by Angela Copeland | Apr 20, 2021 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter
When you look at it, the numbers are staggering. Workers are looking to change jobs during or after the pandemic at a very high rate. A number of surveys have been conducted on the topic, and somewhere between thirty-five and sixty-five percent of all employees plan to find a new job soon.
One of the top reasons cited is corporate culture. The pandemic has drawn out for over a year. Not all companies have handled the situation well. Some have forced employees into endless meetings, or have been unforgiving with personal matters. The experience has been especially isolating for young employees who may be home alone, without an option to socialize with coworkers or even to go out with friends.
Many organizations have failed to recognize how tough working from home in this situation can be. Although, in fairness, those at the top are likely struggling with their own pandemic challenges. In the end, employees whose employers haven’t handled COVID well have had enough. They’re ready to move on.
In addition, many people have found added balance during this crazy time. They are reprioritizing what’s important to them. They are no longer interested in the corporate rat race or working themselves to the bone. These employees are not only looking to switch companies, they’re looking to switch careers completely. They want to do something different, and something that better suits their personal values and priorities.
Similarly, many workers have taken advantage of the work from home situation the pandemic has provided. They’ve left expensive cities and have moved closer to family. Many of those workers are not interested to return to the city or to the office anytime soon. They’re now looking for permanently remote jobs.
This change will present interesting opportunities for employees. The more people who change jobs, the more jobs will be available. And, all of this change may in fact give job seekers the upper hand. They may be considered for roles they were previously thought to be less than qualified for. And, employers will be forced to be more competitive with regards to benefits such as work from home.
Today, some candidates are interviewing all the way to the offer stage. Then, if the company is unwilling to allow them to work from home permanently, the candidate is walking away. This is something we never would have talked about two years ago, because the strategy would have had little chance of working. But, today, companies are being forced to rethink work from home in order to remain competitive.
What are you doing to prepare? This is an unprecedented time. With that, there may also be unprecedented opportunities. If you’ve thought of looking for a new job, it’s time to get your resume and LinkedIn profile in order. If you want to switch careers completely, take an inventory of your transferrable skills. Set up networking calls, and get yourself back out there.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in
iTunes or
Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Apr 14, 2021 | Age, Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter
The unfortunate truth of today’s job market is that applying for jobs is very competitive. Employers can be picky about who they hire and how much they want to pay. For many job seekers over fifty, the search process is a longer, harder road than they remember from years past.
This is especially true during the pandemic, when it has been harder to keep up things like hair color and regular gym work outs. Greys are showing through and age is becoming more obvious.
Some companies view an older employee as a risk. They can be more expensive, and less likely to stick around for the long term. An older applicant may be looked at as less flexible, and behind the times when it comes to technology.
Older workers want to switch jobs, but they feel trapped. They’re certain another company won’t take a risk to hire them.
If you’re facing this dilemma, start by taking a long look in the mirror. Think about what you can control at this stage of the pandemic, whether it’s home hair color, teeth whitening strips, or updated glasses. Evaluate your interview attire. If your clothes are outdated, consider purchasing something new. If you meet with the same company multiple times, change your shirt and tie or jewelry instead of buying an entirely new wardrobe. And, if you’re interviewing over Zoom, consider investing in a ring light. These can help with your appearance overall.
Next, evaluate your technology. If you’re outdated technology, it may be time to upgrade. Consider signing up for and participating in social media sites such as Facebook and LinkedIn. If you’re using an old email address (such as AOL or Comcast), it’s time to sign-up for a free Gmail account. If you’re not sure whether or not your email is outdated, think of how long you’ve had it and where it came from. If you’ve had it more than ten years, and it ends in your Internet service provider’s name, you could be at risk.
Last, spruce up your resume. Remove positions from the beginning of your career that are no longer relevant to what you do today. Do not include your high school, and keep any college related activities to a bare minimum. It’s no longer relevant that you were the president of the college chess team. You can even consider removing your college graduation year from your resume. It’s much harder to guess your age if you don’t provide the year you entered school.
