Regardless of the driving factors behind the decision to change, many individuals find the process challenging. If you’re feeling stuck in an unfulfilling job and uncertain about making a change, you’re not alone. Below, we’ll explore practical tips to guide you through a job or career transition.

An initial step involves taking a step back and conducting a comprehensive evaluation. Consider all the aspects of work that hold significance for you, such as opportunities for professional development, a sense of purpose within the company, transparency, and workplace initiatives related to inclusivity or sustainability. Reflect on the stressors in your current position and how they might be alleviated through a job or career change. Similarly, reflect on the aspects of your workday that bring satisfaction.

This process aids in defining the values and motivators that drive your work, serving as a foundation for your job search. It helps to formulate questions when researching a company or during the interview process. Additionally, dedicating time to thoroughly research a prospective employer through reviews and social media can provide valuable insights into what the company offers its employees. Initiating contact through social media, email, or phone calls can also help in gauging the suitability of the workplace.

While engaging in these activities, it’s advisable to explore other interests, activities, or hobbies outside of work. This not only acts as a stress outlet but can also assist in discovering true passions and uncovering potential connections between work and personal interests. Seeking support through career consulting or a job search firm specializing in your industry or field is another avenue worth exploring.

A crucial piece of advice is to maintain a positive mindset. Incorporate affirmations throughout your workday, navigate through challenges with resilience, and approach new opportunities with optimism. Best of luck!

For a more in-depth understanding of navigating a career change, refer to the accompanying resource, by GForce Life Sciences, for additional information.

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But did you know that there are many other ways your career can change your life too? Here are 4 examples. 

Gaining New Skills

Working in your career may help you to gain many new skills that you never would have imagined you might learn in your lifetime. This is such a positive aspect of working because you will carry those skills with you for the rest of your life. 

for example, if you work in the oil and gas industry, you may need to learn how to buy replacement materials for oil and gas pumps. Specific skills like this will help you to get promoted later on and even move to a different company that will pay you more or value your skillset more. 

Creating Wealth 

When you first start out with a career, you may not be making a lot of money especially if you are in an entry level position. However, if you stick with it long enough you might be able to move up and into a role where you will be making very good money. 

You never know what type of path your career will take, and in many different industries, it is possible to become quite wealthy from the money you are paid at your job. Becoming wealthy can be very exciting, but you should also remember to be careful with your newfound wealth and make sure to save as much as possible and not overspend. 

Reducing Free Time

Unfortunately, a lot of different careers can be very time-consuming and require you to work long hours or go long stretches without days off. It is up to you to decide whether or not you enjoy your career enough for this to be worth it to you. If you are paid fairly and like your job, working a lot and having less free time than you would like may not be an issue. 

However, if you are feeling burnt out and finding that you don’t have enough time with your family or any time for a social life or anything else other than work, you may want to reconsider your career choice or perhaps consider talking to your superiors to see if reducing your hours is a possibility. 

Moving To A New Place

Sometimes, you may be asked to move to a completely new place for your job. In some lines of work, this is simply an option while in others you may not have much of a choice. Moving to a different city or area can change your life in so many ways so it is important to be prepared for that if it is something that your career could ask of you. 

Your career can change your life in a myriad of ways. Hopefully this list has given you some good examples of those ways! 

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As the recent Great Resignation reveals, many people through all walks of life are unhappy at work. If you’re looking for help deciding if now is the time to leave or if you should stick it out, you’ve come to the right place. Below are a few helpful signs it may be time to hand in your resignation letter.

Your Opportunities Are Limited

If your current place of employment doesn’t offer you the chance to expand your skillset or otherwise hone your expertise in the field, it could be significantly limiting your potential. Likewise, if there are no positions for you to grow into or you’re being repeatedly passed over for a promotion despite being a top performer, it’s probably time to look elsewhere.

