It’s been a rough few months. You’ve lost your job and have been looking for a new one, but it seems like every time you get close to landing something the position is filled before you can even apply.
You’re not alone: according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average American worker will have 10 careers in their lifetime. If you’re in the midst of one of those career changes right now, here are 9 clever ways to get back on track and land your next dream job.
1. Take a break
- Taking a break is important to recharge.
It’s easy to get bogged down in the search for a new job. Even when you’re employed, it can be tough to come home and immediately switch gears into your personal life. Take some time off from your job search. Go away on a weekend trip, or avoid checking anything related to work for the entire weekend. You need time to recharge before jumping back into the grind of searching for employment.
- Taking a break is important to process what went wrong with your last job search or last job.
It can be hard to admit when something didn’t work out, but it’s an important step in getting back on track again. Maybe you put too much stock in a company that didn’t deserve it, or maybe you made rookie mistakes in interviews that you want to avoid next time around. Use this break from searching and working as an opportunity to really analyze what worked and what didn’t go so well in your last experience with employment, and learn from those mistakes going forward.*
2. Ditch the comfort zone
- Catherine Chen, a career specialist at ZipJob, advises job seekers to ditch the comfort zone: “Job hunting is a new environment and it’s easy to get stuck in the same routines while searching. Make sure you’re always trying new things when looking for a job. You don’t want to just stick with the same methods of applying because they are what you know best.”
- It can be scary to look outside your usual circle of friends and family for leads on jobs or ask people you don’t know for advice, but when you put yourself out there and take calculated risks, you get a better chance of getting what you need. “The more often you do something like this,” Chen says, “the easier it will become each time. Start taking small steps outside your comfort zone and work on expanding that zone over time so that it becomes natural.”
- Think worst-case scenario: If something doesn’t go right in a given situation—you didn’t get some information or help that was promised—what would happen? Would there be repercussions? What would those be? Thinking about these questions before going into any given situation can help prepare you for the unexpected so that if it does occur, it won’t come as an unwelcome shock.
3. Start a side hustle
Side hustling can help you stand out when you’re looking for a new job and get back on the path to a rewarding career. However, it’s not easy to start since side hustles often introduce uncertainty and unfamiliarity into one’s working life. So if you’re considering doing something other than your day job that pays well, here are some tips to help guide you towards your side hustle.
And then there’s the question of how to get started on a side hustle once you’ve decided what it is that you want to do with your spare time. Here are some tips for figuring out how to combine the best parts of all these options (so going from full-time employee to full-time employer won’t be an option).
When starting a side hustle, don’t shy away from thinking about ways in which it will allow you earn money, even if nothing comes quickly or easily at first. Look at all the aspects of earning money: income potential; amount of time spent working; how much flexibility it gives; how big your target customer base is; whether or not customers can pay with cash; whether or not there are any skills required that may be transferable into other jobs (e.g., customer service skills and call center experience); whether or not customers will require assistance (e.g., if they have mobility issues).
4. Learn a skill to enhance your career
If you’re looking to get your career back on track, learning a new skill to enhance your career is one of the most effective ways to do it.
The first step to learning a new skill is identifying which skills are relevant to your industry and what skills you need to learn in order to get a promotion. For example, if you’re in human resources and want to move up in your company, learning how to code might be helpful. If you’re an accountant and want to become an auditor, taking an online course on auditing might be the way forward.
Once you’ve identified which skill will help advance your career, there are many ways that you can learn it:
• Online courses
• College courses
• Books or ebooks
• Meetups or groups at local libraries or community centers
• Formal training programs at companies like Microsoft or Apple that teach people how to code. The follow five suggestion about learning new skills can help get your career back on track or to enhance your career.
- Learning a new skill can help you get a job. One of the best ways to stand out from other job seekers is to show that you have a unique skill or expertise that employers need. This could be anything from technical skills like programming or web design, to interpersonal skills like public speaking or leadership. The trick is identifying what your market needs and then finding an opportunity that can use your skill set.
- Learning a new skill can help you get a promotion. Gaining knowledge in a different area of your field can help you get a promotion. For example, if you’re in sales and want to move into management, learning about the company’s product line could be useful for demonstrating your knowledge of the company’s products at meetings with clients and colleagues. You may not be aware of this, but learning a new skill can help you get a promotion. In fact, according to a recent study by Liferefence, 87% of employers believe that employees who are willing to learn new skills will be more successful in their careers than those who don’t. If there’s something specific in your industry that you want to learn more about, try taking a class or seminar on it. It shows employers that you’re committed to staying current with industry trends, and it could even lead directly to a promotion if they see how much value you add by learning this new skill set!
- Learning a new skill can help you get a pay raise. If you are looking to get a pay raise and you don’t want to do what everyone else is doing, then learning new skills can help you stand out.The more skill sets you have, the more valuable you are as an employee. If you can do more than what is required of your job description, then it gives the employer another reason to keep you around. Learning a new skill for your job can help you get a pay raise because you will have another marketable quality you have and will give value to the company you work for. You may want to learn how to do something that will help you in the future, or you may want to learn something that will help you already do your job better. But remember, If you want to get a pay raise, it’s important that you show your employer that you are committed, reliable and dedicated. Make sure that everything is done on time and in accordance with the requirements of the job. If there is something at work that needs to be improved, tell your boss about it immediately so that he or she can take care of it as soon as possible.
