With the job market changing and it now seeming more common to job hop than stay in one role for a lengthy period, the question of how to start again after a long time in a job can feel overwhelming. Feeling like you may not have a grip on changes in your industry, you may be too old school or are just too nervous about saying goodbye to years and years of work are all contributing factors, but don’t panic. We’ve got the best advice to help you make the switch as easy as possible and get you into the next job of your dreams.
Plan ahead
If you’ve recently decided that it’s time to put your current role to rest and move onto greener pastures, the most important thing you can do is prepare. It’s time to take stock of your financial situation, if you have savings and if you’re making unnecessary expenses where you could cut back and save. It’s also an idea to start looking at other jobs that you may be interested in and what other companies are paying, especially if you’re thinking of going into a slightly different field.
Take stock of your successes
One of the biggest doubts you can instil in yourself if you’re wondering how to start again after a long time in a job is to doubt your abilities. You may feel like you don’t have the requirements that seem to be ‘in’ at the moment, but chances are a lot of your experience will be built around core transferable skills.
Having excellent communication skills where you can effectively deal with a range of people from support to senior staff is always a sought after quality, critical-thinking or problem solving skills are an essential part of most jobs and being creative is so highly valued that a global survey from the World Economic Forum showed that it will be the third most important skill for jobs in 2020.
Check out job advertisements and see what companies are looking for as essential and desirable skills. If there are any areas where you think you need a boost, there are thousands of online courses in just about any area you could think of and some will result in industry valued qualifications that look great on a CV.
Look at the changes you’ve already made
While there’s a chance that you feel like you’ve been doing the same-old, same-old for ages, there’s a good chance you’ve already made a lot of changes in your career history and taken bigger leaps than you realised. Go back through your job history with a fine-tooth comb and look at occasions where you’ve undertaken new projects, managed big clients, expanded your role with a promotion or even if the company has undergone expansions or mergers. Things like this could have meant a restructuring within your team where you’ve taken on extra responsibilities and show that you are adaptable to new situations and challenges.
Learn new skills outside the office
If the idea of taking on a new job and diving into unfamiliar territory still seems unnerving, take baby steps before big ones. Learn a new skill outside of the office, whether that’s joining a choir or running club, learning how to play an instrument you’ve always wanted to tick off your list or just going to networking events where you’ll meet new people in strange surroundings.
All of these will show that it’s less scary when you’re actual doing something instead of just worrying about it. You might surprise yourself with how easily you adapt and make new friends and this will boost you for doing new things in the future.
Ready to take a leap of faith and find the next job you’ll love? We’re here to help and make the most of your excellent career experience.