The bad news is that with the pandemic, our normal upkeep has become a bit harder. The good news is that if you’re interviewing from home, you still have some control. Start with these simple tips, and you’ll quickly find that you shave years off your appearance and your resume. Although you can’t eliminate age discrimination altogether, you certainly can reduce the likelihood that it significantly impacts your search.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in
iTunes or
Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Apr 6, 2021 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter
How relieved are you that spring is here? After months of winter paired up with snow storms, and a long global pandemic, seeing flowers and clear skies brings much hope for the future. It’s finally warm enough to spend time outside. With the vaccine rollout, we are beginning to look toward the future. And, the job market seems to agree.
In March, the US unemployment rate dropped to six percent. There were 916,000 new jobs created. This is the fastest we have seen jobs added since last summer. Job growth was across the board, with a larger increase in leisure, hospitality, public and private education, and construction. This is good news.
Many people have been putting all of their energy into holding onto their current jobs through the pandemic. And, it makes sense. It has been hard to know which way things would go or how long it would take to get back to normal life. It has been unclear what work will even look like in the future. Will we continue to be remote? Will we go back to the office full time? Or, will it be some combination of the two?
If you’re like many people, you haven’t had the energy to job search. Just getting through each day has been a larger task than we’d like to admit. We’re worried about an array of new problems. Kids are doing school from home. We’re working from home. We’re either completely alone or with our entire family. And, medical risks seem to be around every corner – whether from the pandemic to mental health. It takes more effort than usual to keep moving ahead in a positive direction.
But, spring brings a new energy and an opportunity to take a deep breath. Companies are actively seeking out new candidates for interviews (even when they haven’t applied to jobs). Companies are adding new jobs and for some jobs, it appears there may be fewer people looking than jobs available. Companies are working around the pandemic, interviewing candidates via Zoom and Skype. They are moving ahead with a look to our more normal future.
What does this all mean for you? If you’ve been wondering when to look, this may be the time to get started. If you do, you’ll increase the chances that you beat other candidates who haven’t yet started to think about looking.
Search for the latest job postings. When you apply, there are a few things to keep in mind. First, companies don’t require you to meet every criteria in a job description. They’re looking for the best candidate, not the perfect candidate. Second, if you have a desk job, consider looking outside your local area. Even if a job isn’t listed as remote, the company may be open to remote work.
If you’ve been waiting for the right time to consider something new, the spring may give you just what you need.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in
iTunes or
Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Feb 2, 2021 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter
February is one of my favorite months. It’s a time when we focus on love and happiness. People are more kind to one another. We think about what is going well in our personal lives, and we dream of new beginnings.
February is also the perfect time to reflect back on your career. So often, when we think of finding a new job, we think of everything we hate about our current job. Whether it’s the boss, the politics, or the type of work you’re doing, it’s easy to think of things you don’t ever want to experience again.
But, it can also be helpful to think about the things you actually like. If you were to write the story of your career, what have been the highlights? What were your proudest moments? What did you like to do? And, who did you enjoy working with?
As we move into prime job searching season, think back about what you would like to experience a second time. What does your ideal job look like? Who would you want to work for? And, what would you want to do?
This year is the perfect time for career reinvention. Think about it. Many people have been working from home for almost one year. It’s been hard. But, there have been upsides. We’ve had smaller commutes. We have had more time with family. And, we’ve had more time to think. Times like these give you a chance to reflect on what’s important. It gives you a chance to think about what you love and what you loathe.
The other big plus is that many jobs are becoming remote. Companies are letting go of their offices. They’ve found that many employees really can work from home. That means that you may have more job options than in the past. You might be able to land a job in another state without ever visiting (or relocating).
This greater ability to apply to work from anywhere gives the job seeker more options. It may also open up entire industries that don’t exist where you live today.
If you could do anything, what would you chose? If you could move to your favorite city, would you? It’s time to put a little heart into your career. If you’re feeling burned out or are just ready for a change, this is the time to reflect.
While you’re going through this process, take the time to update your resume. If there’s something you love to do, be sure it’s listed. If there is something you really dislike, try to minimize it or remove it completely.
Your job takes up a huge part of your life. Just like the people in your life, you should (hopefully) like your job. And, if you don’t, this is the time to change that. It’s time to find a job that will love you as much as you love it.
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in
iTunes or
Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Dec 29, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, New Year, Newsletter
The New Year is finally here. We’ve been waiting for 2021 since Friday, March 13, 2020. That was the day that it became apparent that a pandemic was going to be a big part of 2020. Since then, we’ve felt that if we can just hang on until January, things will go back to normal.
