Considering a career change
The prospect of a career change, particularly in an uncertain economy, can be daunting, and switching jobs is never a decision that should be taken lightly. The Community Living Well Employment Support team can help you identify transferable skills and give tips on how to apply for a new job.
Over the past two years, the amount of people who have changed their career has risen sharply. The Covid-19 pandemic gave many people time they might not ordinarily have had to take stock and think about where they are in their lives, and whether their careers are making them happy or unexpected job loss may cause people to change track.
The average person will change jobs 5-7 times during their working life. This might be due to changes in career goals, personal circumstances or because they are ready to try something new.
Identifying transferrable skills
As the name suggests, transferable skills are skills that can applied in a variety of job roles. These skills could be gained from previous work experience, volunteering or even tasks you do on a daily basis, like managing personal budgets, for example. Think about and write down what you’ve learnt and how these skills could be transferred to your desired job. If you have a particular role in mind, you can see how your current skills set matches up to the job description. Going through this exercise can also help you identify any skills gaps you might have and encourage you to enrol in training courses or qualifications.
Knowing your transferable skills can enable you to think ‘outside the box’ of your past experience and identify new opportunities. Some of these common skill areas include:
- Communication
- Problem-solving
- Time management
- Digital skills
- Collaboration
- Flexibility
Access support
We offer up to 15 one-to-one sessions where you can discuss with your allocated employment advisor what your goals are and what you would like to achieve. Some people know what they want, whereas others may want a change in direction or get into work for the first time. The sessions are based around your individual needs and we can help you look at your options, skills and interests to help you decide what kind of work you would like or how you could change your career path.
Together we could…
- Explore how to get started and identify entry routes into your new career.
- Identify any skills gaps and training opportunities.
- Update CV and application forms to showcase transferable skills and relevant work experience.
- Explore the financial implications of changing careers and whether there are bursaries or grants.
- Discuss how work-related benefits might be impacted by changes in circumstance.
- Practice interview skills.
If you would like help identifying transferable skills and job opportunities, you can make a self-referral to the employment service at Community Living Well. The employment team are working remotely and will be introducing face-to-face appointments in line with government Covid regulations soon. We may be able to support you remotely
via telephone and online services.
This story was originally published in the Autumn/Winter 2021 edition of the Community Living Well magazine. It has been edited for website purposes. You can sign-up to our mailing list to receive the magazine directly into your inbox.
Author: Stewart Gillespie
Posted on: 10th February 2022
