COVID-19 is a global pandemic that has disrupted the normality of society. Not only has COVID-19 impacted the health of many nations but also severely reduced economic growth and impacted millions of jobs. Since the UK have been in lockdown, we have seen the collapse of several companies and mass redundancies. Although national economic activity will attempt to bounce back after the pandemic has ended, the flow of income for many professionals has stalled and stagnated and there is great uncertainty over the length of time various sectors will take to recover.
Not all sectors have felt the negative impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Some industries have experienced growth, and economic activity has thrived, with employees gaining security within the roles they hold. Businesses that have been able to adapt using e-commerce marketplaces have excelled during a globally challenging time. Many online companies have seen an increase in orders and Amazon sales have flourished, along with many other deliveries based companies.
If you have been affected during this awful COVID-19 pandemic, then this may be a chance for you to reinvent your career. Many highly skilled professionals and individuals have relevant and transferable skills, which makes transitions to other jobs and careers smoother than you may think.
Not only can a career change entail higher job security and a steady income; benefits can include opportunities to learn new skills. New employment may offer better work life balance and professional growth in fast growing companies.
As a result of the pandemic, flexibility of working hours and in some cases the opportunity to work from home, which many individuals seek has become the norm amongst many professions. As the economy start to emerge from lockdown employers will be on the look out for new candidates to join their teams, and there are certain skills that will continue to be in demand.
Skills such as communication, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, and organisational abilities. All of which are skillsets that most professionals have developed throughout their working careers. The good news here, for people in this position and looking for new roles, is that these skills required are what we call ‘transferable skills’ and therefore a person can carry them from one job to another.
It can be very challenging to reinvent your career at any time, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. The question that many professionals will have is how do I do this. These are our top tips for getting started.
The first thing is to look at the skills that you hold and what industries could benefit from these. If you have previously worked as a team leader, you may decide to become a business coach or mentor or decide to progress your skills further to become a consultant. Moreover, you may have been in a retail job and used communication skills every day when serving customers and running your team. You could decide to take your experience as a leader along with your communication skills, and approach a large company and take up a leadership job there.
You may decide that you want to go it alone. Although it is daunting, this period is a key opportunity for you to reflect and realise your dreams and visions for your future career and life. If you decide to start you own business you should start off by thinking about your personal branding and your unique selling point. As well as this, it is crucial to communicate your values, as this will help build your company.
Reinventing your career can be a bumpy road, and doesn’t always come easy. However, it is so important to commit to the change, and be determined to achieve it. It can be a lot easier to say you are going to do something, than to do it. A career change requires a lot of commitment, so make sure you are all in and are fully dedicated.
Networking is crucial for anybody looking to change career paths. Speak to your friends, family and former colleagues, because you never know who might be able to offer you that next opportunity. Try tapping into your ideal industry, and reaching out to people you know already have their foot in the door. They may be your way in, or at least help you get an interview.
Although the COVID-19 pandemic has left many of us in a vulnerable position and left the economic stability of the UK in a currently weak and uncertain position, it is not all doom and gloom. Many professionals will have acquired the transferrable skills needed to develop and gain new employment through career changes. Obviously, there may be difficulties along the road, but ultimately highly skilled workers should see this period as a new challenge in which they are able to overcome difficult times, and in many cases better themselves for a new career in what could be a particularly enjoyable stage of their life.
