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Behavioral Health Sciences

How Life Experiences Can Shape a Career Shift

Post-bacc counseling and psychology professions graduate megan ro seeks to create social change.

For as long as Megan Ro can remember, she’d felt a strong connection to the arts: Her grandmother was a painter and florist, her grandfather was a photographer and her mom had worked in design. So it was natural for Megan to pursue a creative career as well.

“I didn’t want to be an artist, but I loved learning about art and using it as a lens through which to learn about different cultures,” Megan says.

“This was particularly important to me, as my art classes had long been a means for me to appreciate my Korean American heritage and cope with my experience as a minority growing up in a mostly white suburb [of Agoura Hills, Calif.].”

Understanding Culture and Herself Through Art

During her undergraduate years at UCLA , Megan had internships and gained work experience at a variety of museums and galleries, including bG Gallery in Santa Monica, The Museum of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles (MOCA), Grunwald Center Collection at Hammer Museum and Getty Research Institute .

But her proudest and most memorable undergrad experiences were part of the university’s Alternative Breaks , which creates service-learning programs for students during academic breaks and engages them in experiential learning and meaningful service for a variety of social issues.

“After attending twice as a participant—first to an animal sanctuary in Utah and then in my own city of Los Angeles—I challenged myself to lead my own trip to New Orleans,” she recalls. “I was responsible for organizing the trip’s partnerships with nonprofit organizations and nurturing my team’s dynamic from the ground-up.

“At the time, the thought of pursuing a career in counseling and psychology had not at all crossed my mind. But looking back, I can see just how formative these experiences would become in shaping my future career shift; they showed me just how much I valued being able to connect deeply with others and create social change.”

After graduating in 2014 and given her background in art history, Megan says it felt like a no-brainer to pursue a career in museums. “I wanted my career to be rooted in my values, and through museum work I could support the arts in a nonprofit space that served the public.

“I loved the idea of my work contributing to the public’s knowledge and appreciation of cultures and histories other than their own.”

Megan’s kinship to the arts, while significant for learning about different cultures and peoples, was not a purposeful career goal for her. She discovered she would rather form deeper connections and interactions with people.

“Not long after I graduated from UCLA, I reluctantly began to see a therapist for the first time,” Megan divulges. “This was not an easy decision for me, having grown up with a stigma against mental health treatment my whole life, especially as an Asian American.

“In addition to addressing recent depression and lifelong anxiety, my sessions helped me acknowledge that while I felt deeply connected to the arts, the work I was doing was not meaningful enough to me. I wanted to create tangible social change. Meanwhile, my employer at the time—a leader in the museum field—was failing to address their own long-standing issues with diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion. Much to my surprise, I realized that my values could be better fulfilled by doing exactly what my therapist was doing for me.”

Beginning to Explore a Career in Counseling

Megan found and registered in our Post-Baccalaureate Program for Counseling and Psychology Professions to further consider this career pivot. Not long after she started, the COVID-19 pandemic hit and lockdowns began.

“The pandemic landed in the U.S., increasing the need for mental health services now and certainly in the years to come,” Megan says.

“This was the final push I needed: I left my job to focus on my studies and pursue new volunteer experiences . This was a big risk for me, especially as someone who defaults to being very risk-averse, but my leap of faith paid off.”

For many, just the thought of changing their career path can be both scary—no matter which stage in their career they might be.

“Even though I was relatively early in my career, the thought of changing my path to become a mental health professional seemed incredibly daunting,” admits Megan. “After being so focused on a career in the arts, pivoting to mental health essentially felt like I was starting over.

“I knew that I needed to take a psychology course to explore more of what a career in counseling and psychology could be, and also get a better sense of whether it was really right for me as I hadn’t taken any psychology-related courses previously.

“In searching for online classes that I could take, I happened to come across UC Berkeley Extension’s post-bacc counseling and psychology professions program . It really felt like the perfect program for my needs, particularly since it is geared toward career changers like myself.”

The extra guidance on career direction and the application process was a benefit that Megan appreciated. “In addition to the required psychology coursework, the program also offered seminars to learn more about possible career paths and to support me through the graduate application process —valuable guidance that I wouldn’t be able to find elsewhere.”

What other things did she find beneficial?

Remote format : “As I was based in Los Angeles during my enrollment in the program, I took all of my classes online, some self-paced and some on a fixed schedule.”

Flexibility in scheduling: “I appreciated the flexibility that the self-paced classes allowed me, as I was able to focus on business trips and prioritize my personal life as needed.

“At the same time, the fixed-schedule classes helped me stay on track with the program, pushing me to complete it within a year and a half.”

Engaging interactions: “I was initially hesitant to take online classes as I was unsure of the quality of engagement they would allow with both fellow students and the instructors. I was pleasantly surprised, as many of the classes involved weekly discussion posts where I was able to learn from my peers. The instructors were all very knowledgeable about their specialties, and I was impressed by the quality of feedback that they gave on graded assignments.”

Delving Into the Curriculum

Our instructors and courses allowed Megan to fully explore which career track she wanted to pursue. “The courses exposed me to a wide range of psychologies—I had no idea that there were so many different approaches to study personality psychology and abnormal psychology , and I quickly found myself very excited by the material as well as my potential for a career founded on this knowledge,” she says.

Courses required for the program:

Counseling and Psychotherapy as a Career Option

Introduction to Developmental Psychology

Psychology of Personality

Research Methods in Psychology

Abnormal Psychology , and

Seminar on the Graduate Application Process .

Megan’s favorite courses were the seminars led by Dr. Richard Chiovarelli and the developmental psychology course taught by Dr. Richard Sprott .

