A Better Approach To Job Interviews

Interviews are a necessity to land a job. Undoubtedly you have had one or many of them. A recent statistic stated that it takes six to nine interviews before you will get a job offer. Although this statistic is a function of many external factors (e.g., industry, competition for the job, etc.), it does suggest that it takes a considerable amount of time to land a job. It could be as much as a year (or more) if the job market is tight (i.e., few jobs) and/or the labour market is slack (i.e., too many available workers), Whatever the market is like, this statistic tells you it is important to do your best in every interview.

Introducing Value Propositions: The purpose of this blog is to introduce the idea of a Value Proposition (VP) and apply it to your next interview. You will be able to answer any interview question comfortably and effectively once you have one. A solid VP demonstrates knowledge of what your interviewer (i.e., possible employer) is looking for and how you meet their needs. Where a VP is most powerful is that it also showcases what is unique about you. Your specialties will be what separates you from the competition. You will likely find, even in the toughest markets, that you will not have to go through six to nine interviews to get a job offer!

VPs originated in the world of business, in particular marketing. The basic idea is that a business needs to know and clearly “message” their VP to customers to get them to buy their product. You can read more about business value propositions and see some examples by clicking here. The components of a business VP can be applied to careers, where you are the business, and the employer is the customer. In this sense, you possess a combination of qualifications and added value that you are “selling” to the employer. The employer will “buy” (i.e., hire) you if what you offer matches their needs. 

Crafting Your Value Proposition: When building your VP, start with the employer’s needs. You should first focus on the job posting. Find out what is written and what is “in between the lines” that explains why the employer is looking to hire. Be sure to also research the company. The more you can connect what you offer to the company’s values and mission the better.

The rest of your VP comes from you. The first part is qualifications. Your qualifications include your background such as your education, experience, and accomplishments. You also need to communicate your expertise as it relates to the job. These qualifications are things such as your skills, competencies, and their associated levels. The key in creating your VP is matching these qualifications to what you see in the job posting. The second part is your added value. Often, your added value will separate you from the competition because it is unique to you! In one way, it represents “how you work”. So, you should include items such as your personality and even the things that most motivate you when working.

Once you have pulled together all the pieces of your VP, you can use it in an overall VP statement (also called an “Elevator Pitch”). Here is an example:

  • VP / “Pitch” to a company looking to hire an experienced Project Manager: “With a PMP certification and over 7 years of experience, I have a proven track record of successfully leading cross-functional teams and delivering complex projects on time and within budget. My strong organizational, problem-solving, and leadership skills, combined with my attention to detail, ability to manage multiple priorities, and my overall supportive personality makes me an ideal candidate to drive project success and operational efficiency at Company ABC.”

This statement is an ideal answer to the critical interview question: ”Why should we hire you?”. It also forms the basis of possible answers to most other interview questions

Delivering Your Value Proposition: You can now readily create a VP and apply it in your interview. Since interviews are basically a series of questions and answers, you may only be able to use parts of your VP for some questions. The key is that you are consistent in using your VP throughout your interview. Also keep in mind that you will have to tweak your VP for each interview. Each employer has different values and mission statements in addition to varying reasons for why they have posted a job. Here is an example answer to a common interview question for the same Project Manager role:

  • “Can you tell me about a time when you did not agree with a coworker?”: “In my previous role at Company XYZ, I was leading a cross-functional team on a project with a tight deadline. During the planning phase, one of my team members proposed a different approach to the project timeline than the one I had proposed. Instead of dismissing the team member’s suggestions, I encouraged open communication and collaboration by organizing a team meeting. I listened to the team member’s rationale and concerns, and I shared my perspective and the reasons behind my proposal. By using my approachable style and skills in negotiation and leadership, I facilitated constructive discussions, encouraged teamwork, and fostered a collaborative environment. As a result, we refined our project plan, incorporated suggestions, and developed a more efficient and effective project timeline that ultimately contributed to the successful completion of the project ahead of schedule.”

You can see the consistency between the earlier “Elevator Pitch” and the answer provided above. The statement was effectively tweaked to answer the interview question. To properly apply your own VP in an interview as shown above, you need to keep an open and analytical mind. Let your uniqueness also come through in how you deliver your VP based answers. Again, this is how you can separate yourself from the competition. 

