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The pandemic has turned all our lives upside-down. But there’s an upside to being upside-down: it gives you a new perspective. Surprising as it sounds, many people are planning a drastic career change right now – and now is a good time to act.
Here are some action steps you can take to launch your post-COVID career.
Take stock of your assets
Make a list of what you’ve got going for you and don't be modest! Think about all your previous roles and the key skills you may have acquired. Moreover, think about your personal character and what you bring to the table. Do you have experience doing what you want to do? If the answer is no, don't let that be the end: transferable skills and a real passion for the role might be enough to get your foot in the door!
Read some books
Do some reading around your chosen career and the topic of a career change. Bill Burnett and Dave Evans’ book “Designing Your Life” guides you through practical exercises to create a life around your values, and to resolve conflicts between your personal and professional values.
Talk to a professional
Once you know what you want to do, and you’re confident you can handle the challenge, it might be time to seek some guidance. If you really are flipping your career on its head and moving into something completely new, professional guidance could be a huge asset
A good career coach will work out the steps you need to take and hold you accountable for doing them. They’re particularly useful if you’re feeling stuck and don’t know where to start, or if you’re looking for a career in one of the newer fields and need up-to-date info on what’s out there and how to pursue it.
Start networking (even online)
A weird upside of COVID? People are much more up for a phone call than they used to be. Get on LinkedIn and seek out people at all levels of seniority in the field you’re looking to enter. Find out what it’s like both to climb the ladder and to be at the top.
Talk to friends – but not to seek approval
When you’re looking for networking opportunities, don’t forget to ask your friends who they know; they’re likely to be a lifeline.
However, don’t rest too much on your friends’ opinions about your career plans. If someone doesn’t like your choices, see it as a useful opportunity to defend them (including to yourself).
Start putting yourself out there
Mark Twain famously said, "the secret to getting ahead is getting started". Start putting plans into action and just get going.
One of the best ways to do this is to reach out to a recruiter. Perhaps it's worth getting in touch with one of our expert consultants here at Cooper Lomaz?
We would love to help you navigate your post-pandemic career search and have tonnes of opportunities in a variety of industries. Get in touch- contact@cooperlomaz.co.uk
Changing careers isn’t easy – but even during a pandemic, you can break it down and start taking the first few steps towards your dreams.