“I particularly enjoyed Dr. Chiovarelli’s first seminar , which provided me with invaluable insights into a future career in counseling and psychology. It illuminated and differentiated the many different degrees and licensures that I could pursue within the field. Current professionals spoke on their diverse experiences and reasons behind their licensure of choice, both methodological and practical,” she remembers.

“That seminar ultimately helped me choose to pursue a Master in Social Work (M.S.W.), as opposed to a Master in Marriage and Family Therapy (M.F.T.) or Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.). I felt most connected to the M.S.W. degree’s contextual, holistic approach to treatment and clients, and I appreciated the diversity of work that I could choose from with this degree. In addition, an M.S.W. would allow me to work toward becoming a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW), which—unlike some of the other licenses—is currently recognized across all states, giving me the flexibility to relocate in the future,” Megan adds.

This is to say nothing of Dr. Chiovarelli’s seminar on applying to graduate programs during the application process. “He gave many helpful tips to consider, from what to look for in a school (i.e., accreditation) and how to develop a personal statement, to the art of asking for (and, more importantly, securing on time!) letters of recommendation, as well as who best to ask. I felt well-equipped going into an otherwise very stressful season of applications.

“Had I had more time and resources, I would have loved to have taken more courses, such as Positive Psychology and Adolescent Psychology, but I’m grateful to know I’ll have the chance to explore these topics in my graduate program,” she adds.

Where Megan Is Now

Because Megan and her fiancé had planned to eventually relocate to his hometown of Chicago, all of the schools she applied to were either in the Chicago area or within Illinois, where there are a number of excellent programs for the counseling and psychology field. Megan applied to five schools, was accepted to three of them and waitlisted for another. One of those three: The University of Chicago’s Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice .

“Crown Family School of Social Work, Policy and Practice was my top choice,” Megan says proudly. “I was drawn to its wealth of research opportunities and emphasis on experiential learning through two year-long field placements.

“I am interested in learning both about the specific challenges faced by older adults and their families and the richly diverse experiences of Asian Americans in relation to mental health. The unmatched flexibility and wide variety of curricula offered through Crown will allow me to explore both of these equally and in depth.”

With these interests in mind, Megan already has an idea of how she wants to use her new knowledge, skills and experiences in order to connect with others and create social change.

“After obtaining my master’s degree, I aim to work at a community clinic in the Chicago area and treat individuals of all ages who are facing an array of life challenges and disorders,” she says. “I am especially interested in serving older adults; my grandmother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s more than 10 years ago, and without her social worker’s guidance, she would not have been able to age in place for as long as she did.

“Motivated by my own journey with mental health, I also hope to serve Asian American communities and increase their understanding of mental health and utilization of services. After I gain licensure and supervisory experience, I hope to advance to a directorial role within a clinic in order to shape future clinicians, treatments and policy. I know my privilege in being able to afford therapy, and I hope to make treatments more affordable and accessible.”

Megan understands the risks she took for herself—therapy and career change—so what advice does she have for other possibly risk-averse counseling and psychology students?

She answers:

“Take your time, keep your interests open and reassure yourself that the risk you are taking is worthwhile! It took me years to get to the point of seriously considering a career change. There were many, many times where it would have been easier to just give up and settle for the career I was already in, or just any job that I could find with my existing education and work experience. But the sense of fulfillment that I have already begun to feel tells me all the essays, late nights and uncomfortable self-reflection (a special thanks to my therapist who I’m still seeing nearly five years later!) have already paid off.”

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‘A career change saved my life’: the people who built better lives after burnout

Chronic stress at work can lead to listlessness, fatigue – and a much higher risk of stroke and heart disease. But there are ways to save yourself before it’s too late

S pencer Carter had been signed off work for three months with stress. Before that time was up, his employers “encouraged” him back early, then doubled the size of the team he managed – and his responsibility. “In the last couple of years, everything got worse,” he says, with a degree of understatement. In fact, his GP warned him the stress was going to kill him, thanks to his astronomically high blood pressure. He took, he says, “voluntary redundancy to save my life”.

Although he had tried counselling in the run-up to his redundancy, it hadn’t helped with his overly demanding working environment as a business operations manager for a global company – endless data and spreadsheets, running teams across different time zones, and being responsible for huge budgets in a highly competitive culture.

“I was drinking heavily,” he says. “I could feel my relationship falling apart. My behaviour became erratic. And you can’t turn off. You take a holiday, but you don’t switch off.”

Carter agonised over abandoning a well-paid career he had spent decades building, but in the end he thought, “What am I doing to myself?”

A recent study by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization found that working at least 55 hours a week was causing hundreds of thousands of premature deaths and was linked to a higher risk of stroke and heart disease. Long hours were described as “a serious health hazard”.

Burnout is the name given to the host of symptoms caused by an overwhelming, stressful environment – including fatigue, muscle aches, headaches and stomach issues, as well as psychological effects such as listlessness and loss of motivation. Numerous surveys have found burnout has increased among workers in the past year, as work-life boundaries have become blurred by people working from home and anxiety over job security has increased. And, for those in jobs directly dealing with the Covid crisis, exhaustion has long since set in.

“ Burnout is the cumulative result of unresolved and chronic stress,” says the clinical psychologist Dr Roberta Babb. Generally, there are three main types, she says. You can be burned out by being overworked and overloaded (“frenetic” burnout), but also by its opposite, “boreout”, where you may feel “consistently underchallenged or underworked”. “It may seem counterintuitive but we need a certain amount of stimulation in our daily work and lives in order to perform and feel satisfied,” says Babb.

And then there is “worn-out burnout” – just being ground down: “People have low amounts of energy, and feel exhausted on an emotional, physical and social level.”

