Best advice you can give to people about landing a new job or making a career pivot

Looking for a job? Longing for a career change?

The world’s been through the most traumatic event since World War 2. Now, as we hopefully emerge, many people are looking for work or decided there’s no ‘going back’ and are ready for a change.

Andrew Seaman, editor at LinkedIn News, asked for tips on how people should approach these challenges, so here’s my take, with a few links to our resources thrown in. Good luck with making your next move.

1. Now might be a good time

Our research suggests September might see the ‘big shift’ take off. Many people, it appears, are planning to enjoy summer and then start looking in earnest. This being so, now might be a good time to get going if you want to stand out from the crowd and bag your ideal job. There plenty of openings, certainly in our field.

2. Get into marketing mode.

If you’re looking for a move, take stock of your skills. Make sure your LinkedIn profile and CV really showcase them. Practice your interview technique, including video (it’s big now). Here are a few links to free interview training resources at Zitko (and no, we won’t ask you for your email address):

1. How to interview (video, face to face, telephone)
2. How to prepare your CV
3. How to use social media in your job search

3. Find a consultancy you can trust in the relevant sector.

The best will offer you a ‘welcome’ interview, during which you can explore what you want from your job, as well as what you can offer. It’s a terrific way to refine your plans and scope out your options.

Incidentally, if a consultancy just asks you for a CV, you’re a number to them. Avoid!

4. Do you have transferrable skills?

If you want to change industry, but keep the same profession, consider where your skills might be valued. For example, in our industry, Fire & Security tech, there are employers willing to employ engineers from other sectors and train them.

We’re supporting this with Zitko Talent, a new 12-month cross-training initiative for engineers. You’ll find similar ‘train & deploy’ programmes in other industries, that allow you to earn a decent wage while your train.

5. More flexible work is coming

With furloughs and home working, there’s been a unique opportunity to rethink work/life balance. If you don’t want to go back to the office full-time, take heart. Many employers are actively exploring more flexible working arrangements, now the genie’s out of the bottle. I’m optimistic that change is here to stay.

6. Do your research and take advice.

Whether you’re applying for a job, changing career or going it alone, knowledge is power. Do you research, reach out to people in similar positions, take a little time to plan your next move. There’s a lot of information available on the web. Industry bodies, government agencies and business charities are great sources of advice.

7. Look after your mental health

Here are some links to content we published during lockdown, taken from the workshops we ran for people who’d lost their Fire & Security jobs.

Here’s our Mental Health in Recruitment Champion talking about the very subject in a recent webinar:

#TheBigShift