Long gone are the days of workers staying with one company for their entire careers; today, workers typically change jobs every 4.2 years on average.
Switching jobs can be an invaluable opportunity to find work that better matches your lifestyle and values – it may also help you meet financial goals by increasing your salary over time.
1. Develop a Job Search Strategy
Searching for a new job can be time-consuming. It can take months, so creating an efficient and effective strategy can make your search go faster and further by narrowing down options and targeting those most suitable to meet your skill set and career goals more effectively.
First and foremost, you need to define your career goals and skills. Do you prefer full-time or part-time roles working for large corporations, smaller start-ups, or non-profit organizations? Once you know which roles fit best with your preferences and salary requirements, create a list of all the jobs that interest you so that when looking for jobs that meet both of them.
Creating a list of companies you would like to apply to will save time and energy during the application process. Use this list to identify any that require additional materials, such as cover letters or work samples, to plan how you will complete each requirement and avoid delays due to unanticipated circumstances. This will make keeping track of progress easier, helping ensure applications don’t slip due to delays.
One way to speed up your job search is to network more effectively. Instead of relying on traditional methods like attending job fairs, consider attending industry events or professional associations that meet the skills of your profession – doing this could result in more meaningful connections that could result in job offers!
As part of your search, be open to expanding into areas you might have overlooked before. For example, if you have experience in finance but none in marketing, reaching out to people from the marketing department may reveal any opportunities that haven’t yet come your way.
Establishing a clear job search strategy can make the entire job search experience less intimidating, more fulfilling, and more organized. While developing such an approach may take some time and energy upfront, its eventual return can make all the difference over time.
2. Don’t Overlook Non-Professional Skills
Most people will change jobs multiple times throughout their careers for good reason. With technology increasingly taking over our jobs, it’s becoming increasingly essential that nontechnical skills such as communication, critical thinking, and collaboration also be developed – according to Cengage and Morning Consult, 88% of employers look for applicants possessing these qualities when hiring. When searching for new employment, it can be tempting to focus solely on technical abilities; don’t overlook how vital soft skills can be!
Younger workers typically switch careers more frequently than their elder counterparts; employees under 24 typically switch 5.7 times during their careers, with those aged 25-34 switching 2.4 times on average, while those between 35 and 44 relocate 2.9 times annually on average.
Many job hoppers believe switching jobs at least every five years is necessary to remain competitive. However, many skills acquired in one job can be transferred across roles, making it possible to build an impressive resume without frequent job hopping.
Job candidates with excellent customer service skills could easily transition into roles in sales or management, which makes honesty so vital when interviewing for positions; otherwise, it will become apparent during an interview and damage their reputation in the future.
No matter the climate of COVID-19, it’s still possible to find work that suits your personality and interests. Simply take time to find a company that best matches you and your career goals, not overlooking non-professional skills that could apply across industries if necessary; doing this will equip you for future career changes that may present themselves successfully.
3. Take the Time to Find a Job That Fits
Finding a career that meets your needs takes time, and being strategic about when and how often you change jobs is the key to success. Staying put for two or three years may give you enough experience in that role to have some tangible results to support your decision and get an accurate impression of whether the company meets your career objectives.
Take your time when selecting a job that fits your personal goals and lifestyle to ensure you’re not working too hard or compromising your well-being to reach professional objectives. In addition, finding one that doesn’t meet these requirements could leave you less fulfilled in your work environment.
Change can be daunting for some people, yet switching jobs can be an opportunity to explore your options and discover a path toward career advancement and greater job satisfaction. This is particularly true among millennials, who switch more frequently than older generations. While switching may present its own set of challenges, switching can also open up doors to greater job satisfaction and professional advancement opportunities.
Change of employment can also help expand and develop your skills and experiences by offering new learning and development opportunities. Furthermore, switching jobs may assist in meeting work/life balance goals more easily; this may be particularly significant for people with children or other responsibilities outside the workplace.
Reaching out to those already in your target job field can help you assess whether it might be a good match. By speaking with those already in that position, you can ask about their day-to-day responsibilities and what they enjoy about them – and build an invaluable network during your job hunt!
Finding your ideal career fit requires time and patience – but with the right strategy, you may soon discover one that fits perfectly with your career goals and lifestyle needs.
4. Don’t Be Afraid to Change Careers
Long gone are the days of people staying at one job for their entire careers. According to career change statistics, the average American worker now holds 12 jobs and changes careers five to seven times throughout their lifetime. Given such high job turnover rates, it is imperative that you remain proactive and not allow fear to hold you back from making changes that could improve your life and help you reach your goals.
A change of career can provide immense professional growth. By learning new skills and deepening expertise within an industry, changing careers allows you to expand personally and professionally. Plus, it gives your life a new purpose by finding fulfillment within work!
There may be many reasons for you to switch jobs, from not feeling satisfied with your current one to not getting paid as you deserve (in fact, 39% of workers who changed jobs did so due to wanting more money).
One reason to switch jobs may be when your success in your current role has reached its maximum level; typically, this occurs after three years of employment. At this point, you have learned everything the position requires and more – meaning that while it has become routine and repetitive over time, it no longer provides challenges or excitement for you.
As you contemplate making a career transition, remember that this decision requires time and financial investments. Take an honest assessment of how vital well-being and future are to you before committing. For guidance or expert opinion regarding whether changing careers might suit you, seek consultation from career coaches or other experts specializing in this field.
Baby boomers and Gen X were told job hopping would damage their resumes. Young professionals are learning that job hopping is acceptable and may help them pursue their passions more fully and remain competitive in the labor market, particularly if starting or already beginning a new career path.