Although many people, with supportive employers, can return to their job after burnout, for Carter, this was no longer an option. He was lucky to have a good redundancy package and he turned to his passion (and degree subject), archaeology. He went from a job earning £100,000 to a sector where salaries begin at £19,000, but he loved it. “I got excited again about something that’s a little bit academic, brain-challenging – it took me out of the house. It was frightening, exciting, enjoyable. There was a shift into feeling self-empowered.”

That was in 2011, but his recovery has not been straightforward. In 2017, he had what he describes as “the second round of burnout, what I would call PTSD. Everything hits you, no matter how happy you have been for a couple of years.”

Still, Carter has become a specialist in his field, published papers and successfully changed career, although the pandemic has affected his job and health. “Sometimes,” he says, “I think [changing career] actually saved my life.”

An emotionally rewarding job you love is also not necessarily a shield against burning out, as Tara Lewis discovered after working as a paramedic for 16 years, before leaving in 2015.

A year earlier, Lewis was signed off work for six months. She adored being a paramedic. “You go into it with that whole thing of, ‘I want to do the trauma, the proper emergencies, and make a difference.’”

But over the years, it was becoming too difficult. The number of callouts soared and increasingly they were to deal with social issues, rather than medical emergencies – such as people who were having difficulty accessing healthcare, and were using 999 to get help.

She thinks it took her “a good three years to really feel properly well again” with the help of counselling and antidepressants, although in the first couple of months after leaving her job there was “a massive improvement”.

While she was off work, Lewis decided to start training as a beauty therapist and the next year, when she was offered a job in a salon, she resigned from the NHS.

“It was still working with people, although it’s completely different. I really enjoyed it. It gave me a different focus. I was self-employed, so I could have control over it, which helped. I worked with a lovely bunch of people and had a good laugh. I just found my sense of humour again, and had the time to be able to enjoy life, spend time with my kids, with my husband.”

Burnout, says Mel MacIntyre, a business coach, can make people “call everything into question”. This was her own experience.

“My life looked perfect on the outside,” she says, but her corporate job was taking an excessive toll. It came to a head on the day she took her father to hospital for a big operation, then went into work where she had to make several people redundant. “I woke up one day, and there was nothing left to draw on.”

She had depression, anxiety and irritable bowel syndrome, was being investigated for a possible stomach ulcer and was using alcohol to cope. Her GP said it was pointless just signing her off for a couple of weeks, and advised her to make a serious change.

So, in her mid-30s, MacIntyre quit her job, spent a year travelling and tried “to learn how to relax. I realised I couldn’t keep living my life the way I had been.” She trained as a business coach and set up her own company to help others to avoid burnout. Then she moved from Edinburgh to the Outer Hebrides, started a family and now lives on a tiny, remote island. “It’s so beautiful. It’s got 140 people, lots of wild horses and sheep. There are eagles that live at the back of my house.”

Among her clients, burnout is common. “We’re at a tipping point, I think, where the old world is not fit for purpose any more,” she says. “There’s this narrative in society which is that in order to be successful, you’ve got to sacrifice your health or your relationships, or things that are important to you. You’ve got to hustle. And I really don’t agree with that.”

Others, too, have seen the light. Mays Al-Ali has gone from a successful job in advertising to living in Ibiza and working as a yoga teacher and nutritionist. She had burned out twice – the first time 10 years ago; her hair began falling out and she was suffering from fatigue as well as gut and skin issues. In 2019, she decided to quit completely and start a master’s degree in nutrition.

“It was hard to let go of the security of a career – it becomes part of your identity,” Al-Ali says. “I’m a lot poorer, but happier. A big part of my life now, that was hugely missing in advertising, is helping people. It’s so much more rewarding.” Although it was a little daunting to make the change, she says it never felt frightening. “It was more like saving myself.”

As an executive director at an investment bank, Shivraj Bassi was working such long hours that he was experiencing mood swings, sleep issues, skin problems and weight loss. “Each week, this feeling of dread would manifest itself consistently around 3pm on a Sunday.”

Leaving a successful career seemed like a difficult decision, although he says now “staying and continuing to suffer is also a decision”. He resigned in 2011, but took at least a couple of years to feel better. “It takes a long time, and I didn’t realise that. I think if I had left sooner, maybe that recovery period would have been shorter.” Since then, he has created a wellbeing and nutrition brand, Innermost . It has been daunting but “it’s a healthier kind of fear, it’s not dread. I feel much happier now.”

Roles based on nurturing others: carers, nurses and teachers, all have high risks of burnout. Overwork among doctors has increased since the pandemic. A British Medical Association survey found that more than a third of GPs who responded were considering taking early retirement in the coming year, and a fifth were planning to leave the NHS or take a career break.

Until the end of 2019, Scott Robinson worked for the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman, dealing with complaints about the NHS in England. It was emotional work – he was dealing with people whose lives had been affected by what they believed were failures of care. “Different people [at work] manage it in different ways,” he says. “Some become really aloof and detached.” He was the opposite.

“I would get outraged on behalf of people,” Robinson says. He would worry about them outside of working hours. “You think: ‘Am I actually helping them?’” He had noticed he wasn’t able to manage his stress in the ways he used to, and was becoming much less social. “I didn’t want to deal with people, because I’d been basically dealing with people all day.”

Eventually he left, and decided to train as a massage therapist. “It felt like a good idea to do something that would be focused on people’s wellbeing, and help them relax or heal and those sorts of things. Fortunately, my partner was able to support me in that shift. I was lucky – I wouldn’t have been able to do it the same way had I not had that support, and that’s not the case for everybody.”

One of the characteristics of burnout, says Babb, “is the gradual onset. This, coupled with our ability to either ignore symptoms of stress, or quickly habituate to increasingly high levels of stress, means it can be difficult to identify and address the symptoms.”