The last part of your VP delivery is a follow-up. Typically, it is an email sent after the interview saying thank you for the interviewer’s time and consideration. This email is also a chance to reinforce your VP as it relates to what was discussed during the interview. A great idea is to share something you believe would be of interest to the interviewer and further demonstrates your VP. A link to an article would be one such example.

To Wrap Up: Creating your Value Proposition will take time. Once you have your overall VP statement, you are on your way! You will need to tweak it when applying to different jobs since companies will have different reasons for hiring a new employee. And you will need to be open-minded and analytical during each interview. You can expect to have to adapt your VP depending on the question. You may only need to share one part of your VP. An easy example and common question is: “Tell me what is your greatest strength?”. You will need to pick only one of the many you will have in your overall VP statement. As mentioned above, the key is to be consistent throughout the interview in terms of your VP. A final note is you should review your VP from time to time. You will acquire new skills and earn new accomplishments in the future. These new parts of what you have to offer may deepen and/or broaden the types and levels of job you target in the future. You will have a richer VP along your career journey.

 

So, take the time to build your VP. It will be worth it! Your VP will also help you in other parts of your career journey such job searching (e.g., resumes, networking, etc.) and overall career development.

And be sure to revisit the blog page! A future blog will tell you how your VP can be used in conjunction with a Brand Image to create your overall Personal Career Identity. Another better approach to give you what you need to succeed! 

Taking Your Career To The Next Level

You will reach a point in your career when you ask yourself “What’s Next?” You have been in the workforce for many years yet have many more ahead of you. There has been progression moving from entry level to intermediate, perhaps even senior level. Maybe the advancement has been more significant where the rise in the company ranks has been made in a relatively short period of time. You are regarded as a subject matter expert, a leader, problem solver, innovator or any other descriptor that shows you are at the top of your field. In a strictly corporate sense, you are a manager or director of people.

This blog will present some ideas for you to consider when you want to take your career to the next level. These ideas represent varying degrees of challenges to take on to advance your career. Should any of these options appeal to you, contact Career Connexions to discuss!

Jump ship: A tongue and cheek way of saying try joining the competition. You have likely had discussions with colleagues that work for a competitor or a company within your industry. These discussions could include what you are looking for next in your career, what would get you to move, etc. It is these interactions that may be driving you to ask yourself that fundamental question of “What’s Next?”. So, if switching companies is a possibility for you – go for it! It will require clear and careful communication especially as you are making a bold move and will still have colleagues from your company in your network. The most important communication is the reason why you are leaving. The best answer to give to your current company is that they are unable to give you something that the other company can. It is best not to make this a money issue or other form of compensation. Your current company can always (try to) match whatever the new company offers. Other reasons specific to your company such as work culture are also best avoided. Some good reasons might be implementing new technology, building a new department, etc. In other words, something that is specific and unique to the new company.

Farm a different field: This may be the hardest challenge of all. It will be assumed that any such alteration is possible by way of having the time needed for the change along with the condition that anyone making the move is not a genius, polymath, etc. At the extreme, it would mean moving into an entirely different discipline. For illustration purposes, one example is a teacher becoming an IT network administrator. First, the teacher would need a degree or diploma in IT, followed by some entry level job, maybe an internship. At this point, core skills will be in place and the remaining challenge will be gaining experience. But not to worry! It is here where the teacher can draw from existing communication skills when applying and interviewing for jobs and networking as much as possible. An easier transfer might be within the STEM disciplines where an environmental biologist decides to become an environmental engineering technician. In this case, foundational studying and learning skills are present and are placed within the common environmental theme. The biologist will be challenged by needing to understand and apply new engineering concepts. In addition, s/he will require a certification/license to publicly demonstrate such capabilities. In the end, the transition is a doable challenge and undoubtedly a new job. In both examples, the need for a new challenge and better outcomes are essential in making a career advancement such as these a true success. 

Start your own business: This is something many people do, but not always from a position of strength. Businesses start and fail largely due to the inexperience of the business owner of simply all that is involved in running a business. Challenges also present themselves as they will need to broaden their professional network with most of these connections needing to ultimately be paying customers. In other words, you may have more than enough experience, skill, and network bandwidth within your field of expertise, but will this generate (enough) revenue the moment you put up your “open for business” sign? For this reality, many people, maybe even yourself, are already doing business as a “side gig” as you continue to work full time in your current job. By testing the waters, you will better position yourself when the time arises for you to work for yourself only. And be sure to accept that once you go solo, you will be challenged as you will lose the support and insulation that comes with working for a company.

