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How to Build a Thriving Career in a Challenging Economy.

How to Build a Thriving Career in a Challenging Economy.

Ways to Build a Thriving Career.

Glen Patterson
July 11, 2024

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Even in good times career change is difficult.

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“Build your own dreams or someone else will hire you to build theirs.” — Farrah Gray

How to Build a Thriving Career in a Challenging Economy.

Even in good times career change is difficult.

In today’s uncertain economic environment, making a career in change can be daunting and requires planning, resilience, and adaptability. “80% of people over the age of 45 consider a change in careers, but only 6% of them actually pursue it”. Source: The Conference Board. However, with the right strategic approach, you can transform your career journey into a fulfilling experience to position yourself for success.

According to Resume Genius “when changing careers, you want a resume format that highlights your transferable skills while downplaying your lack of experience in your new industry. That’s why the functional resume format (also called a skills-based resume) is your ideal choice.”

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Below are some great career change strategies.

Validate your skills.

Invest in acquiring new skills or enhancing existing ones. Focus on in-demand skills that align with industry trends. Consider online course platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and Udacity, workshops, or even formal education obtaining relevant certifications. Additionally, great places to find skills based training courses to help you upskill and re-skill and boost your credentials and job prospects. Also, working on temporary projects is great to validate skills on your resume.

To demonstrate project success on your resume use the STAR Method!

✅ S for Situation: Set the scene and give the necessary details of the challenge you are working to solve..

✅ T for Task: Describe your key responsibility and role in tackling the challenge. And the goal you were working toward.

✅ A for Action: Detail exactly your strategic approach and what specific steps you did to address the problem.

✅ R for Result: Highlight the impact your actions achieved. It is okay to take full credit for your behavior.

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Cultivate a strong professional network

Networking is crucial in any economy, but even more so in a challenging one. Reconnect with former colleagues, attend industry events (virtual or in-person), join professional groups on social media, and actively engage in discussions. Moreover, building and maintaining professional relationships can lead to job opportunities and valuable industry insights.

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Seek Mentorship and Guidance

Find a mentor who has successfully navigated a similar career transition or someone who is established in the field you aspire to enter. Seek out mentorship opportunities with experienced change leaders. Understand that their advice, insights, and support can be invaluable. Additionally, consider career coaching services to help you set realistic goals and develop a clear action plan.

Also, keep in mind be flexible and open to opportunities

During challenging economic times, flexibility can be a significant asset. Be open to temporary, freelance, or part-time work as it can provide valuable experience, transferable skills, and potentially lead to full-time opportunities. Additionally, consider roles that might not be your ultimate goal but can serve as stepping stones towards your desired career. Consider temporary or contract positions to gain exposure to different industries.

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These are also a great way to reduce gaps in our resume.

But, if you have gaps on resume here a great way to answer gap in resume

Further Education

“I decided to go back to school to further my education to meet the requirements of my new field. I completed courses in ABC. The courses have equipped me with the updated knowledge and skills needed to make the transition.”

Final thoughts.

By implementing these strategies, you can successfully navigate a career change, even in a difficult economic climate. Remember, organizations always need skilled professionals to guide them. Position yourself as that indispensable asset. Before making a switch, consider if changing your career is the best decision at this point in your life. Most importantly, you must not allow fear to get in the way, don’t stop because you are scared.

And remember.

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Thinking of making a career change. Use a functional format resume to highlight transferable skills on your resume.

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Pro tip.

Volunteer for cross-functional projects to broaden your perspective
Highlight your transferable skills to reduce uncertainty in your resume.
Build your personal brand on professional networking sites
Share insights and experiences through blogs or social media
Participate in online forums and discussions to expand your network
Use the STAR method to also answer job interview questions.
Use an IA tool to write a prompt to help with Mock Interview. Example. “Conduct a technical mock interview for the [Job Role]. I am applying for this position. Ask me 15 questions related to [Specific Field/Technology], one after the other, gauging my expertise.” source IG

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