In Part One of this series we talked about some of the challenges you could be facing if you’ve been forced into a career or job transition because of the pandemic, including the first steps you should take, what to consider when returning to work after an absence, how to establish credibility in a new field, and ways to build and leverage your network.
Read on for more career and job transition tips here in Part Two!
Impostor Syndrome — There’s nothing fake about how Impostor Syndrome makes you feel. If you’re going through a career or job transition into a new role — or completely new field — then the Impostor Syndrome can have a very real negative impact. This previous blog post lists some ways that you can cope if it is impacting you, as you seek to make a transition in your career. A second, more recent post on the Impostor Syndrome provides more nuanced advice for people who feel like “outliers” or “outsiders” because of their Black, Indigenous, or person of colour (BIPOC) status or other irrelevant characteristics that are often dealing with systemic discrimination.
How Do I Pick a Career That’s Just Right For Me? — The places we work and the careers that we choose can sometimes feel like a doomed relationship, complete with bad patterns that keep repeating themselves. If your work history feels like one bad break up after another, or you are not getting the success that you want, then maybe now is the time to make the transition to get out of that rut.
Cover Letters 101: What’s your Cover Story? — How can you look great on paper when you apply for that desired position if your work history is complicated or absent? The first way to address this difficulty is to construct a great cover story within your cover letter. Now, that’s not meant as an invitation to start fabricating information. Creating a cover story is not deception; it’s a tool to protect you from a past that does not fully define you while helping you exercise your right to enjoy a satisfying career! Focus on explaining how your skills and experience will support your potential employer so that they can meet their organizational/business goals.
Avoid Online Screening Mistakes — There is no question that the Internet has opened up a whole new opportunity for career contacts. Most employers today are utilizing online pre-screening to narrow the list of multiple applicants, especially if it’s a high volume of staffing to fill in the government or large industries. Although there are several ways to get rejected during an online pre-screening test, I have found some common themes that can almost guarantee will be barriers.
Spotting a Bad Workplace During the Hiring Process — Often, when we are looking for a new job, we really want to make sure that we’re chosen by the potential employer. Since we’re looking for the security that comes from a steady paycheck, we often overlook — or choose to ignore — the red flags that are right in front of us when evaluating a potential employer.
Avoiding an Online Job Scam – How to Tell When an Opportunity is Legitimate — Before the pandemic forced a massive shift to working from home, online job scams were already very real. Now, with many people forced into looking for work, it can be hard for them to tell the difference between legitimate opportunities and a job scam that mimics a good employment opportunity. There are some common signs that indicate you may be getting conned by a job scam, rather than getting a new career.
Career Change and Unsupportive Attitudes from Loved Ones — Most meaningful changes are hard enough without also working against close friends and family. Naturally, there is sometimes resistance from those who may also be affected by the anticipated change. Sometimes it’s well-intentioned, but sometimes it isn’t. Unfortunately, this happens more often than most people expect.
It can be difficult to find work even when you’re an assertive and accomplished person. If your confidence has been shaken by the unexpected, unprecedented impacts of the pandemic, you’re not alone.
That is where experienced career coaches come in. The right coach can support you and help you get over those invisible hurdles.
It’s about creating transparency and self-assurance within job-hunting while building skills to reinvent your career.
Sometimes, what’s needed is career psychology, which is different from and faster than therapy!
If you’re contemplating any work-related changes or improvements, I invite you to reach out today for a free and confidential initial consultation by phone, email, or via direct message on Twitter, Facebook or LinkedIn.
More than career coaching, it’s career psychology®.
I/O Advisory Services – Building Resilient Careers and Organizations.™
