November is National Career month in Canada. Each November, Canadians across the country celebrate their careers and reflect on the importance of accessing meaningful work. Now, more than ever, the importance of finding meaningful work is top of mind for job seekers and gainfully employed workers alike.
Finding work that we love, aligns with our values, and pays the bills may not always be easy. The average person will have 12 jobs over their working lifetime. From changing jobs and industries to new career paths entirely, job seekers continue to look for work that gives them opportunities for growth and fulfillment.
Choosing the right career path is no longer a one-time decision made in your early twenties. Today’s smart professionals are assessing their careers on a regular basis and making changes as needed. While our jobs don’t define us, they take up a big part of our lives. Are you ready for a career change? We have some recommendations for you:
Explore your options
Most likely, your job consists of responsibilities that you love to do and those you would rather leave for someone else. Al though no job is perfect, consider how many tasks and responsibilities you don’t like – are they more than 10 per cent, 20 perhaps even more than 50 per cent? Only you know when it’s too much and no longer rewarding. Perhaps, your current role does not reflect your vales and the way you like to work. It is always a good idea to reflect on where you are now and where you want to be. Does your job provide you with opportunities to grow? Do your skills align with your chosen career and sector? Take time to also reflect on your strengths and weaknesses.
Consider internal mobility; there might be an opportunity for you to move around within your company. There are many advantages to a lateral move such as new responsibilities or skill development. You may find that you have gained enough transferrable skills to succeed in a different department.
If there aren’t many positions internally that can provide a new challenge for your career, maybe it is time to explore roles that match your interests and would be a better fit outside of your current organization.
Research jobs and companies that align with who you are and what you want to do
A career is a combination of jobs that will lead you to your desired end goal for professional growth. How do you know if a perspective company is a good fit with who you are? A company’s vision, mission and values are a great place to start. If you share the same values, it is worth do dive deeper and see if you could work there.
Another important part of a career planning is finding a sector that you are passionate about. Every day, we dedicate so may hours to our career, it is important to align it with something that lights a fire of passion within ourselves. Do you love what a perspective employer is doing? It might be worthwhile exploring further to get you closer to your career goals. When you find a purpose in your work, you will naturally be happier, engaged and give your all.
Make a plan to set up a realistic career goal
This step might be the hardest one as it requires you to identify gaps between where are you now and where you want to be. Understand what you need to do to get there and solve your own blind spots by gaining relevant skills via work and volunteering activities.
Sometimes we cannot predict the journey, and it’s never too late to question what you want to do in life. On average, employees change jobs every four years. If, during this time, you realized you have picked the wrong role or career, you should move on. Work towards setting up goals and see what knowledge you can take from each job that you hold to bring you closer to your goal. Aside from education, you should also build your network or find a mentor in the industry you want to be in.
Take action on advancing your career
The key is to get the first role that aligns with your career goals, then build your experience and grow your skills. Once you have been successful in a series of roles that are related, and you have built up enough skills, you are on a career path. There are many ways to push the needle forward when it comes to career development. You may choose to speak with a career counselor, job-shadow someone in the line of work you want to pursue, set up an informational interview, attend industry events or connect with recruiters and staffing firms. With time and patience, you will discover opportunities for growth.
Conclusion
With November being Career Month, why not assess your career path and see if it is still aligned with your goals and values. A meaningful career is an important part of a well lived life.
For more than 45 years, Agilus has served our candidate and employer networks, connecting great job seekers with meaningful employment. We place nearly 10,000 job seekers in roles every year in Engineering, Technology, Professional/Office and Light Industrial roles. We have 100 recruiters across Canada, who can help you find your next role or help you find that new career path. For more information about Agilus, please follow us on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or check out our current open roles.
