Finding the Right Job for a New Year

We’ve heard this before: “New Year, new me.” It usually comes with plans for greater nutrition, new gym memberships, or finding (or returning to) hobbies to round us out and make us better than we were last year.

So why not take a look at your career?

Granted, things are still a little dicey with the COVID-19 pandemic (which is still ongoing). We’re also reaching a point where being a working professional isn’t as easy as it used to be. Mom-and-pop stores and restaurants (including some franchises) are struggling to stay open, with a number of them closing at an alarming rate. Major corporations are dealing with stalling supply chains and other effects of the “Great Resignation”, where people are quitting in droves for a variety of reasons. This has led to labor shortages for a lot of businesses.

But there is a silver lining to this storm. A new year can be a great time for a lot of people to really sit down and think about what it is they want to do with their life. Yes, the market is unpredictable and a choice could lead to picking a company that may be closing its doors in a few months…but with the constant need for jobs from (pretty much) everyone, now is the time to take chances and try things that may have seemed interesting or intimidating before. Worst case scenario? You try again with one of the other hundreds of companies looking for employees until something sticks.

Here’s a quick and easy list of things job seekers can do:

• Take a career aptitude test or similar quiz to get a general list of ideas of what you really want to do
• Figure out logically what it would take to get your dream job with a career path plan
• Use a social network like LinkedIn to see what jobs are out there among the people you already know
• See if there’s a way to turn a hobby into something you can monetize through sites like Patreon, Ko-fi, or Indiegogo for additional income (or even a new career)
• Rather than search for jobs by title, think about your skill set and what you like to do to find jobs that need someone with your talents
• Really take a good look at your current position; perhaps the company you already work for has a branch on your career path that could entice you to grow from within the business

Ultimately, you will need to take a deep assessment of what is important to you and how you can find a job that not only supports you, but your values. Hybrid workplaces can provide a greater work-life balance for people wanting that. Many companies have internal programs that encourage employees to participate in volunteer organizations for those wanting to give back while at work. Others place importance on corporate culture and seek to encourage deeper relationships with their employees with pub nights and corporate retreats.

Really, the only thing to do now is to figure out the kind of company you want to keep (working at).