Whether because of a change in your industry or in your career goals, there are both advantages and disadvantages to searching for a job mid-career. The experience you have is an obvious advantage, as your track record of accomplishments and skills acquired will appeal to employers looking for well-qualified talent. With experience, you also know more about your industry and profession, and as a result, are more certain about career goals and the kind of work environment that is best suited to you.
However, if you’ve been in the same job for years or decades, it can be complicated to navigate the job hunt process in today’s market. Read on for five tips to prepare for your job search as you navigate a career switch.
Pinpoint the Jobs You Want
You probably don’t have as much flexibility with your time as when you applied for your first job. It’s important to focus on positions that are a good match, ones that fit your lifestyle requirements. Consider what elements of the job will eliminate the position from consideration. If you cannot relocate for work or need to stay within a certain commute, for example, or need certain benefits from a new job, these are all important factors to consider.
Put together a list of companies and jobs that you think are a good match, and then create a plan for transitioning into a new job.
Network Effectively
As someone who has many years of experience, you have been able to build up a more extensive network of contacts. You can draw on these people to help you in your job search. Get in touch with former colleagues. Check your LinkedIn profile to make sure you are connected to people you have worked with in the past.
Check to see if you know anyone at your target companies. The right connections may be able to point you in the right direction.
Update Your Resume
If you haven’t been on the job hunt for a long time, it may have been a long time since you dusted off your resume too. Look back over your work experience and delete jobs that you had a long time ago, such as entry-level positions, and jobs that are not relevant. Update the skills you have acquired in order to reflect how qualified you are for your next position.
Review Your Skills
Make sure your skills are current. If you have any certifications, make sure they are still valid. Look over the trends in your industry and profession to see what skills are currently required and, if you lack those skills, get the training needed to acquire them.
Work With a Recruiter
Recruiters are looking for people with experience. They know the job market and what companies are looking for. They can also help with your resume, as well as tips for interviewing and what skills to emphasize.
At Opti Staffing, we work to learn the stories of all of our job candidates, building relationships with them based on honesty and respect, so that we can match them with jobs that fit their skills and experience. Contact Opti today to see how we can help you in your job search.