Take a break: This may be the easiest of all options, but it is often overlooked. In terms of advancing your career the length of time used as a break is an important consideration. You do not want to be out of work such that you cannot “pick up where you left off” or at least re-enter the workforce in a capacity that satisfies you. Therefore, it is critical to stay in touch with colleagues and your broader network. Taking a break does carry a certain level of risk. So, how can a “break” advance your career? In short, it allows you to do things you otherwise could not during full time work. You have the chance to do important things, feel accomplished, and become re-energized! Many people use this time to travel. Seeing the world often yields new perspectives and ideas. Often people can bring these back into their career for their own benefit or those they work with. Volunteering is a common experience people undertake either where they live or in another country. Both ways also enrich people’s lives and can have lasting impacts when returning to work and continuing along career paths. Sometimes the time away from work is more personal and can include spending more time with family and friends, completing projects, etc. In all cases, it is expected that one comes back to resume a career in a fresher state of mind, body, and spirit and maybe a few new tricks!

Career Choosing Know How

For most people, deciding on a career is one of the most important, and even, difficult choices to make. It usually happens during the last year or two of high school. Studies have found that often, well before the end of high school, your experience before high school will have a big influence on what you choose as your career. So, it is worth starting this blog by presenting your general options after high school or giving you an idea of “what’s next” in a broader context.

The simplest option is whether you wish to start your career right after high school or do further studies. These days, some type of training is a minimum requirement even if you decide to start work as soon as possible. It can be as simple as training as a forklift operator that takes little time or money and will undoubtedly result in a job. 

Should you opt for studies after high school (i.e., tertiary education) you have the choice between college or university. It used to be that college was for more “blue-collar” careers where you used your body and hands to get the work done (think millwright, mechanic, etc.) or generally procedural (e.g., chef, hotel manager, etc.). University was for “white-collar” jobs where you communicated ideas or findings (think account manager, corporate trainer, etc.).

Nowadays, “collars” are more blended, maybe making “no collar” a better term. The education system in Canada has adjusted to this reality by offering a 50/50 split between college and university over the same four-year period. It provides the benefits of both types of education – mind and body. This is a great development as it offers the best of both worlds! For “specialized” training, more university level training is needed which importantly means more time and money (e.g., teacher, doctor, lawyer, etc.).

Now that you understand the “learning landscape”, you are in a better position to see what and how you can go about making your career choice. You can follow the same four parts outlined in our previous blog: “A Process For A Successful Career Change”. A career choice is the same thing as a career change with the only difference that a “change” means you already have career experience and skills. The parts are:

Visioning: Something you do more than once keeping an open mind and taking note of what you see yourself doing as a career. You may have many options and try to avoid putting up barriers or coming up with excuses.

Backcasting: For choosing a career, this means thinking about the things you need to do to achieve your vision (e.g., post-secondary, certificate, etc.). You are at the ideal point in your life to do this, which relates back to what is written above on the “learning landscape”. You always need to know the “how” of reaching your career goal.

Groundtruthing: This is where you look at the courses, co-ops, even life experiences you’ve had and ask whether you are on the right track. It also includes an examination of whether you can successfully undertake and complete the various tasks to reach your career goal. Ideally, you should be doing this before you are approaching the end of high school. However, you will still have opportunities and time to do this even while you are in your post high school learning. A post-secondary program can be changed before you complete it. 

Test Driving: A test drive is to gain experience, even skills, that directly support your targeted career goal. It may mean taking what you have after groundtruthing and going further with (more) volunteering for example. It may be helpful for you to look up job postings and connect with established professionals in your chosen career in much the same way a career-changer would do.

The “learning landscape” and the above four parts are very personal and perhaps more useful than other options available to you in choosing a career. Undoubtedly you know of and have done personality and/or job tests. These tests frequently misidentify or are too generic to provide you with any useful decision-making information. However, there are many people and information resources available to you while you are in high school and before you finish any post high school studies. 

As mentioned, you are not locked into a career choice by choosing a program of study. You should however remain on top of where you are in setting up your career and making any needed adjustments along the way. Lastly, make sure you seek feedback and have someone with you along the way. You are most welcome to contact Career Connexions to share your situation and find out how you can get help!

A Process For A Successful Career Change

It is said people spend more than a third of their life working. So, why shouldn’t you spend that time working at something you enjoy? Unfortunately, many are not doing what they want and yes, maybe that is simply the nature of work, even life. Yet, if you’ve thought of changing careers and can work towards that goal, why wouldn’t you? Here are four key parts to help you see how it is possible.

