The world of work has changed for good! But, I am not typically talking about the demise of the ‘job for life’, but actually the life of jobs!
During the Pandemic we saw mass redundancies, job losses and staff Furloughed.
Now we are seeing something completely different; employment rates are rising, with the number above one million for the first time since records began.
We are seeing organisations and employers having to come up with creative ideas and incentives to entice potential candidates; with Amazon offering large cash incentives and John Lewis Partnership offering free food and drink.
Employees are now recognising the value and importance of fitting their work around their lives, rather than the other way round. Covid has been a game-changer in relation to people’s values and expectations around.
Candidates are turning down opportunities and have said they would rather sit tight and wait for the right job to become available. Recruiters are finding it challenging to meet their expectations and the demands of hybrid and remote working.
On average, office space has been reduced by at least 30% and trends across transport are falling fast. A recent report by McKinsey, shows the Pandemic accelerated existing trends in remote work, e-commerce and automation, with up to 25 percent more workers than previously estimated potentially needing to switch careers.
Brexit, automation, the shift to a net zero carbon economy, an ageing population, the digitisation of services etc. will all shape the kinds, number and location of jobs into the future. Employers, employees, recruiters and candidates are all having to think differently about the future of work. So, how is affecting you?
If your confidence has been knocked, your resilience is low and you don’t feel optimistic about the future of work, it can be difficult to set career goals and navigate a positive way forward. You can easily start to feel stuck.
People, who have higher levels of confidence, resilience, optimism and the ability to set goals have a distinct advantage in managing their career development.
If you’re feeling stuck or unsure about your career direction here are a few gentle steps you can take to gradually help free yourself from your ‘stuck-ness’:
- start exploring and researching job market trends by reading credible online news articles and LinkedIn posts
- reach out to people you know and trust to talk about how you’re feeling
- make new connections in the industries that you’re interested in through your own network and LinkedIn.
- Update your LinkedIn profile and CV
- sign up for free events, insight days and taster sessions that interest you
- listen to Podcasts around career change
- spend time analysing yourself by exploring what really makes your thrive and when you’re ‘in the flow’
- take some free online assessments to assess your strengths, values and personality traits to help identify industries and job roles where you will fit best.
Talking to a Career Coach can also help you define your career goals with clarify and purpose. Get in touch if you would like to have a free 30 minute ‘Career Conversation’.