Pre-pandemic, most of us lived hectic day-to-day work lives, with 12-13 hour work days not being unusual when travel had been added into the equation.
However lockdown presented many, if not all, of us with an invaluable opportunity to think about whether you were really are happy in each aspect of your life, including your career.
So now, how you feel about it is paramount.
Here, are our 8 key questions to help you reflect on your long-term professional goals and aspirations:
1. Are you actually happy in your current job?
We are all guilty, from time to time, of getting wrapped up in the sheer business of life. This, in turn, might mean we fail to ask ourselves whether we’re truly satisfied by what we’re filling our days with.
How happy are you on a scale of 1-10 with your current job? Less than 7 and it’s time to consider your future potentially.
What do you enjoy? What do you not enjoy? What changes would enable you to enjoy your job more to bring it up to an 8 or 9? As let’s face it, 10 is hard to achieve.
Is this role allowing you to take the steps needed to fulfil your long-term career aspirations?
2. Is your career giving you what you want?
When challenges arise or the status quo is shaken up, it’s only natural to reconsider what truly matters to us, and to adopt a different perspective on even the most familiar things in our lives, including our jobs.
The pandemic may have forced you to realise what brings the most meaning to you personally, and as a result you may want to consider progressing your career in that direction.
3. What kind of employer do you want to work for and what kind of Industry do you want to work in?
In times of crisis, the way organisations react has a huge impact on their employer brand. There are many good and bad examples across the world.
Perhaps you were disappointed by your employer’s internal and external response to the pandemic or particularly impressed by that of another brand in the same sector, or maybe you feel you would be happier working for a more purpose-driven organisation, one that more closely aligns with your own personal values.
4. Do you want more flexibility in your work life?
While some people understandably prefer office banter with their colleagues, others enjoy the greater flexibility of working from home. So if, for example, you feel that working remotely has helped you to find a better balance with your home life whilst remaining productive, perhaps the time has come to talk to your boss about long-term flexible working options.
If that’s not possible, perhaps it’s time to look for a new job that offers regular remote working.
5. Are your key skills being properly used?
Many had to pivot their own role during the COVID crisis, while others assisted different teams with responsibilities that wouldn’t normally be part of their remit.
Many are now being given more autonomy and freedom to craft their roles than they ever had before, allowing them to develop entirely new skills.
Think about the skills you have. Is it time to craft certain new or emerging skills into your current role, or do you need to find a new job that gives you this opportunity?
6. What are you really good at?
Reflect on your career to date, and try to identify any patterns in terms of your skills and passions which you can now build upon going forward.
Maybe now is the time to move your current role in a direction that takes these natural strengths into account, or to look for another job that is a better match for such skills.
7. What areas need improving in your skills?
This time may have led you to realise that your skill set is deficient in certain areas. Make a note of what skills you have because you can’t plug these gaps until you know what they are.
If there are certain roles that you aspire to move into, for which you will require skills you don’t yet have? How can you get them?
If you need to upskill and let’s face it, we all do, or if you want to complete refresher courses, we suggest you look into the online and virtual courses, events, conferences and webinars that could enable you to develop these skills. It’s important for you to reflect and ensure you have the skills you will need to stay relevant.
8. Do you need to rewrite your Career Goals and your CV?
The everchanging workplace, along with your career self-reflection, may have led you to realise how out-of-date your previous long-term career plan has become. A five-year career plan can easily become irrelevant and must be continuously refined and referred to.
If you need to revise your career plan, this is the perfect time to do so. It is important to carve out regular time to reflect on your career so that you make the right decisions moving forward.
Check out our Career Development plan here. Our career checklist can also help you strategically plan and define your goals to ensure you are moving in the right direction towards your ultimate career ambitions.
Can We Help?
Hopefully, we can with our market knowledge even if it's simply pointing you in a different direction.
We have placed and filled over 100,000 temp and permanent assignments over the last 30 years so have a range of techniques, ideas and platforms which could help you succeed in reaching your goals.
Why not call us on 0113 367 2880 to have a conversation with one of our team. Alternatively drop us an email here or check out our Testimonials and Case Studies.