Picking up on an earlier blog, “Thinking Career Change? Read on.“, you understand career change is common and often linked to either a lack of engagement, changing circumstances, and yes unhappiness. According to Sarah Kauss, founder of S’well, she sees career change as a step-by-step process. During this process, it will be important to know where you wish to go, what you need, and what you need to get me there.

This blog will ideally re-activate or carry through your interest in making a career change. Four main parts in a career have been identified and are found below. The change is not as big as you may be telling yourself!

Visioning

There’s a quote from Cyndi Lauper regarding careers: “If you can see yourself doing it – do it”. Keeping an open and positive mind, imagine yourself in the job and career you desire most. Write it down and any others that “you see”. Give yourself a variety of times and places to do this. More than likely, you will surprise yourself.

This is a long-term exercise, where you do your best to not come up with barriers or excuses. So, if need be, start slowly, a bit at a time. It’s not a bad thing as visioning also includes a good measure of reality. It can also be important to look at opportunity. Opportunity means the likelihood of having jobs to apply to and compete for in the new career field(s) you envision.

Backcasting

This is a term that is different than the more familiar forecast. To backcast is to take your visions and move backwards to where you are now. There is no requirement to make it linear – that is rarely the case. Map out what you feel you need to do in order to get to your vision e.g., school, certification, volunteering, jobs. For many, this means going back to school along with some kind of certification. A great idea is to connect with people doing the work you see yourself doing. It need not be an exact match, rather the more people you contact the better.

Groundtruthing

In short, this is your work history. Make this the same type of exercise as your visioning. Spend many occasions recalling the situations where you felt confident or accomplished at work. Just like visioning, keep an open mind, and be positive. The key is to identify experiences and skills.

It is easier to start with soft skills. It is your soft skills that will carry you from where are and along your career change path. One important soft skill is problem solving. Why? Solving problems is what managers need most. They always want to save time and money. Your hard skills may or may not be part of your career change. After backcasting, hard skills will emerge, and it is those skills you will need to acquire to move along your path. It is very possible that you can learn these skills in your current job.

Test Driving

It is not necessary to have it all mapped out to take a test drive. Visioning, backcasting, and groundtruthing will be a back-and-forth process. Taking a test drive means pulling together what you have and trying it out in the job search arena. You can try it out by looking at job postings, for example. 

As Cyndi Lauper might ask: “Do you see yourself working the job”? Maybe apply to these openings if you have additions to your resume that relate to your new career. Volunteering is another great idea, especially if skills in your new career are required in the spirit of helping others. If there are companies you are interested in, see if they staff your future job(s). Larger companies will be your best bet.

By doing this, you can go back and refine or even broaden your career path. Developing a network in your new career area is always a good idea. Maybe you already have people in your network that can help you. These people may know of events you can attend that focus on your future career field. Keep in mind, the change can also start by taking on new responsibilities in your current job.

Once you feel a change is needed do not ignore it. Try and retry the above process. If life gets in the way, always commit to pick up where you left off. Letting someone you trust know your plan always helps in keeping commitments! Even consider contacting Career Connexions for some or all of your journey. And keep in mind, if you make choices that do not turn out the way you expect, you are still left with knowing more. By knowing more, your future travels along your career path will be a more enjoyable – even happier – experience.

Focus On Six Things To Build Your Career

Once you have been working for a while, you typically earn a few or more years of experience in your chosen field and have acquired many skills. You have learned the “how to” of your job and likely are a master at it. So, what next? As always, it depends on your job, company, industry, and most importantly – you! It is this last part that will be the focus here. 

It will be assumed that you are working for a company that encourages growth and gives you the time and means (think $$$) to gain new experience and skills. If not, growth is still possible, however you will be paying more of the price – often literally! That’s ok, so long as you keep an eye on the bigger picture – your professional growth while keeping your current job, company, etc. in check. This means do not burn any bridges should you eventually move to a work situation where your (new) experience and skills are not taken advantage of or not valued.

A last point is that growth is learning and learning can happen anywhere and at any time. For this blog, career building will be limited to activities such as courses, certifications, and special projects. In the latter case (and within a STEM career), these are great for career growth and yield products such as conference proceedings, peer reviewed papers, maybe even a patent! In short, things that are tangible. Networking will no doubt help your career grow, but it and other similar activities such as volunteering (inside or outside of work) will be treated as a supportive activity as you undertake the more material actions.  

