Is your next step a career shift?

Over the last few years many people have been affected by severe career shifts caused by redundancy or problems within the company that employed them. And now, with Covid-19 impacting everything, the problem is much worse for older workers.

Dealing with redundancy

Redundancy brings with it many profound emotions.  There is the initial shock.  Few people presume that they will be the one to go even when there have been warnings. Individuals and their families are worrying about their future. This can be compounded by the grief of leaving friends and perceived security.  There may be a sense of anger at the company or at the individual who has made this decision.  Indignation and hurt are personalized:  ‘Why me? Why not someone else who didn’t work as hard?”

In contrast, there is often a sense of relief that the deed has finally been done.  You now know where you stand.  I’ve known situations where redundancy was a cause for celebration, a granting of freedom.

Of course there is no emotional value in redundancy.  It is how you react to it that counts!

Wanting a career shift

At the same time, many who haven’t had career shift thrust upon them have wanted to make a change in their working life because the changes around them made them feel discontent or anxious that they’d be the next to go.

After some time in the same job, same role or with the same organization it is natural to feel like it is time for a change.  But for those of us who are identified as being part of the baby boomer generation it may also be an age-related career shift.   You know you have so much more to offer, so many things to do, so many experiences still to have and they aren’t going to happen where you are currently working!

Why do people seek a career shift?

My clients express their disappointment at their current working life, realizing that perhaps this is a good as it gets.  Some just put up with the current situation for years. Therefore, they become quietly resigned that they have to keep working to a particular age until they can be free from work.  They’re feeling that they are not valued in their work environment.  Others recognize that they have changed and what they are doing is no longer the right sort of work for them.

Some people are making a career shift away from what is making them unhappy, overwhelmed and uncomfortable.  Others choose to make a career shift towards work they really want.  For many other people it is an entrepreneurial experience that they are seeking, an expression of something they really want to try in their lives.

It’s your time now

“It’s my time now and I want to do the things that I love to do, not just the things I’ve been doing for years.”  I’ve often heard this expressed by my clients. They are looking for the right fit, where their work is congruent with who they know themselves to be.  Fulfillment and purpose is the magic combination that they are seeking. Of course, they also want an appropriate salary and good conditions.

Professional support for your career shift

So if you are in this situation, seeking a career shift but not sure how to achieve it, visit BoomersNextStep regularly. Check out our Facebook page.  Our posts can help you make a successful career change. Look for information about how you can make a major career decision with confidence and  how to market  yourself effectively through your resume, cover letters, interviews and LinkedIn.  Find out how you can tap into the hidden job market successfully.  Most importantly learn how to boost your confidence during your time of career uncertainty.

[Updated post: 11 April 2019]

Do you want to advance your career? Do you need a career change advice? Contact Us. Let’s work together to renovate your career and get you the job that you want! Career Renovation can help you.