The Pay Doesn’t Match Your Worth or Workload

While money isn’t everything, being underpaid and overqualified can be a red flag for most, especially if it’s impacting personal finances. Before leaving for this reason, it’s essential to speak with higher ups regarding the issue and try to negotiate a higher salary or fewer responsibilities. To better make your case, research compensation levels for comparable positions and factor in your specific contributions and value to the business.

It’s Become a Toxic Working Environment 

Poor management, limited resources and workplace toxicity can make work unbearable and drive anyone away. If you obsessively fantasize about quitting or work is significantly affecting your mental wellbeing, it could be time to expedite your job search. Consider exploring other options if company morale is low due to nepotism, bullying, discrimination or worse.

The Company’s Values/Ethics Do Not Match Your Own

Working for a company whose mission and values are contrary to your own can make it all seem not worth it at the end of the day. If you feel you have to lower your standards or compromise your principles just to work there, it’s a pretty good sign that the job is not the right fit. Similarly, if you’re being asked to perform actions that are unethical, you may need to take the proper precautions to protect yourself. Begin by explaining your concerns in writing and seeking a compromise. If your valid concerns are disregarded, find something new ASAP.

The Challenge Is Long Gone

Boredom at work happens from time to time. However, if you’re constantly ahead of assignments because the work is so easy and have been stuck in the same position for years, it sounds like you’re overqualified and your career may be stalled. Before jumping ship, speak with your manager about more challenging assignments, expanding your skillset or other ways to make the job more stimulating.

Plotting the Best Course Going Forward

If you’re experiencing these signs or similar negatives surrounding work, it may be time to re-evaluate your present situation. As you do, take the time to carefully weigh the pros and cons of your job and brainstorm a list of solutions to try before handing in your notice. That way, you can be sure the course of action you take has been thoroughly considered. 

In the end, if leaving seems to be the best choice, you shouldn’t worry too much, as there’s a world of opportunities opening up. Whether you want to pursue something along the same lines as what you’re doing now or branch out into something new and altruistic — such as supporting vehicle donations — change is always possible.

For further information on when it’s time to find a new job, please see the accompanying resource.

Author bio: Goodwill Car Donations is a national organization that accepts vehicle donations. It is committed to providing disadvantaged individuals with job training, employment services and critical community-building support.

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If you are currently looking to pick up freelance work, here are six freelance jobs that you can apply for today.

1. Web Development 

Web developers are responsible for coding, designing and ensuring the functionality of websites. Web development naturally lends itself to remote freelance work because roles do not require too much face-to-face interaction and are carried almost exclusively online. If you have a background in coding and programming, a quick search online on freelancing job search engine will pull up tons of freelance web development jobs, many of which offer the chance to work on interesting projects for decent money.

2. Writing

Have you always wondered what it might be like to try your hand at writing for a living? Article and blog post writing is a great way to earn money remotely if you have a flair for the written word. Depending on where your knowledge and expertise lie, there are thousands of copywriting, research proposal or creative writing projects that you can apply for today.

3. Translation

If you are bilingual and comfortable as a writer, working as a freelance translator is a door that is always open to you. The internet is full of translation agencies that offer fair prices for piece work. Most gigs will require you to have skills and knowledge in the area in which the subject matter lies, as specialist terminology is not always straightforward to translate without experience in the field. 

4. Customer Services

Some of the largest and best-known companies in the world, such as Amazon and Apple, now outsource much of their customer service to freelance contractors. Most companies will require you to take part in an induction course in which you will learn about the company’s product range and how to troubleshoot. To apply, all you need is excellent people skills, a laptop with a reliable internet connection, and a phone.

5. Marketing

Small companies and startups often hire remote contractors to take charge of their digital marketing requirements these days. If you have some experience in marketing and want the freedom of working as a freelancer, check out sites like FlexJobs, ClearVoice Marketplace and Media Bistro for the opportunity to work on some of the exciting projects that crop up on a daily basis.

