With the COVID 19 pandemic waning but not yet over, it’s an extremely unique time in the American professional world. Many people have been forced to make career changes and others are reassessing their paths and checking whether or not to exit their jobs. But the real question is, “Is now the right time to change jobs?”
There are pros and cons to any potential career change even in the best of times, but with things so uncertain as they are now, there are brand new questions and factors to be asked and assessed.
Are You Happy with Your Path?
For those who still have employment this is a good time to ask yourself if you’re not only happy with your current company but if you’re happy with the career path you are on? Many people are taking this time to reassess where they are in their career and decide if it’s time to start anew. A lot of employees have been trotting down their career path without really considering if it is fulfilling. If you’re not feeling fulfilled it may be time to take the leap and look for something new.
Are You Ready to Compete?
With unemployment high so is the demand for jobs. If anyone were to leave steady employment now and head out into the unknown waters of a job search, they need to be prepared to compete for opportunities with other job seekers. However, many industries have adjusted to the new pandemic world and are preparing for the post-pandemic world, and these companies are hiring, some quite aggressively. While some industries have shrunk, many industries have expanded and there are opportunities. Anyone jumping into a job search may have to do more research than in a more normal job market to find the right opportunity for themselves but with a little work it’s certainly possible.
Have you Improved Your Resume?
One thing to ask yourself before making a career change is; How has your resume improved since your last job search? If you’ve been steadily employed you’ve certainly gained experience, but have you been promoted? Accomplished a large project? Got certified or taken an online class? Any of these things could mean that your resume is much stronger since your previous job search, this could qualify you for a higher position or a job at a larger company that has a faster career path than the one you are on.
With so much change in the world now is a good time to look at where you are and see if things can improve in your professional life. There is always inherent risk in a career change and the pandemic has certainly affected things but with the vaccine and other adjustments much is changing and there will always be work for people willing to do the job of searching for what they want and competing to get it.
This article was written by Sam Rogal.
Sam Rogal is a writer and professional living in New York City. He has worked in the film and theater industry and graduated top of his class with a degree in Communications.