For Melike Hussein, burnout was “a slow-burning process”. As an accountant and finance director for an international company, she loved her job. “This is the strange thing. I had a massive aptitude for it – I was the person that got the toughest jobs because I had this mental resilience to deal with it.” One morning, however, when she thought about the prospect of going into the office, “I started to lose control of my body. I started to shake, couldn’t move, couldn’t speak, I was temporarily paralysed.”

Looking back, she could see how stress had accumulated during her 15 years in finance. “I lived with insomnia, I had panic attacks, chest pains, muscular pains. It was highly competitive, working in a tough environment but I never really had the tools to stop stress becoming chronic.” She experienced “brain fog”, and tasks that she had once done in 10 minutes ended up taking hours, “which added to my workload”.

Hussein was signed off from work, and, although she was recommended antidepressants and therapy, found that what really helped her was breathwork – breathing exercises that it is claimed can transform mental and physical health.

She ended up leaving her job in 2016 and retraining as a breathwork and meditation teacher to help others. “Within six months, I had almost none of the previous issues that I had dealt with.”

The good news, says Babb, is that there are “effective ways to manage and reduce the impact of burnout. They focus on developing your stress awareness, and resilience and coping strategies.”

Techniques include mindfulness, self-compassion and setting boundaries (the usual things of exercise, good diet, rest and sleep are all crucial). At work, she advises regular breaks, delegating tasks and reviewing your workload and responsibilities with a manager. And your GP can help. Leaving your job isn’t necessarily an immediate cure, she says. “We tend to underestimate the time it takes to recover. As soon as we start to feel better, we often return to the same environment and use the same coping strategies that triggered the burnout.” And so the cycle starts again.

If you make enough changes, however, you can transform your life for the better. When the coronavirus hit, Lewis decided to use her paramedic training to help out and went on the temporary register for healthcare professionals who had recently left. When a paramedic position came up in a minor injuries unit last summer, she took it. It’s a different type of job – although she is now on the way to becoming a paramedic practitioner, with additional medical training – but it has all the features of the ambulance service she initially loved.

“I don’t know who’s going to walk through the door, I don’t know what they’re going to have wrong with them. But it’s less stressful, it’s a lovely place to work and I’m able to get my teeth stuck in and learn new stuff, which I was missing,” she says.

Lewis is proof that there is life after burnout – perhaps even when returning to a similar job (with critical adjustments). “So far,” she says, “it’s all been really good.”

• Health & wellbeing
• Work & careers
• Mental health
• Changing jobs

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Your 9 Step Guide to a Successful Career Switch

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Key takeaways.

• People change jobs to achieve better work-life balance, attain higher pay, follow a more meaningful career path, and more.
• Preparing for a career change makes the process easier and gives career changers more confidence.
• Regardless of age, it’s possible to change careers and boost job satisfaction.

Gone are the days of settling into a “career for life.” Instead, globalization, technology, and the rapidly changing market have allowed professionals of all ages to shift their career paths and transition from one field to another, and explore their multiple talents. 

Did you know that approximately one-third of your life is spent at work? With this in mind, it’s only natural that your ambitions will change during this time. Sometimes, a career change is motivated by the desire for personal fulfillment, financial stability, job security, or the aspiration for a new challenge.

There are a few key details to consider when making a smart career change. For example, frequent job hopping can send a negative message to recruiters. In other instances, opportunities and resources may be scarce. 

We’ve put together some tips, tricks, and practical advice on making a career switch like a pro and maximizing your potential.

3 reasons why people switch careers

Career changes have become increasingly common as people seek to find more fulfilling and satisfying careers that align with their values, interests, and passions. A recent survey suggests three common reasons for people changing their career path.

Better work-life balance

An overwhelming 56% of survey respondents choose to change careers (and industries) to improve their work-life balance. In today's fast-paced world, achieving a healthy work-life balance has become increasingly important. Many people find that their current career is taking a toll on their personal life, causing stress, burnout, and other negative effects. 

An unbalanced life has led to a growing trend of individuals switching careers to find a better work-life balance. By pursuing careers that offer flexible hours, remote work options , and a more relaxed pace, people are finding that they can prioritize their personal life without sacrificing their career goals.

Better salaries and improved benefits account for 50% of the respondents' desire to change careers. Money is a significant factor in many people's career decisions, and it's no secret that some careers are more lucrative than others, and professionals choose to switch careers to pursue higher-paying opportunities. 

Whether it's to pay off debt, save for retirement, or achieve financial stability, a career change can offer the chance for a significant increase in income. For some, this means pursuing a career in a high-demand industry or acquiring new skills that can increase their salary. Others may choose to switch to a career that offers commission-based pay, bonuses, or other financial incentives.

More meaningful and ambitious career

The desire to work in a fulfilling position is one of the top reasons for making a career move, with 49% of respondents admitting to changing careers for something more meaningful. Many people seek a sense of purpose and fulfillment in their careers beyond earning a paycheck. 

These professionals make a career change to work in a field that aligns with their values, passions, and personal goals, pushing their capabilities to the maximum. Whether pursuing a career in healthcare, education, or the nonprofit sector, a meaningful career can offer a sense of satisfaction and purpose that is difficult to find elsewhere.

Accenture North America CEO Julie Sweet echoes these sentiments, saying, "It's about not wanting to be complacent and wanting to continue to be challenged and learn. It's this idea that if you can see your future, then you probably are not challenging yourself enough."

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Things to do before you quit your current job

Another top piece of advice comes from career coach and ex-Googler Jenny Blake , advising professionals to “pivot careers cautiously.” Make sure that you wrap up your current career on a positive note and take the necessary steps to upskill for future opportunities. 

Consider the following steps to take before you change careers. 

