This article was published in partnership with You’ve Got This! who is the author of this blog.
Interested in a new career? The last year has had many people rethinking their career and work-life balance. The realisation of how much time we actually spend working, commuting, and replying to emails at all hours is encouraging many to take a leap of faith and start something completely new.
People seek to make a career change for various reasons, you might be feeling unsatisfied in your role, your work environment is impacting your self-esteem, you’d like to earn more money, or your goals and values have changed.
Before deciding to make a career change, you should evaluate your current situation and spend some time researching your options.
Write a list of the pros and cons of your current job. Is your dissatisfaction down to the actual work, the salary, or the environment you’re in? Maybe it’s all three!
Keeping notes of what you enjoy and what drains you at work can help you figure out what you want to do next. Recurring negative themes will help you define the ideal set up for your next step.
Understand your strengths, perhaps you can ask colleagues what they think your strengths are or look back at your latest appraisal. Consider what skills you use in your current job that are easily transferable, and which of them are unique compared to others.
Many of us dream of having our interests and values aligned with our work. Talking to family and friends about your core values and things that excite you is a great first step if you’re unsure.
Have a think about what you’re passionate about and research the type of organisations working in that space. It might be a completely different industry to what you’re used to, but if you’ve got the transferable skills and the motivation, there's nothing stopping you from exploring that route.
Once you’ve got an idea of the industry or companies you’re interested in, look at the jobs they’re already hiring for to get an idea of what they ask for in a person. Follow them on social media and keep up to date with what they’re doing both for their customers and employees.
Speak with friends and ask for introductions if they know people you’d like to meet or work with.
Do you already know someone working in a space that interests you? If not, perhaps reach out to people on Linkedin, fellow university alumni, or in any groups you’re a part of - Femme Palette for example! You could ask for an informational interview or just a casual chat.
Now you’ve got an idea of what you want to do and how to get there, you might want to upskill to improve your employability. Map out any skill gaps you might have. Depending on what you want to do, you could find free resources through Google, sign up for an online course, or use Femme Palette’s mentor service with someone who can give you tips.
Rewrite your CV for the job you want. Highlight your achievements and experiences that are most relevant. If you’re working on new skills, share that too. It’s good to show employers that you’re open to learning and development wherever you’re at in your career.
It might not have crossed your mind, but by 2025 it’s expected that 50% of the workforce will be working full or part-time self-employed! The “gig” work is slowly making its way from delivery services and taxi rides to high-level, functional business roles.
Working for yourself comes with its benefits, you choose when you work and the work you take on. No more boring tasks, only ones you know you’ll enjoy.
You’ve Got This is a flexible working platform, matching individuals with the UK’s most exciting startups for project, temporary, and contract-to-perm opportunities based on your goals and expertise.
Unlike the usual job boards or gig-working platforms, You’ve Got This brings the work to you - there are no applications and you can use the platform for free. They aim to showcase not only your experience but what you are looking to do next and the missions you care about most.
Startups search based on the skills they need and can filter by budget, location, and extra desired skills. If they like the look of your profile, they’ll contact you for an initial chat. It’s as simple as that!
Change is scary, but it can be incredibly rewarding. There’s been rapid change since COVID-19 which has been empowering for many.
We’re all likely to be changing employers more often than the previous generation. It’s important to weigh up our opportunities and make a move when we feel the time is right. Knowing that you can access a range of resources, from mentoring to project opportunities, that build your skill set is helpful.
If you like the sound of working for yourself or getting work with startups, go ahead and join You’ve Got This! Get in touch with the team if you have any questions at hello@youvegotthis.work. You can also read more about what they do and alternative ways of working on their blog.
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