The things to focus on in building your career should include:

1. Visioning – This is something actors, athletes, and other professionals do as regular practice. For you, visioning is picturing yourself doing work that interests you, you enjoy, and can be successful at. Keep your mind open and avoid putting up barriers. Doing this helps set the stage for everything you do in building your career. Visioning is more long term and is important to revisit from time to time along your career path. You may discover new “visions” and in doing so can adapt your career actions accordingly.

2.An inventory – Done in the same way as a grocery store or warehouse worker, you take stock of the experience and skills you have and the ones you do not so you can your vision or goals as will be described below. Remember, an inventory and visioning are more like ideas with both evolving through the course of your career path. They are not tightly defined or bound like some of the other things you will need to focus on in building your career. As always it is a good practice to record anything you do whether visioning, inventorying, planning, etc.

3.Setting goals – These are much more immediate and enable you to reach your longer-term vision. An important guideline in establishing goals is to use the SMART approach. In terms of the scope of this blog, a SMART career building goal would be completing an internship, getting certified, etc. Within a STEM career, there are relatively more goals you will need to set and then achieve given the fact that STEM drives and responds to (very fast!) change. In setting your goals, it is worth doing your research to see if, for example, a particular certificate is the best one for your needs. Certain certificates carry more significance or value than others with much of it depending on the organization that is providing it. A good example is setting a goal for getting skilled in project management. Without question, the Project Management Professional (PMP) certification offered by the Project Management Institute is the best.

A bit of a twist on setting goals is when you are targeted by your employer to start a new initiative. This often carries the requirement for training and may take you in a different direction than what you envision and plan for your career. You may not know it, but this may be a great opportunity. The decision makers in your company see potential in you and are willing to spend money to put you in a leadership position. It still is important however, and perhaps more so than at any other time, to revision your career. It may not be something you should pursue if you don’t “see” yourself doing it.

4.Making a plan – This is essential and at minimum includes the “what” and “when” in building your career. Try to find things that you can achieve (i.e., milestones) in the near term such as a week and no more than a month. It is important to reach your goals and feel a sense of accomplishment in doing so. It is also worthwhile to remember that there are many ways you achieve the “what” of building your career. You can volunteer both inside and outside of your current job. You can also attend learning events and others that are more supportive in nature such as conferences which give additional networking. For getting energized, staying positive, etc. you can set goals for the number of new professional connections per month, as an example.

5.Monitoring your progress – Be sure to check how you are doing in meeting your goals. Hopefully things are moving forward. However, it is ok if a goal has not been met by the “when” you established in your plan. You can always modify your plan. What is more important is that you try your best to avoid having to make changes or limit them as much as possible. Also, you want to regularly consult your plan and to not let it go to the wayside. More importantly, you need to remain positive and always be in a growth state of mind. In some cases, you may have a goal, often one that takes some time to achieve, and you need to temporarily put it on hold. In engineering, a Professional Engineer (P.Eng.) designation is one such example.  

6.Take a step back – It is easy to get too focused on goals or tasks and lose sight of the bigger picture. By taking a step back you are in effect revisioning your career. Do you see the same future as you did when you did it the first time? Do you have new visions? It is here and really for all parts of building your career that you will benefit from networking, advice, mentoring, opinions, etc. Be sure to have those people and resources with you along your career journey, perhaps even Career Connexions!

Tips To Start Your Career Off The Right Way

People remember that first full-time job after finishing school. For you, the situation may be that you are searching for that first career job or have just started it. Should be in search mode, always remember that landing your first career job may take time. You may have to work in slightly or unrelated fields right after graduation. These tips can also be used should that be your current work situation. If you have just started your career, you probably have no more than two years’ experience in the field in which you are working. You were hired because you possessed the qualifications for now and more than likely showed great potential for the future. These tips are numbered and suggest they are to be followed in order, however as with most things there is overlap, so keep that in mind when reviewing.