• Make an informed decision by reflecting on why you want to leave
• Evaluate your finances and have a clear understanding of how quitting your job will affect your budget and financial standing
• Explore career options that align with your interests and skills
• Network and build connections in the new industry or desired field
• Update and prepare your resume and cover letter
• Create a transition plan to ensure a smooth handover for your team
• Identify your transferable skills (and your skills gap)
• Hire a career coach or career counselor to offer personalized career advice and expertise on job search strategies, career planning, and professional development

Steps to make a successful career transition

Making a successful career transition can be a daunting task, but with the right mindset and approach, it can lead to a more fulfilling and rewarding career. The following steps make it easier to switch careers. 

Clarify your goals, values, and interests

Before you change careers, you must identify your motivations and what you want to achieve. Take the time for self-reflection and honest evaluation of your skills, interests, and values, and develop a clear direction for your career. By staying true to your values and interests, you can find greater satisfaction and success in your professional life and positively impact the world around you.

Update your resume and LinkedIn profile

Potential employers will undoubtedly see your resume (and LinkedIn profile ) once you are on their radar. As a first impression, they need to highlight your relevant skills, experiences, and achievements in the field that you are pursuing. Tailor your resume and LinkedIn profile to showcase your transferable skills, relevant work experience, and education (or certificates) that support your new career path.

Camila Sanchez , Talent Acquisition Specialist , Deel

Prepare for interviews

Research the company and role you're applying for, understand the industry and market trends, and prepare thoughtful responses to common job interview questions. Make sure you can articulate how your skills and experience transfer to the new field you're pursuing.

Conduct extensive research in your desired field

Research involves understanding the industry trends, job market demand, and the skills and experience required for the roles you're pursuing. By conducting thorough research, you can better understand the expectations and requirements of your desired role and develop a plan to acquire the necessary skills and experience. The process will also help you identify potential employers and networking opportunities.

Network and connect with other professionals

By building relationships with individuals in your desired field, you can gain insights into the industry and the job market and learn about potential job opportunities. Networking can also help you build a strong professional reputation, develop new skills, and access valuable resources and mentorship opportunities. Consider attending industry events, reaching out to professional contacts, and participating in online communities,

Find opportunities to gain experience

Identify ways to gain hands-on experience in your desired field, such as internships, volunteer work, or part-time jobs. Engaging in freelance work is also a great way to get valuable experience, develop new skills, and build a strong professional network. Gaining experience can help you develop the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in your new career path and demonstrate your commitment and passion to potential employers. 

Prepare for challenges

It's important to understand that transitioning to a new career can be challenging, and it may take time and effort to achieve your goals. Be prepared to face rejection, setbacks, and uncertainty, and be resilient to overcome these challenges. It also means being open to learning new skills, seeking guidance and mentorship, and being adaptable to change.

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Create a personal brand online.

Establish a strong online presence that showcases your skills, experience, and unique qualities to potential employers and industry professionals. Consider platforms such as LinkedIn, personal websites, and social media channels. A personal online brand with your achievements, expertise, and career aspirations can help you stand out from other job seekers.

Work on building new skills

Whether you plan on making a vertical or lateral career transition , there may be gaps in your skill set that you need to fill. Identify the skills and knowledge required for your desired career path and develop a plan to acquire them. Consider taking online courses, attending workshops, volunteering, or seeking mentorship opportunities. Stay open to learning and constantly build new skills that keep you updated in your desired industry.

What switching careers looks like at different age

Switching careers can look different at different ages, as individuals face unique challenges and opportunities based on their life experiences, skills, and goals.

Individuals in their 20s may have the flexibility and energy to explore different career paths and take risks. They may be more open to pursuing education or training to acquire new skills and experience and may be more willing to work long hours or take on entry-level positions to gain experience.

By their 30s, individuals may have more responsibilities, such as starting a family or paying off student loans, which can affect their career decisions. They may have more experience in their current field and be looking to transition into a related career path that offers more growth opportunities . They may also be interested in pursuing education or training to acquire new skills to advance their career.

Individuals in their 40s may seek a career change for greater fulfillment or work-life balance. They may have more years of experience in their current field and be looking to transition into a leadership or management position. They may also consider entrepreneurship or consulting to leverage their skills and experience.

Consider Jo Tutchener-Sharp , the fashion brand founder of Scamp & Dude. Jo suffered a brain hemorrhage and vowed to live life fully. After recovering from surgery, Jo decided to launch a purpose-led fashion brand.

She shares, "I completely changed my career when I was 40. I had spent 19 years working in PR before starting Scamp & Dude. Facing death gave me a new fire in my belly and the confidence to try something new." Jo has found the transition incredibly rewarding and plans to grow her business further.

Individuals in their 50s may consider retirement and transition into a new career that aligns with their passions and interests. They may be considering a career that offers more flexibility and allows them to pursue hobbies or travel. They may also be interested in mentoring or coaching to share their expertise with others.

A calculated approach to changing careers

Ultimately, switching careers at any age requires careful consideration, planning, and a willingness to adapt and learn new skills. With the right mindset and approach, individuals of any age can successfully make a career transition and achieve greater fulfillment and success in their professional lives.

People switch careers for different reasons, and a new job has the power to reinvent your life. Whether you want to focus on career development, change fields entirely, or move from full-time to part-time, an action plan can help you get there!

Visit our Get Hired Hub to access the best resources, checklists, and templates to help you optimize your entire (remote) career path from job hunting to getting promoted.

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Career Essay

How do you see yourself 5 or 10 years from now? That question kicks start your imagination and make you visualize yourself in your future career. Maybe you are thinking about it now, but you are likely confused about expressing it in words. Unlike other essay writing , writing your career essay is exciting because you are writing about yourself, your plans, passion, and aspiration. Learn how to make your career essay impressive by reading this article.