Although I hope this is the case, we have to prepare ourselves to move forward either way. It will take time to vaccinate everyone. In the meantime, many companies have already announced that remote work will continue through the fall. This is a huge bummer for some people, and a relief for others.
Whatever your perception is of this possible outcome, it’s best to prepare for anything. And, whatever happens, your life and career must continue to move forward.
By now, working from home has started to be routine for most people. If possible, it may be time to look for ways to put in a little extra effort. I, for one, may look to upgrade from the hoodie and sweats that have become my uniform.
And, it’s also the time to begin to think about your normal career goals. Did you know that many of the educational conferences you once attended in person are now online – and they are less expensive? This opens up options in terms of continuing education. And, there’s a good chance your company budget for training won’t be tapped out.
If you’ve thought of looking for a new job, this is a great time to begin. Think of this way. Many companies are still hiring. But, they are now conducting interviews online. This means that you won’t have to fly around the company to interview. And, you won’t have to sneak out of work.
Plus, if you land an offer, your new company is more likely to offer you a permanently remote position than they were in the past. This year, I heard from job seekers who looked outside of their metro area. They applied to jobs that were in other cities and were not listed as remote. But, companies considered them anyway! And, they didn’t expect the new employees to move. That opens up a lot of options. If your city is slim on job choices, the option to apply in other cities could be an upside.
You may want to also brace yourself for a new possible reality. Even if everything goes back to normal, and even you decide to stay at your current company, you may remain remote. You heard that right. A surprising number of companies have gotten used to remote work. They’ve found that it’s better for their employees and cheaper for the company. Even after the pandemic is over, they will continue to allow employees to work from anywhere.
2021 brings with it many options, and many dreams for a brighter future. Hang in there. We’re in this together!
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in
iTunes or
Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
by Angela Copeland | Nov 24, 2020 | Career Corner Column, Job Search, Newsletter
This week, we will celebrate Thanksgiving. Normally, it’s an opportunity to gather together with loved ones, eat way too much good food, and watch a little football. It’s typically an opportunity to express gratitude for our good fortune. This year, it’s a little different. The pandemic and 2020 have created a challenging environment that leaves some wondering what we are thankful for, and others realizing just how lucky we are.
Whichever side you fall on this years, I encourage you to allow Thanksgiving to inspire your job search. Just because we are going through a difficult time does not mean there are not opportunities to be had. Find yours, and help those around you who are struggling to find theirs.
Be Grateful: Focus on the positive things about your current job. Perhaps you like your boss, your team, or that you’re able to work remotely. Even in negative situation, there are usually a few things to be thankful for. Move your attention to those items.
Reconnect: Thanksgiving is the kickoff to the holiday season. Take the opportunity to reconnect with friends, coworkers, and loved ones you haven’t seen in a while – by phone, email, or video. Not only is it good for your soul, it’s good for your network. When you’re looking for a job, it’s critical that you keep your network up to date.
Reflect: Holidays are a great time to think back about the past year, and to make plans for the future. What went well? What would you do differently? Write these things down, along with goals for next year. When would you like to find a new job? What are the attributes you’d prefer in your next job?
Help Others: Networking is a big part of finding a job. When we’re in the middle of our own search, we forget about those around us. Take the time to help those in your life who are also looking. In return, they will help you.
Relax: Looking for a job can be a long, and at times, stressful, process. Don’t forget to take a little time for yourself. It will help you to keep moving forward in your search when you return to work.
Give Thanks: Take the time to thank those in your life who help you every day. Whether it’s a friend, coworker, or supervisor, take the time to wish them a happy Thanksgiving — and thank them for the impact they make on your life. You might even consider giving thanks in the form of a written recommendation on LinkedIn.
Stay Positive: The holiday season can be a tough one if you’re looking for a job. It is a time of increased financial responsibilities and decreased opportunities. But, staying positive will help to draw good people to you. It will help to lay the foundation for your job search, so they will think of you when they’re hiring. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!
I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.
Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on
Apple Podcasts or
Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in
iTunes or
Stitcher.
Happy hunting!
Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach
When you look at it, the numbers are staggering. Workers are looking to change jobs during or after the pandemic at a very high rate. A number of surveys have been conducted on the topic, and somewhere between thirty-five and sixty-five percent of all employees plan to find a new job soon.
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