By Niamh Dwyer, Chairperson of the Kerry Branch of Guidance Counsellors

There is nothing like a global pandemic to get us reflecting on all aspects of our lives, including our career.

The last 18 months have challenged us in many ways and thrown up lots of questions about what is really important to us both personally and professionally. The vast majority of people have had to adapt to working from home and/or often working in a different way which brought both challenges and opportunities. A significant number of people are now opting for a more blended or hybrid model of working where this is facilitated by employers, as a means to achieving a better work-life balance. There has also been a noticeable increase in the number of people who have changed careers either because of necessity or because on reflection they feel that the job they have been doing is not giving the satisfaction, personal fulfilment or financial reward that they would like at this point in their career. Making a career transition or ‘pivot’ can be challenging and overwhelming, so before making any career move it is helpful to look at it as a three-step process. Bear in mind also that a change of position within your own organisation can be as good an option as a totally new start. The choice is yours.

Three-step approach

Start by looking at yourself, reflecting on your skills, competencies, strengths, interests, motivations, values and personality traits. Taking time to do this by yourself or with someone else will enable you to get a clearer picture of what you want from your career at this particular stage. If you go straight to a search of the jobs market you run the risk of settling for a job that doesn’t meet the career needs that you have right now or in the foreseeable future. Next, consider the practicalities which includes the kind of salary you want or need, the working hours and conditions, location and whether you need to do something to upskill or retrain in order to broaden your opportunities. This step also involves examining your professional branding including updating your CV, looking at ways to improve your LinkedIn profile and presence on other social media networks. The third step is to start looking at what is out there in the jobs market ensuring that you keep in mind the career criteria you have established for yourself in the earlier part of the process. As part of this process think about all the people who are in your network and may be helpful to you as you make this career change. Start having career conversations with people you know and researching roles and organisations that sound interesting to you. As you start applying for roles you may need to work on your interview techniques to build your confidence to ensure that you present the best version of yourself in interview when you get called.

Finally, allocate specific time to this journey of career transition and set goals that are SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based) so that you hold yourself accountable throughout the process. There will be times where you find it difficult and get stuck, but committing to the process will be worth it.

Niamh Dwyer is a Guidance Counsellor in Scoil Phobail Sliabh Luachra, Rathmore, and Chairperson of the Kerry Branch of Guidance Counsellors. She is also a Careers Advisor. For details see www.mycareerplan.ie or follow @mycareerplan on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter.