How To Use The Pandemic To Switch Careers

The pandemic has been devastating for many individuals and companies, but it has also thrown up some opportunities, particularly online. The break from the daily grind has given many people a rare chance to reflect on their lives and make changes where necessary. For those who want to change careers, the gap has allowed them to rethink how they might work in the future – perhaps online, from home, avoiding the daily commute.

Here are five ways to make the leap, and switch your career during the pandemic.  

Consider your personality 

Finding work that aligns closely with your strengths and values is the best way to ensure that your job is worthwhile for you and that you are likely to thrive in that environment. There’s no point in attempting to work as a salesperson if you have an introverted personality – you will likely be unhappy and fail at your job.

Instead, take an online personality test and ask friends and family members, as well as colleagues, where your strengths lay.

Reach out to relevant people

Before the pandemic, the majority of networking was done in-person, at business meetings and events. This has all changed. When you’ve decided on the direction, you want to take your career in its time to reach out to relevant people online.

Make appropriate Linkedin connections, and join online business communities. When reaching out try to be as personal as possible – phone calls and video calls are best. Always follow these up with a polite email.  

Reinvent your image 

You likely neglected your online image before the pandemic, especially if you were working in a professional role where face-to-face contact was more valued. Now, your digital image needs to be your first impression, so make sure that it’s tailored to your strengths, skills, personality, and target industry.

When switching careers online, you must maintain a suitable image across all platforms – both personal and professional.  

Don’t forget to upskill

The key to landing your perfect new career during the pandemic comes down to knowing precisely what you want to do and targeting that as much as possible. Use your digital image, your resume, and your applications to really sell yourself as the ideal candidate for a given position.

Make use of online tools, like a derivative calculator, to discover your strengths. There’s no point in frontloading your resume with irrelevant skills for the role you want; instead, you need to focus on what skills you have, relevant to the job, and upskill where necessary. 

Keep it realistic 

Changing your career can be a big step and a risky one.

Think about it; you will be moving away from time spent with a particular company and eliminating the chance of promotion. At the same time, you will be starting further down the ladder somewhere.

This doesn’t have to be a bad thing; if it is right for you, it’s worth taking a temporary reduction in your wage and possibly answering to someone younger.

If the job you’ve chosen if a good fit for your skills and personality, chances are you will quickly succeed; remember that it’s a learning process and absorb as much as you can. 

© New To HR