Around a third of people in the United States derive income from freelance work today. Many of them would not change their way of work for the world. Join the freelance revolution today by investigating some of the jobs mentioned about and you may find yourself on the route to a life of freedom and professional fulfillment.

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A badly-written resume, on the other hand, will be discarded immediately and send you back to square one in your job hunt. The factors which all come together to make a winning resume are relatively simple, but you would be surprised how many people neglect them when writing their own.

Here are some actionable measures you can take today to improve your chances of getting onto the shortlist with your next job application.

1. Include Keywords from Job Posting

Most resumes are never actually read by a pair of human eyes. Due to high numbers of applications received, human resource departments today use software which sifts through resumes looking for specific keywords mentioned in the job posting. Those resumes which do not contain these keywords will be discarded out of hand. When adapting your resume to apply for a job, identify the words and phrases which you think employers will have highlighted as keywords and include as many instances of them as you can in your document.

2. Use a Professional Font

Remember that employers will only review your resume for around 30 seconds. If it is hard to read, they are likely to put it down and move on to the next one in the pile. To make your resume as easy to read as possible, use a font like Times New Roman, Arial or Calibri and set the font size to 10 or 12.

3. Choose an Attractive Layout

Certain layouts and design are more suitable for different industries. Search the internet for a sample from your industry and copy the layout and style. You should aim to design your resume so that it is as easy to read as possible, cutting down wordy sentences and using clear headings and subheadings. Only include relevant information and place your most impressive achievements in clear view on the first page.

4. Proofread!

You would be surprised to see how many resumes are rejected out of hand due to typos and grammatical errors. Mistakes like these leave a bad impression and will leave the employer wondering if you will take a similarly thorough approach to your new job. After spending so much time applying for the job, there really is no excuse for not proofreading it carefully to make sure you there are no glaring errors. 

It does not matter how good your interview skills are; if your resume does not get you onto the interview shortlist, the hours you spend filling out forms and writing your cover letter will have all been for nothing. If you follow the tips above, your resume will help you to stand out from the crowd and get you to the interview stage, at which point your personality, skills and experience should shine through. 

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You must not lose hope, however. Landing a job you enjoy depends to a large degree on luck, but there are certain things you can do to greatly improve your chances of finding gainful employment in a job you enjoy.

1. Update Your Skills

The first thing that a prospective employer will look for when they come to review your resume is whether you have requisite skills to do the job for which you are applying. If you do not possess these skills, the chances are that you will be overlooked in favour of someone who is better equipped to do the job. As you apply for jobs, you will probably notice that the same skills tend to crop up in postings over and over again. Identify these skills and then take a course of action to acquire them. Updating your skills or learning completely new ones has never been easier in the digital age, with thousands of university accredited courses and specializations available on platforms such as Coursera for very reasonable prices.

2. Volunteer

If you have little experience in the sector in which you are applying for jobs, you will need to think about how you can get some. One of the best ways to do this is to volunteer at a charity. Charities are always on the lookout for people to help them out. It does not matter if you are a manual worker or a trained bank clerk; there will be an organization that could use your skills. Voluntary work and the skills and experience gained from it are attractive to employers and prove that you are dedicated and passionate about working in your chosen field.

3. Guerrilla Applications

Most people limit their job search to applying for jobs through the conventional channels. Instead of simply applying to jobs by filling out forms and sending your resume and cover letter through online company recruitment portals, try reaching out to people directly. You already know the industry you want to work in, so do some research into some companies that you would be interested in working for. Use tools like LinkedIn to find individuals in senior positions within the organization and fire off messages and emails to them inquiring about possible openings. At best, they may value your initiative and offer you a trial shift. At worst, they will probably try to help you by referring you to useful job boards or openings they have heard of.

While panic and feelings of failure may be periodically plaguing your thought-processes, it pays to remember that the probability of finding a job is overwhelmingly in your favour providing you persevere with your efforts. To swing the tables even more to your favour, keep yourself occupied by being proactive and following the courses of action detailed above. 