10+ Career Essay Examples

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What Is a Career Essay?

A career essay is a text people write to detail their goals or plans for the future. In this essay, people talk about the career they want in the future and the things they have achieved so far. People often ask you to write a career essay when you send an application letter for a scholarship or submit your resume for a job.

How To Write a Rousing Career Essay

You should write your career essay seriously because it might be a deciding factor for your future. That said, in writing your essay, there are a lot of things to consider and a process you need to follow. Your end goal in writing your essay is to convince people that you are determined to walk the talk and make the things you wrote in your descriptive essay to reality.

1. Devise an Engrossing Title

The first thing to think about when writing an essay is coming up with an attention-grabbing title. When people read your essay, they pay the most attention to your title. Also, another benefit of coming up with your title first is that it will serve as a guide for you for the whole essay. 

2. Introduce With a Hook

After devising a title, deliver the next blow with an introduction that piques their curiosity. To do that, begin your essay with a hook. Your hook can be a quote, a question, or you can even provide a statistic. If your introduction is good enough, it will secure the engagement of your readers.

3. Organize Your Ideas

Writing an essay is like taking your readers for a ride. You need to set the vibe and organize the flow of your thoughts. Don’t start too strong it might make the rest of your essay bland. You need to properly build up the development of excitement and make sure the order of your ideas makes sense. 

4. Polish Your Essay

Finalize your essay by proofreading it. When people talk about their passion, they tend to talk too much and include several unnecessary things. Make sure not to do that. Omit all the details that don’t contribute to the overall impact of your reflective essay. Also, don’t forget to review your text for grammatical errors. 

Why is career planning important?

People hustle every day to reach their dream careers. Having a target career gives you a direction and sets your path. Planning your career is essential because being indecisive about it might negatively impact your life. Not having a fixed goal is like not having an end destination. Preparing for it would also make your career action plan achievable.

What is a career genogram?

A career genogram traces back an individual’s family tree and examines the career timeline they pursued. The scope of this genogram reaches the grandparents, extended family, and even the person’s close friends. This graphic representation is helpful when a person has a hard time deciding about his or her career development plan .

What is career assessment?

Career assessment is the process of identifying what career would work best for you. Most assessments are in the form of a questionnaire . It includes questions about your interests, your skills, your hobbies, and your strengths. These are some examples of questions that would help assess your future career. The result of your career assessment might give you ideas on what path to take.

The moment people read your career essay, they often rate how likely you are to succeed. Show them a piece of your mind that would erase all their doubts about your success. They say manifesting works wonders, so manifest the future that you want best by composing a rousing career essay. 

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Write a career essay on the benefits and challenges of a career in medicine.

Discuss in a career essay the skills needed for success in the digital marketing field.

REVIEW article

Making the difficult career transition: writing the next chapter during the great resignation or in the future.

• Department of Organizational and Leadership Psychology, William James College, Newton, MA, United States

During the midst of the Great Resignation, over 4.5 million people have changed jobs. While a job change does not register as one of the top three drivers of stress, career transition-related stress does present itself as one of the top 25 causes. This stress can be reduced through social support models, career transition planning, and personal brand strategy frameworks. These adaptive change models become part of a continuous learning and growth process. This literature review aims to contribute to the industry and define career transition through a more holistic personal brand strategy utilizing a wide range of disciplines considering the challenges and opportunities presented during the Great Resignation.

Introduction – The impetus for career change

During the first wave of COVID-19, in early 2020, the Bureau of Labor Statistics stated that most employees stayed in their jobs due to (quarantine) lockdowns and the uncertainty of impending layoffs ( Serenko, 2022 ). This behavior began to radically shift in 2021 as the economic recovery started, businesses began reopening and increasing their capacity, and new skilled and knowledge jobs appeared at an unprecedented rate. According to The Work Trend Index (2021) , 46% of the career transitioning population decided to make changes to jobs outside of their industry or field ( Serenko, 2022 ). Starting with what would be coined the Great Resignation, 4.5 million people per month or nearly 3% of the workforce voluntarily resigned from their job and/or company in the hopes of finding a different role or changing their career path completely ( Davidson, 2022 ).

Career is defined as a set of events or experiences occurring over a person’s work life ( Rensburg and Ukpere, 2014 ). In 2021, employers began posting nearly 10.6 million jobs in an average month creating a worldwide shortage for talent ( Davidson, 2022 ). The Great Resignation was coined by Dr. Anthony Klotz of Texas A&M (at the time) as the mass exodus of employees leaving their jobs in search of new opportunities ( Serenko, 2022 ). The Great Resignation in its own way is an impetus to an organizing principle which explains a carefully choreographed phenomenon or ‘perfect storm’ that created an extensive labor shortage and introduced significant implications for how organizations serviced their customers, especially those in knowledge intensive, service, healthcare, and manufacturing industries where attrition rates were at an all-time high (see Figure 1 ) and surged anywhere from 2 to 40% ( Serenko, 2022 ; The Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022 ). The Great Resignation also accelerated this transition to a knowledge economy, or a consumption system that is based on intellectual capital ( Serenko, 2022 ). This shift required potential job candidates to rebrand themselves in advance of making their desired career transition ( Gorbatov et al., 2018 , 2019 ). Although the Parker and Menasce Horowitz (2022) initially identified low pay as the main driver and dissatisfaction in the workplace environment, the stress of the COVID-19 pandemic created a space for employees to step back and reevaluate their purpose and accomplishments, their work environment, and their career path ( Serenko, 2022 ).

Figure 1 . Economywide and manufacturing quit rates. Represents the highest voluntary separation rate (quits) in 2021. In November 2021, quits increased in several industries, with the largest increases in accommodation and food services; health care and social assistance; and transportation, warehousing, and utilities ( The Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2022 ).