- Learning a new skill can help you change careers. Learning a new skill can help you change careers. As a you learn a new skill, you get access to other job opportunities that you didn’t have before.Learning how to code is one of the most popular ways people are looking to make this career shift, and for good reason. It’s an incredibly versatile skill that has so many applications, from creating websites and apps to developing video games.But if you’re making the switch from another industry, learning how to code isn’t always easy. It can be intimidating and time-consuming, especially if you’re starting from scratch.Learning is not just about getting hired; it’s also about making yourself more marketable and valuable in your current role. The good news is that there are lots of ways to learn new skills and expand your horizons — there’s no better time than now to upskill with courses from Udemy!Learning a new skill is also one of the best ways to take control of your career. If you are unhappy in your job, learning something new will give you the chance to make positive changes in your life.
- Learning a new skill can help you get a better job. Learning a new skill can also help you find a better job. According to the same study, 47% of employers say they’d prefer hiring someone with less experience but has learned something new over someone with more experience but hasn’t learned anything new lately.
5. Look for part-time work instead of full-time work
As you might guess, finding a full-time job is much easier when you’ve already got a part-time job. But even if it doesn’t lead to a full-time position with the same company, having work of any kind gives you something to put on your resume and is an opportunity for networking.
Consider using your current skills in a new career path through part-time work. If you’re switching careers (for example from being an accountant to becoming a nurse or from being a dog walker to becoming an electrician) look for part-time work that utilizes your former skillset in the context of the new career.
Finding part-time work can be tricky, but there are some creative ways to do it: try reaching out to friends and family and asking them if they know of any open positions; look at local listings on Craigslist and other websites dedicated to helping people find jobs; attend community events like town fairs where businesses will have booths set up advertising their services; approach small companies directly in person and ask if they’re hiring, etc.
6. Find a mentor
Finding a mentor is one of the smartest things you can do to help get your career back on track. A mentor is someone who has more experience than you and can help you grow professionally. Not only will they give you advice, but they can also open new doors for you. Your mentor may also be able to help with:* Career development* Job opportunities* Getting recommendations* Getting promoted
If this sounds good to you, start by thinking about the people in your life who could be your potential mentors. Perhaps it’s your old boss or a friend that works in the same industry.
7. Make some sacrifices to put yourself first
If you are feeling like a hamster on a wheel, stop and take a break. Step away from the computer and your job search. You will be more effective in the long run if you wait until you are in a better place to begin again.
- Go for a walk or work out (this will release endorphins and help clear your head).
- Take some time with family or friends — especially people who make you laugh.
- Plan an adventure; go somewhere you’ve always wanted to explore.
- Take a class or attend an event you wouldn’t normally consider—the experience can be enlightening!
- Do something that makes __you__ happy, something completely different from all the things that stress you out, something that puts __you__ first for once. Embrace it and enjoy it! If there is ever a time when taking care of yourself should come first, it’s now, when everything else feels so awry.
8. Improve Your Network Skills
Let’s face it: networking is a vital part of any job hunt. Many experts believe that upwards of 80% of jobs are never publicly advertised, but are instead filled through personal contacts and referrals. Therefore, improving your networking skills can significantly increase your chances of landing a new position.
There are many ways to go about improving your networking skills, including joining social and professional networks such as LinkedIn, attending job fairs and hiring events, and even just getting out there by getting involved in the community or industry you’re interested in working in. By putting yourself out there on social media (in a good way!), you allow potential employers to get an idea of what you have to offer them; by meeting people face-to-face at job fairs or industry events, you give yourself the opportunity to make lasting impressions and create helpful personal connections; if you happen to meet someone who could be helpful in finding a new position for you, be sure that you’ve practiced delivering your elevator pitch so that you’ll know exactly how best to introduce yourself without sounding awkward or rehearsed.
9. Believing in yourself is the most important thing.
The single most important thing you can do is believe in yourself. The person interviewing you will be looking for passion and motivation: if you don’t have it, how can they expect it from their potential employees? Have faith in your abilities and your purpose, and bring that to the table.
If fear is holding you back, take a deep breath and remember why you got into this field. You’re here because of a reason! Don’t let doubt or anxiety get in the way of pursuing what matters to you. Anchor yourself in your reasons for being passionate about your work—they are there, just waiting to be unearthed!
Building professional skills and building professional relationships are always great things to do when you’re job hunting.
Building professional relationships is a long-term project and should never be approached as though you’re simply collecting contacts. Social media has made it so we can connect with someone on the other side of the world, but that doesn’t mean you should send out a one-size-fits-all message to everyone in your industry. If you’re asking for a job or advice, make sure you’ve done your research and have something personal to say.
Nurturing and maintaining these relationships is also important. After an initial meeting, don’t stop there. Keep active online and continue following up with relevant information until you’re ready to initiate another conversation with them again. If they say they’re going to send over some information or put you in touch with someone else in their network, follow up at least once more before letting it drop completely.
So in review:
Taking a break is important to recharge and process what went wrong in your last job search. Also, ditching the comfort zone can lead to new opportunities.
Starting a side hustle can be a great way to make some extra money and stand out from other job seekers. While also, Learning a new skill is one of the best ways to get ahead in your career or change careers altogether.
Looking for part-time work can help you get your foot in the door somewhere new. You can also try Finding a mentor which is a great way to get advice and guidance from someone with more experience than you.
Making some sacrifices to put yourself first can help you refresh and refocus for your job search, along with Improving your networking skills can also help you meet new people and find new opportunities.
Lifereference 