The post Life after Unemployment: How to Find a Job You Enjoy after Being Unemployed appeared first on Job Descriptions.

Instead, we can sift through thousands of jobs relevant to our skills and experience at with just the click of a button. Without a doubt, job search engines have changed job searching for the better, but it would be a mistake to think that they are all equal in terms of their usefulness.

To help you decide which site from which to base your job search this year, read on for a selection of the current best job search sites.

Indeed

The first place to start when looking for a job is at Indeed. Indeed aggregates millions of job listings from an enormous number of other job websites. The site has more job listings in one location than you will find in any other place on the web. Indeed allows for quick and easy job applications at just a click once you have built your profile and uploaded your CV.

LinkedIn

From its beginnings as a social network for professionals, LinkedIn has quickly become one of the best places to find good job opportunities. You can apply to most jobs with just your LinkedIn profile without the need to write a cover letter.

CareerBuilder

A great alternative to the two options above is CareerBuilder. In contrast to Indeed, where most of the job listings come directly from companies’ organizational websites, most of the adverts on CareerBuilder are placed on the site directly by recruiters.

Glassdoor

Another fantastic job search tool is Glassdoor. The site originally provided a space for employees to leave anonymous feedback for their employees and publish reviews about what it is like to work for companies. It has since morphed into a fully-fledged job search engine featuring millions of jobs and a handy salary research tool.

Idealist

If you work in the non-profit sector, Idealist is the perfect job search engine for you. With thousands of full-time, intern and voluntary positions, Idealist will save you a lot of time with its capability of searching by the issues that organizations deal with (such as climate change, refugee rights and homelessness).

Upwork

Upwork is the premier search engine for freelance gigs. It allows users to browse between a huge number of short-term and long-term projects looking for talented people in a diverse range of areas, including copywriting, editing, programming, design and web development.

With the help of job search engines, finding jobs has never been as easy as it is today. The trick is to browse a few and decide for yourself which of them is best suited to your specific needs. Once you have your favorites nailed down, with a bit of effort, it should not be long before you land the job of your dreams.

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Below, you’ll find a short list of helpful tips for people looking to rapidly strengthen their career prospects.

Set Goals

A common trait possessed by successful is the ability to set clear and achievable objectives. No matter what your profession is, having something to work toward is vitally important if you want to move on with your career. Work out a clearly-defined set of goals and a timetable by which you want to accomplish them, and you will see that the professional breaks will start to come as you start knocking off each objective from your list.

Networking

The importance of networking cannot be emphasized enough. In the professional world, it is often a case of who you know, not what you know, and the statistics bear this out. Indeed, the results of research which has surveyed trends in new job acquisition suggest that up to an incredible 85 percent of new jobs are gained through networking or having an acquaintance or friend recommend you for a position in their company.

Look for Feedback

Identifying areas in which you can improve is not always straightforward. You may think you know yourself better than anyone else does, but the reality for most people is that it is difficult to recognize your own personal faults and weaknesses. The honesty involved in evaluating areas in which you need to improve can be uncomfortable. Many people find that actively seeking out feedback from peers and superiors is the most effective way of gaining an insight into what they need to focus on in order to be better at what they do.

Be Open with Your Boss

Do not be afraid to tell you manager about your career goals from the outset. Far from seeing it as a threat, they are likely to admire you for being ambitious and driven. Although they might be sad to lose you as a team member, your manager will have contacts within the company and will be able to recommend you for positions that open which will take you closer to where you ultimately want to be in your career.

Invest in Yourself

Money spent on courses and specializations will pay dividends further down the line. Studying allows you to learn new skills and gives you the tools which allow you to thrive in challenging professional environments. Employers love employees that take an active approach to self-improvement, and that will take your dedication and focus on advancing your career as a sign that you are ready to be given greater responsibility.

Too many of us do not connect our overarching ambitions with a set of actions that will culminate in their realization. Following the tips above will help you get ahead of the game as you move closer to professional fulfilment in your dream job

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