Top experts reveals why you should change careers, despite COVID

For many, 2020 was a year of re-evalution and reflection and if you’ve realised you need to make a career change, now could be the time to do it.

If 2020 left you without a job or made you reconsider a career change, you’re not alone.

The pandemic caused many people to re-evaluate their careers and their priorities. For those who realised they were stuck in a career slump, now may be the optimal time to consider a professional redirection, with SEEK reporting a record run in job listings.

Compared to pre-Covid rates of May 2019, listings were up 27.2 per cent in May 2021, with the employment marketplace report two record-breaking months for job ads in March and April.

With this in mind, we spoke to career and interview expert Leah Lambart and career coach and author of Navigating Career Crossroads Jane Jackson on why now is the best time to make the jump.

Covid-19 forced people to have a career change Pictured: iStock

Why people want to have a career change:

Ms Lambart said the working from home arrangements gave people the time to reflect on what they actually want out of life.

“People realise what’s important and that life is too short and they want to make a difference and do something more purposeful with their career,” she said.

“You were forced to slow down and they didn’t want to be under the pressure and stress of their current job.”

Ms Lambart said Covid also forced people to have career changes, which made the transition more widely accepted when applying for a new role.

“Now having a gap of 12 months on your resume won’t be such a thing anymore, it’ll be more acceptable and recruiters won’t bat an eye,” she said.

Ms Jackson revealed there was a ‘massive uptick’ in her clients changing jobs, as Covid-19 gave ‘people the opportunity to get off the hamster wheel.’

“They’re starting to think how can I get into a line of work that has greater meaning for me,” she said.

“For some people, the greater meaning will be wanting more recognition or it could be money.”

What careers people are switching to:

The people looking to switch roles were a mixed bag – from people in their 20s who started their career in their living room, to corporate executives who wanted a more meaningful role.

“There’s been no pattern but we see lots of lawyers, bankers or people in highly stressful jobs who are burnt out leaving their industry to find a better work life balance,” Ms Lambart said.

“Senior corporate roles realised they don’t have that balance and want to transition into more meaningful careers like teaching, counselling.”

But if you’re creative and feel stumped in your current role, you’re not alone.

“You also have people who are creative that are stuck in repetitive jobs but are not able to use their skills as they were guided by their well-meaning parents or teachers into vocational roles.”

Ms Jackson instead found people in their 30s and above were looking for a mid-career change, with some wanting to work in the public sector because ‘their perception is that it’s more stable.’

People are switching to more meaningful careers Picture:iStock

What you need to consider before leaving your job:

So you’ve decided you’re going to change jobs, but make sure you consider the following before making your big move.

Ms Lamart recommends people do a self-assessment to understand why you’re unhappy in your role. Is it because of the workload? The people? Or the work culture?

“They need to understand what is making them unhappy, as usually the career is good but the company isn’t the right fit,” she said.

She also advises talking to people in the industry for advice to ‘make sure it aligns with your values, what you want and that it’ll get you where you want to be.’

“They need to identify what options they have and they need to be doing good research before leaving or getting another job,” she said.

Before leaving your role, Ms Jackson recommends assessing your financial situation and continue working to have a steady stream of income while you explore career options.

But her big advice lies in finding your ‘true career anchor’ that ‘pulls you in certain directions’ in your working life.

“Find out what your personal and career values are because if you’re thinking of switching careers, you want to do it with people who share your values,” she said.

Why don’t people change jobs?

When it comes time to switch roles, it’s normal to feel hesitant or scared.

Ms Lambart said the most common reasons people don’t change roles is because they fear they’ve made the wrong decision, they won’t like the role or that it won’t pay the bills.

“The fear of the unknown is why research is so important as an educated decision will reduce fear,” she said.

“It all comes down to what’s important to them and their values and where they see themselves in the next three to five years.”

But Ms Jackson said you need to decide what drives and excites you to help make your career change worthwhile.

This article was created in partnership with SEEK