"The Great Resignation" Is Creating Waves: The "Aha" Moment Causing People To Rethink Their Life
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics nearly four million people have left their jobs. The return to the office has caused a spark in people to reassess their life. This pandemic season has evoked much reflection on what's important and what gives our life meaning. People are looking for a new beginning in this post-pandemic season as they search for jobs that will give them a sense of purpose. There is a focus toward growth, learning, and re-skilling for better job opportunities. Through the difficult challenges, people are taking time to reflect and re-evaluate their life and the great possibilities of "What's next?"
People, once more motivated by money, are now changing course toward jobs that will bring them greater happiness and fulfillment. They seek opportunities where they are able to add value and contribute to the greater whole of the team and organization. Job-seekers are craving work-life balance, job flexibility, and team bonding; building relationships that aid in collaboration.
It takes courage to resign from your job, to look for a new career path that will energize you and give you a sense of purpose that you are contributing toward a greater good. Understanding what you want most in life is just the beginning of what can be.
Recent career trends show a huge spike in people quitting their jobs. What is driving the wave of resignations? The reasons for the spike include toxic environments, work overload, and long hours creating stress, anxiety, and burnout.
What will the new world of work look like post-covid?
Launching of new learning opportunities to re-skill employees to stay relevant in the workforce
Innovative ways of streamlining Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) will help companies keep up with the new way of work
The creation of new cultures with a focus on emotional intelligence (EI) to improve health and well-being, encouraging opportunities for social interactions and celebrations
Work-life balance as a crucial contributing factor in the pivoting world of career change
Psychologists define "emotional intelligence as the ability to recognize and understand emotions in oneself and others. This ability also involves using this emotional understanding to make decisions, solve problems, and communicate with others."
Here's what some industry experts are saying about the skills gap and new set of skills.
According to CNBC: "One persistently nettlesome issue for companies has been the skills gap – a phenomenon that began well before the pandemic and describes the difficulty of finding workers with the right qualifications. At one point during the economic expansion there were more than 1 million additional job openings than there were workers to fill them."
According to an article by Fast Company: "Critically, this rapid transformation requires an entirely new set of skills, skills that many workers say they are struggling to acquire. Competencies in areas such as cloud computing and communications, data analytics, cybersecurity, artificial intelligence, and machine learning are all in demand now and will continue to be vital in the short and long term."
Job Trends Reveal 9 Pertinent Skills Employees Will Need To Get The Job Post-COVID
Flexibility and adaptability
Tech savvy
Customer service
Communication and emotional intelligence
Creativity and innovation
Critical thinking and problem solving
Leadership
Operations and project management
Marketing
A desire to continue learning
For those undertaking a new career destination, consider marketing as an area where you can learn and grow. Having marketing skills in a world that is constantly changing is a high value asset. In this world of digital marketing the terrain is constantly evolving and organizations need to recognize the essential building blocks that will help them maximize their online presence and engage with their target audience to generate revenue. Having employees with this skill set will help organizations build brand awareness, generate leads, and boost customer engagement.
For me, I started working in the retail industry when I entered the workforce while attending college. In the midst of college, I had an "Aha" moment that I didn't want to continue to make minimum wage and I wanted something more stable with benefits and opportunity for growth. In addition, I wanted to launch into a profession where I would be able to learn and advance my skill set. I was able to secure a job in the government sector right away. I loved it and it was a great fit until a recession hit.
I quit my job and worked for staffing agencies for a while. This worked in the interim. I made steady income and took the assignments I wanted, as well as spent more time at home to be with my kids. This gave me an opportunity to reassess what I wanted to contribute to the world and set the stage for my next career move. I was able to leverage my education, as well as the skills I had acquired in my previous employments to go into the industry I wanted.
I wanted to make a difference and contribute my strengths and talents to the world. I began to update my resume and look for jobs that aligned with my values, thus I looked at organization's values and mission statement. This gave me a better landscape in aligning my values with that of the organizations that would be a great fit for me and where I could most contribute to the overall mission of the organization.
Practical first steps for those undertaking a new career destination:
Dream what's possible: Know what you want and where to look
Updated your resume
Polish your LinkedIn profile
Clean up your social media presence
Re-skill for the career you want
Know how to tell your story with enthusiasm
Ask for informational interviews and let your network know you are looking for new career opportunities
Don't forget to add job alerts to receive regular updates in your inbox
Start today!
My advice, it's a new beginning. Seek open doors and seize opportunities. You never know where your path will take you, but it begins with you, and it begins today!
It's time to assess what matters most to you and what value you want to add to the world. It's time to re-evaluate your priorities and make a bold move in a direction that will maximize your full potential.
Are you motivated by career advancement opportunities or by your passion to make a difference in the world? Are you struggling to find a career with a purpose? What will your next career move look like?
What are your values and how do they align with the mission of the organization?
What are the skills you'll need to thrive in the post-pandemic world?
Will you become a lifelong learner to invest in your career goals?
"You cannot swim to new horizons until you have courage to lose sight of the shore." William Faulkner
It takes courage to take risks, but the payoff is priceless!
Take delight in the LORD, and he will give you your heart’s desires. Psalm 37:4
