| Are you doing everything you can to be positioned for your ideal job? At Transition Solutions, we have been helping companies and individuals with workforce changes for 30 years. What many are calling, “The Great Resignation,” is resulting in millions of people leaving their jobs in search of more money, more flexibility and more happiness. Employees are rethinking what work means to them, how they are valued, and how they spend their time. In fact, a record 4 million people quit their jobs in April alone, according to the Labor Department. If you are considering making a career move, it’s important to ensure you are positioned well for your next role. Acorn Grow recently shared advice from Gorick Ng, a Harvard career advisor and author of “The Unspoken Rules,” on how to help your next role come to you. Gorick suggested three key areas to focus on, summarized below. 1. Build up ‘your social capital’. You can benefit from expanding your network by joining meetups and professional associations, as well as going to conferences and doing volunteer work. “This is all building up your social capital,” says Ng: learning about other people while sharing your own interests. “Keep that LinkedIn profile updated, add bullet points as you progress in your career,” he says. “If you are in an industry where a personal portfolio makes sense, have that website and continually update it.” 2. Learn ‘how to position yourself’ for the job you want. Jobs boil down to three categories, says Ng: what’s available today, what might be available tomorrow, and what is not available but could be in the future. “If you want to start with what’s available, that’s an option, but you’d end up in a better position for yourself if you start with, ‘What do I want,'” he says. Now’s the time to figure that out, by doing your research, talking to people, and sending cold emails, says Ng. “Ask friends who are in the profession you’d like to enter, and/or the organizations you are interested in joining, for a brief call to learn about their work and get their advice on how to navigate the process,” he says. 3. Monitor industry trends to ‘make the trail’ for your career. Stay aware of what’s happening in your industry and in the world, says Ng. Pay attention to “what’s this company doing these days, where’s this industry headed, which parts of the universe are growing and which are shrinking.” The advantage here is that you’re more aware of potential growth opportunities, and you could get ahead of a potential layoff if your industry or company isn’t faring well. At Transition Solutions, we always recommend our clients build and maintain their social network. Strong connections will help you be best positioned for your ideal role and, as Gorick suggests, will help opportunities find you! As an employer, you need to be ready for the great resignation already happening. Ensuring you have a strong brand and are a place employees want to work is more important than ever before. Offering flexible work arrangements and focusing on employee engagement are key strategies to help ensure you can remain competitive as the world recovers from the pandemic. Should you have to reduce staff, offering outplacement services can help your impacted teammates during the transition and preserve your brand. At Transition Solutions, we have been helping companies and individuals with workforce changes for thirty years. Our strong reputation for consistently delivering exceptional service at value sets us apart. If you would like more information on our services please check out our website at https://www.transitionsolutions.com/ or you can contact us directly at 888-424-0003 or email us at info@transitionsolutions.com |