  • Remember what got you hired. You first started your journey to your first career job by applying to a job posting and/or submitting your resume to someone connected to the position or the company. Yet, many people forget that job posting and the fact that they were hired because they qualified for the role (i.e., education, experience level, language, or soft skills, etc.). They also forget that they were deemed able to meet the responsibilities associated with the job. By remembering that you were the best candidate in those two areas you can stay confident when you face challenges. Also, you will know what the expectations are for you, especially from your supervisor. They are the people that wrote or approved the job posting/description. And should you find yourself in situations where there are deviations from your job posting, check in with your colleagues, then supervisor. These differences do occur often. You can also have a chat with your supervisor to learn about anything not on the job posting that helped get you hired. Lastly, remembering what got you hired helps you stay focused. You succeeded in the first part of getting the job. Now you need to succeed in the second part, which is delivering results!
  • Master the knowledge and skills in your current job. It is tempting to look at what others are doing, thinking you can do that job, maybe even better. A general rule of thumb with (career) jobs requiring a good education and skill set is that it takes a year to “know” the job. This means the responsibilities and how to get the work done. It takes a couple of years to “master” the job. In this case, you should be able to train new employees, lead projects, join cross-departmental teams, etc. So, as with many of these tips, it is important to focus on your job for your benefit and for that of your coworkers. In fact, should you master your current job in less than two years or maybe it takes a little longer, you are still in the beginning stage of your career. You may start a new job in your current company or even a different company. No matter, you will still be required to master what is expected of you and there will undoubtedly be overlapping capabilities at this point of your career. Typically, you will spend about five years in this phase, then your career will be underway!
  • Work with what you have. This tip follows from the two above. The idea is you need to deliver within the expectations of your boss and teammates. They will not expect miracles, but they will want you to perform given the tools you possess whether it be a skill or a technology. It is tempting to think: “If I only had this…” or “if I only had that….” I could do better. There is a very good chance that is true, however if you dwell on these possibilities they will be excuses and will affect your work. It is better to align yourself with what your colleagues know is available to get the work done and deliver accordingly. Holding excuses or resisting will be noticed and will negatively affect your reputation.
  • Observe and network with your senior colleagues. The above tips emphasize being focused in starting your first (or second) career job. Yet observing those around, their work, and building relationships is something that you should do in the beginning. The purpose is to have access to all available help for you to do the best you can in your current role. As time passes, this will serve you well in terms of next steps. It will help build bridges and facilitate job transitions. This is an important tip to keep in mind, but as mentioned it needs to be set in the context of your current position. Simply put, you will gain considerable insight, advice, etc. from your senior colleagues that you can apply to your current situation. The best senior coworkers are the ones that have worked the longest on your team or at your company rather than those that just hold a more senior job title.
  • Identify areas for improvement. Continuous improvement is a much-sought work approach and skill for workers to have. For you, this is something that you can adopt once you have mastered your role. It should be welcomed by your supervisor and your teammates. In the case of your supervisor, if they are in a managerial role, improvements to save time and/or money are like gold! So, if such opportunities present themselves, give it some serious thought and share it with someone you trust that has your success as their own objective. Finding areas for improvement takes you beyond simply doing your job. It goes back to the second reason you were hired as you are now demonstrating your potential.
  • Volunteer. For this blog, there are two types of volunteering. The first is to ask to take on more responsibility. This means you have mastered your current position, are meeting all expectations, and you can successfully manage more work. Not many people follow this path as employees are often already overworked. Yet, being proactive with your career can be noticed by those around you. With the right timing, place, and full consideration of the possible outcomes of adding more work to your plate – do it! The second follows from the previous tip, where you take the next step and provide solutions to an area that may be causing problems, limiting outcomes, etc. In effect, you must do this since simply identifying issues is hardly something of value to your supervisor, team, and yourself. You need to “close the loop”.

What You Need To Restart Your Career

People choose to put their career on hold for a variety of reasons. Some common career stops include taking time to travel, raise a family (i.e., stay at home parent), going back to school in a different field, self-development, etc. These types of choices are typically premeditated and take approximately three to five years. 

On the other side, careers may come to a halt for reasons that are outside your control. Examples include getting laid-off, taking care of a sick relative, personal health issues, etc. For these unplanned situations, the time period is less well defined and uncertain. These events do carry the potential to be relatively short, perhaps as little as a year. Often, learning how to better manage and/or getting help to deal with the situation will make a shorter time frame a reality. 

