The world is changing at an alarming rate. Add to that the fear of needing to find a new job and your world can feel like it’s imploding.

When our world feels threatened by the loss of a job or an internal shake-up, most people react in one of five ways:

• The feel like running (so they jump ship at the earliest opportunity)
• They want to run, but decide to see what opportunities are available first.
• The feel angry (because they consider the action to be personal).
• They feel trapped, because they can’t see a way out.
• They feel excited because the change is opening doors of opportunity.

However you adapt to change, one thing is for certain, if you’re applying for a new role, internally or externally, it’s wise to evaluate your options.

Top Tips For Career Transitions

Don’t act out of fear. Give yourself a chance to breathe before making your next move.

If you’re hurting, be kind to yourself. At times like this, it’s tempting to be reactive, pulling all-nighters to get your LinkedIn profile up to speed, but it’s actually better to spend a couple of days, giving yourself time and space. No one makes good decisions when they’re stressed and exhausted.

Know what you really want out of your career. Before saying yes (or no) to anything, realise this is a chance to redesign your future.

Ask yourself, “Could this be an opportunity to build a life I want?”

What else have you always wanted to do? Is now the time to consider it?

Negative chatter. The vast majority of people have something negative to say about work. Be it about a colleague, the structure, the workload. That’s why it can be constructive to write your thoughts down. What is it you dislike about your current role?

Does your current role align with your values and your long-term goals? If not, how do you plan on getting to where you want to go?

Review the current offering. Whilst it’s tempting at first glance to see situations like this as a bad thing and want to jump ship. On reflection these opportunities often open doors. We just have to move past the emotion of fear to consider what doors this move opens. What other opportunities could you pursue? Internally or externally.

Maintain professionalism. Speaking badly of your former employer speaks volumes about you and can turn new employers off you. It’s very tempting to speak badly of someone that hurts you, but it’s also an opportunity to build your spirit and to grow as a human being. As the saying goes, it’s not what happens to us that matters, it’s how we respond to it.

As a hiring manager, I never hire people who speak ill of ex-employers. Why? Because if and when our relationship fails, I know that’s how they will talk about us.

From the late Wayne Dyer.

“Change the way you look at things. The things you look at change.”

You are not who you think you are.

If you’ve reviewed the list above and recognize that this transition is a powerful opportunity, seize the moment to redesign your life. We grow daily, mastering new skills and tackling fresh challenges that empower our success. Keep in mind, you are not the person you were a year ago, and that’s an exhilarating realisation!

EXERCISE FOR YOU

Take a blank notepad and write down:

• What you love about your current role.
• What you don’t love about your current role.
• What you’d love your job to look like in an ideal world.
• Any new qualfications you’ve acquired.
• Your strengths – what are you good at?
• The tasks you don’t like or find tedious.
• Your transferable skills. These are cross-discipline skills that could be used in any role. They don’t have to be role specific. Examples could be: customer complaints management, effective team communication or use of specific types of software.
• Next, pull up your last resume and add any new items to it. Considering also that it probably needs a refresh of design. Possibly using AI to help if that’s your thing.

Once you have your information uploaded and you’re happy with your generic resume, remember the gold standard of job acquisition. Do not apply for specific job roles using the same resume.

Using the same resume whatever the role, is easy to spot and looks like you can’t be bothered to align it with the job for which you are applying. It can turn some hiring managers off.

Once you get to this stage, you will:

• Have a better idea of how you feel about a career transition.
• Feel clear about what you want and what next steps to take.
• Be armed with a resume that better highlights your existing strengths and transferable skills.
• Know what sort of jobs you want to apply for because you’ll have thought more carefully about what you want and why.

Finding it hard to do this alone? Not sure what to write?

Navigate your career transition with confidence in your tailored Career Clarity & Strategy Session, designed for professionals redefining their paths. We’ll identify your strengths and target opportunities in your chosen field. Crafting a clear, actionable strategy for your next career chapter. Let’s unlock your potential for a fulfilling career.

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