In April 2021, four million people in the US left their companies, the highest rate since 2000. Forty-one percent of global workers are considering leaving their jobs this year, according to a recent Microsoft survey. In her recent article in Inc. magazine, “People Aren’t Just Quitting their Jobs, They’re Redefining Success” Arianna Huffington coined this global post-pandemic phenomenon “The Great Awakening”:
“What the pandemic did was give us time — a lot of time — to think about what we really value and the place of work in our lives. We’ve had time to reflect on what truly makes us thrive, and which parts of our pandemic lives we want to take with us into our post-pandemic future, and which parts we want to leave behind…We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to redefine success, and along with it, the way we work and live. People are waking up to the value of living lives that allow them to connect with themselves and nurture their well-being and resilience.”
If this resonates for you, you may be wondering how to move forward in re-imagining and relaunching your career toward one that brings you more balance and joy. The good news is, with a record 9.3 million job openings in the US economy according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, employers and HR managers are hard at work finding ways to make their organizations more attractive places to join and stay. The task ahead of you is envisioning your ideal work and life and then vetting and marketing yourself to those enlightened companies that align with your vision.
1. Spend time in reflection to get clear on your bigger “why”, your vision, and goals.
Crises have a way of quickly bringing life into sharper focus. Use any extra bandwidth on your calendar right now to reflect on your priorities. Perhaps they’ve shifted. Empathize with your current situation. Where are you now? What are the satisfiers and dis-satisfiers in your job? Make sure you aren’t fleeing just for the sake of leaving – unwittingly giving up things you like about your current organization and role. Then, “begin with the end in mind,” as Stephen Covey would advise, and ask yourself: Why do I go to work every day? What’s my higher purpose? What’s the ideal future I envision for myself, including my work and non-work life? What’s an ideal day look like for me from waking up to going to bed? What would a five-year plan look like? Is there more than one plan I can consider? What results do I want to create in my next career transition?
If you need help or a non-biased sounding board, reach out to a trusted friend, mentor or career coach for guidance.
2. Reshape your brand language and refresh your marketing materials.
Once you’ve articulated your “why”, clarified your vision, and honed your goals, take advantage of your newfound clarity to reconsider your brand language. This includes your professional headline and summary on your resume and LinkedIn, as well as the story you tell during networking and interviews. What’s your professional identity now? How do you want the market to see you? Share your updated marketing materials with a trusted advisor or two and get some feedback.
3. Identify and research target organizations using company websites, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and research databases, such as D&B Hoovers. How does each target connect with your sense of purpose? What core values do they espouse? How do they develop their employees? What words do they use to describe their culture? Based on your answers to these questions, determine which organizations you would prioritize as your top five to pursue first. In which of those companies might you be able to make inroads through fellow alumni or former colleagues? Hone your target list accordingly. Having a list of prioritized company potentials provides much-needed focus to your search.
4. Strategically build relationships at target organizations
Begin with an email outreach to contacts at companies of interest. Try to schedule a short (15-minute) chat, if possible. In these meetings, introduce yourself briefly, share your transition goal, and have a short list of questions to ask to further vet the company and understand the role or roles that represent the best segue opportunities for you within this company. Ask for advice – what would they be doing if they were you? Who else would they suggest you speak with to learn more? Is it okay for you to follow up with questions? Thank them, and periodically share a personal update, reaffirm your interest, and ask for additional advice or referrals. These early-stage networking meetings not only educate you on the market and the company, but they plant seeds for future referrals as opportunities open up.
5. Be on the lookout for emerging opportunities.
The disruption in the market this past year has created new opportunities. Brainstorm a list of industries and companies that are likely to thrive during this recovery, such as grocers, delivery services, tech, healthcare, medical device, video chat companies, digital, gaming, and so on. What seems interesting to you in this economic reboot? Add these companies to your list of targets and begin networking accordingly. Then consider, how might you connect the dots from your background to these new players?
Taking action now and working steadily will give you a sense of progress and boost your confidence. Your increased confidence will energize you and create a virtuous cycle of productivity. Consider everything to be a work in process; there are no mistakes, only opportunities to learn. You’ll be ahead of the curve by starting now. Six months from now, you’ll be glad you did.