The purpose of this blog is to share on how to deal with a career break, i.e., more than two years. Specifically, this blog goes beyond the advice to include them on your resume, cover letter, or when talking to a recruiter or hiring manager. Two or more years away from work carries consequences and requires the “how to” of putting yourself on equal footing with the other people that you are competing with for any given job. So, consider the following:

  • Stay connected. It is important to not cut yourself off from all things work related. You may not be able to stay in touch with all your work colleagues, clients, or up to date on the latest developments in your field. You should however choose two to three contact points and set a routine for reaching out. Your supervisor is a valuable one should you wish to return to your existing job. They play an important role as they can give you insights into what is happening with your job while you are away. In most cases, simply returning to your past job will become more and more unlikely should your time away begin to approach more than two years. Other contacts where you could restart your career become important in this situation and might be found in other departments or other companies. Such connections are key in situations such as layoffs. In all cases, staying up to date on developments in your field of work via associations, work groups, etc. will be useful in addition to staying connected with people.
  • Test yourself. This is something that you need to do should your career break reach three to five years or more. New knowledge and skills are appearing faster than before and likely at a faster rate as each year goes by. You will need to examine what you possess and what is now needed to succeed. Importantly, you will need to do this before you plan or expect to resume your career. You may only need to add new skills where a short course(s) can be completed such that a minimum amount of time and money is required. Getting recertified would be similar. More demanding requirements may include an entirely new certification where time is needed for coursework and testing. The main idea is that you need to plan. It may not be possible to get yourself on par with the requirements while you are still in career break mode. In such cases, you will need to plan for that reality. This aspect of restarting your career often points to starting something new. You may even find yourself having to switch careers. This is something you can read about in a previous blog and certainly explore by contacting Career Connexions.
  • Test the market. Once you have a good idea on where you sit in terms of your knowledge and skill set, it will help to learn what companies and jobs are available to you. You should be doing this while you “test yourself” as outlined above. Spending time and money on new competencies with too few work opportunities would be wasteful and disappointing. So, spend time on various job boards and search for the job(s) you want and the companies you wish to work for. It is here that staying in touch with past work colleagues, associations, etc. will be valuable to find out what the market has been, is, and could be in the future. It may also lead to your first job upon re-entering the workforce. 

In sum, this blog recommends that a career should not be a complete break except in certain situations such as personal health or, as is often the case, a bit of time needed with zero thought on anything related to work. These things always come first. In addition, there is a need for planning and time spent leading to a career restart. And furthermore, you may not necessarily restart from the same place you stopped.

Thinking Career Change? Read On.

According to career change statistics, the average person will change careers five to seven times during their working life. These changes can include significant moves such as different yet related fields or entirely new disciplines where new skills are required.

For example, you may be mid-career working in marketing or administration and have both the time and money to invest in schooling or training. You may want to move into an industry growth area such as healthcare. Or you may want to work in an area that you deem more meaningful such as social work. 

On the other end, career changes can be more subtle. For example, you may start out at a firm as a mining engineer, become an environmental engineer, then start your own firm or even get your M.B.A. Another industry is possible. Take your pick!

In today’s world, job change, and in turn, career change in whatever degree as mentioned above, is the norm

So, why do people change careers? There are three main reasons: 

Lack of engagement. One report found that only one-third of Baby Boomers and Gen Xers are engaged in their work. This reason would fit with feeling a need for a challenge, opportunity to move (mostly upwards) in your organization, or simply “boredom”. Maybe you have skills that you want to use but do not seem to be in the right field or place to use them.

Unhappy at work. The same report found that all generations are unhappy at work to some degree. Interestingly, college-educated employees report greater unhappiness than do those who stopped at high school. Perhaps (more) highly educated people may have higher expectations and therefore find career disappointments more easily.

Change in personal circumstances. This can cover a very broad range including losing a job (in a low demand field), family, health, being out of work for more than a year, need for more money, etc.

For you, there may be others or a combination of the three above reasons

So, what do you do once you have identified a career change as an option? To start, it is important to consider the following: 

  1. You are moving from a place of certainty to one of uncertainty. A career change is not for the faint of heart! 
  2. The new job and career need to be attainable. It is not just a question of finding a training program, having enough money to pay for it, and the time to study or train. Do not forget, you are more than likely still working your current job! The point is managing your work-life (and now training) balance! 
  3. The place you are moving to must improve your situation while making sure that when you begin to apply and network for that first new career job there is a viable market.

This may seem overwhelming. Keep in mind you will meet new people along your new career path. Fellow students like yourself, teachers, and other experts will be there to share their experience. And of course, Career Connexions is always available should need help mapping out, implementing, and ultimately landing that new career job!