look for opportunities in these sectors. Don’t think that you need to have paid employment in a sector to gain experience. Volunteering is an excellent way to gain industry know-how and build a reputation. More often than not it leads to employment in that area. Others means include reaching out to companies to offer your services and offering your services to friends and colleagues.
Fill The Gaps
Adopt a beginners mindset. When we learn new skills and abilities it can be easy to think we are an expert right away. This is the fastest way to losing credibility, reputation, and falling on your face. It’s wonderful that you’ve learned new industry skills and feel good about it but remember it is only the tip of the iceberg and there is always more to learn. When you feel comfortable with an ability or process it’s a good sign that you’ve made some progress. Now focus on what else you can do to improve on those abilities. How can you tailor your skills to be more specialized and marketable. Find quality online content to read or take courses that are cheap or free. A good tip when taking an online course is to choose one with a digital certificate that you can display on your online profile.