These new opportunities did lead to increased pay ( Serenko, 2022 ), the ability to step out of the workforce altogether whether the individual intended to return at some point or retire, an attempt to ‘reduce’ personal stress ( Sullivan and Al Ariss, 2019 ; Parker and Menasce Horowitz, 2022 ), create a mechanism to leave behind toxic or dysfunctional work cultures ( Sull et al., 2022 ), and in many instances, pursue and transition into different types of jobs and careers ( Business Information Review, 2022 ; Serenko, 2022 ). Regardless of the rationale behind the choice to leave or transition, there was hope of finding renewed purpose ( George and Sims, 2007 ) that better aligned with one’s values. This required that job seekers ‘reinvent’ themselves and reevaluate their personal brand ( Gorbatov et al., 2018 ; Sull et al., 2022 ). This transition resulted in job candidates crossing “the boundaries of occupations, industries, organizations, functional areas, countries, and labor markets” ( Sullivan and Al Ariss, 2021 , p. 1).

Making career transitions

Career transition is defined as the period during which an individual shifts to a different work setting or role ( Greer and Kirk, 2022 ). Additionally, Sullivan and Ariss (2018) explain that this period of transition is where an individual is either changing roles, taking on a different objective, or realigning to a different space ( Sullivan and Ariss, 2018 ). Transition traverses across different types of boundaries regardless of how major or minor it can be for the individual ( Rensburg and Ukpere, 2014 ; Masdonati et al., 2022 ). These boundaries or experiences can include a change of job, company, industry, or even stepping out of the workforce altogether. Rensburg and Ukpere (2014) describe these transitions as either inter-role (i.e., between new and different roles) or intra-role (i.e., which introduces change over time). For the purposes of this literature evaluation, the authors focused on both inter- and intra-role changes that include career transitions to different types of roles and industries.

Masdonati et al. (2022) state that people tend to go through several career transitions throughout their lives due to life changes, loss of job, change of interests, health- and family-related issues, or through the acquisition of new skills ( Dawson et al., 2021 ). This was also personified by the added pressures of the COVID-19 pandemic. This type of change comes with stress, anxiety, uncertainty, regret, self-esteem-related issues, and what can feel like extenuating waiting periods ( Veisani et al., 2021 ). This type of transition, however, can also restoratively be coupled with hope, excitement, renewed energy, and even happiness as it relates to accomplishments and success ( Walsh et al., 2018 ; Öztemel and Yıldız-Akyol, 2021 ). Boehm and Lyubomirsky posit that there is a direct correlation between happiness and career success ( Walsh et al., 2018 ). They describe such examples as happier people receiving higher ratings and compensation due to stronger performance ( Walsh et al., 2018 ).

Career transition is more than just changing jobs, vertically integrating into the same industry, or even moving to a different organization that performs similar activities. It includes moving to a new industry altogether or shifting career paths ( Rensburg and Ukpere, 2014 ; Sullivan and Ariss, 2018 ). It can also include redefining through a new brand, skills, or education, becoming self-employed, or taking on a role that, on the surface, may not look like a natural career progression ( Gorbatov et al., 2019 ). In addition, the initial trigger for career transition may not always be welcomed or planned. This change can be a result of a job elimination, forced role change due to reorganization, or a move to avoid becoming obsolete ( Masdonati et al., 2022 ).

While a job change does not rise among the top three primary drivers of stress, job change-related stress does present itself as one of the top 25 causes ( Davidson, 2022 ). Stress is the body’s response to any demands, changes, or threats ( Veisani et al., 2021 ). Although the cause of stress and stressors may be similar across individuals, individuals may perceive or react to the stress differently based on their personality traits, anxiety levels, and levels of self-esteem ( Veisani et al., 2021 ). For example, barriers to rebranding and making changes may feel insurmountable to one individual and can be easily overcome by another depending on their motivation levels and adaption skills ( Rensburg and Ukpere, 2014 ; Veisani et al., 2021 ). Well-organized personal branding and career transition strategies, however, can act as a coping mechanism and stabilizing factor to reduce what feels like an insurmountable barrier and create more adaptive and growth mindset mechanisms during stressful career transitions ( Rensburg and Ukpere, 2014 ).

Individuals who are more adaptive, or demonstrate a growth mindset ( Dweck, 2019 ), tend to acquire new skills and can make the necessary connections to achieve successful job shifts ( Öztemel and Yıldız-Akyol, 2021 ). Öztemel and Yıldız-Akyol (2021) further describe that happiness, perceived social support, and a positive and planful attitude toward the future, are correlated with career adaptability. Career transition and adaptability, whether voluntary, such as job changes, or involuntary, such as layoffs, presents opportunities to grow through uncertain, challenging periods ( Masdonati et al., 2022 ). Conversely, those individuals who possess more of a fixed mindset ( Dweck, 2019 ) and struggle to see their own ability to adapt and grow in times of transition, may find it difficult to overcome such challenges and reach their career transition goals ( Masdonati et al., 2022 ).

Strategic career shifts

Baruch (2004) states that a career is a process of development journey based on experiences and jobs held in different organizations ( Baruch and Rosenstein, 1992 ). Career path, field, or inter-role career changes are less typically motivated by salary and tend to be driven by one’s values, purpose, and aspirations, the need for job security, and desire for satisfaction ( George and Sims, 2007 ; Uy, 2020 ). According to Gibbons et al. (2011) , the most successful career switchers strategically plan, taking years to learn new skills, network, and prepare themselves financially to make a move ( Uy, 2020 ). Making this type of career change is often validated by the significant amount of time and effort put in to carry out this important strategic goal. As a result of the complexities, people may postpone or avoid these types of decisions due to timing, lack of commitment, prioritizing life’s demands (e.g., caregiving, education, needs over happiness), or lack of confidence in one’s ability and skills to make the change ( Uy, 2020 ; Öztemel and Yıldız-Akyol, 2021 ). It is a decision that requires personal reflection back to goals, purpose, and values ( George and Sims, 2007 ). Some individuals sit with the decision for many years contemplating what this transition could look like. Other people postpone until the ‘right time,’ which throughout a lifetime may never come. Most recognize embarking upon this ideal career journey, may require (1) setting a personal strategy and plan ( George and Sims, 2007 ), (2) understanding one’s personal risk tolerance ( Baruch, 2004 ), (3) defining which priorities are most important ( Baruch, 2004 ), (4) having a framework of must-haves, nice-to-haves, and unnecessary components, and (5) narrowing down what can be sacrificed even temporarily. For those individuals who may be more risk adverse or reluctant for any number of personal reasons, such as family, financial commitments, known obstacles, fear of failure, and discomfort with the unknown, the personal career transition and personal branding plan may need to be more conservative.

Personal branding

Personal Branding is the “strategic process of creating, positioning, and maintaining a positive impression of oneself, based on a unique combination of individual characteristics, which signal a certain promise to the target audience through a differentiated narrative and imagery” ( Gorbatov et al., 2019 , p. 1). Personal branding allows for “self-branding” in a knowledge economy as a mechanism of self-promotion in pursuit of self-realization ( Gandini, 2016 ; Gorbatov et al., 2019 ). This process is strategic in that it is coordinated and differentiated at the individual level ( Gorbatov et al., 2019 ). While typically proactive, personal branding is a process of both conscious and unconscious behavior ( Bolino et al., 2016 ). This means that an individual can be intentional in their actions to drive a specific perception or may be unintentionally labeled based on demonstrated biases, such as reactions to specific experiences ( Bolino et al., 2016 ). Gorbatov et al. (2019) demonstrated in their research that personal branding had a positive and indirect, yet significant, effect on career satisfaction and career achievement.

The personal branding strategy model

As Brené Brown said in her book Dare to Lead , in order “to be the person who we long to be, we must again be vulnerable. We must take off the armor, put down the weapons, show up, and let ourselves be seen” ( Brown, 2018 ). Brown (2018) also talks about daring leadership. In this context, being a leader is not just defined by a role but rather one’s behavior and mindset. Daring leadership is made up of four skill sets that are teachable, observable, and measurable: (1) rumbling with vulnerability, (2) living into our values, (3) braving trust, and (4) learning to serve ( George and Sims, 2007 ; Brown, 2018 ). Each of these factors enables us to be open to what comes next, learn, and prepare us to define what is possible. In essence, the career transition process is one of vulnerability, authenticity, and personal reflection on goals, fears, personal limitations, talents, and even biases ( Rensburg and Ukpere, 2014 ; Uy, 2020 ). While it is also impacted by personal factors, such as career choice and experiences, personality traits, such as openness to motivation and flexibility, are essential ( Uy, 2020 ). These qualities can propel the process forward to achieving the ultimate career transition goal due to a growth mindset ( Dweck, 2019 ). This aligns closely with Pawar’s three C’s model of (1) demonstrating credibility and integrity, (2) observing consistency and the ability to always deliver value, and (3) ensuring clarity in purpose and meaning are consistent ( Pawar, 2016 ).

Getting started

Making a career change starts with five key principles (see Figure 2 ), (1) look at your career stage and understand your motivation, (2) make and commit to the decision to change, (3) make the necessary adjustments, (4) relate the change to what is important, and (5) establish an identity and a brand purpose ( Sullivan and Ariss, 2018 ).

Figure 2 . Five major theoretical perspectives of career transitions. While career stage perspectives can be fairly predictable events, transitions may occur as an individual ages and moves from one period of development to another across their career. Research has looked closely at what factors may influence the decision-making process and are affected by feelings of job insecurity, which can be triggered by changing needs within the workforce and flexibility within the role and organization. People transition or adjust toward career transitions over time. Changes in the labor market can further shift thinking and influence the path people may ultimately choose. From the relational perspective, career transitions are socially embedded. Studies have examined how various people in and outside of a persons’ work domain have influenced an individual’s decisions, engagement, and their ability to successfully make career transitions. Identity relies heavily on the individual’s brand and how confident they are in carrying out the transition ( Sullivan and Ariss, 2018 ).

Individuals who may be more tenured in their career or role may be asked to move away from what they know how to do well and risk moving beyond their ‘frontier of competence’ as they try to respond adaptively to new demands in their environments ( Heifetz et al., 2009 ). For some, there could be a natural resistance toward losing what they are most familiar with. It is key to understand the kinds of personal losses at stake in this changing situation, from the job itself to wealth, status, relationships, relevance, brand identity, community, loyalty, and competence ( Heifetz et al., 2009 ).

Looking at career stage

Evaluating the career stage becomes as much of a self-reflective exercise to understand motivations and career aspirations as it does an evaluation of skills and competencies. It also requires setting a career transition strategy framework (see Figure 3 ) to set end outcomes or goals, education, learning edges, experience requirements, type of support needed ( Greer and Kirk, 2022 ), and realistic timing expectations to execute the plan. It also requires personal reflection on what will make the individual happy ( Uy, 2020 ; Öztemel and Yıldız-Akyol, 2021 ) and an understanding of what they enjoy doing so much that they would consider doing for ‘free’.

Figure 3 . Personal Brand Triangle. The brand triangle represents the make-up of a personal and professional brand and necessary components to ensure it is not confusing to others. Features at the bottom are more deeply rooted within the individual and take longer for others to discover, gradually increasing the amount of required effort to learn more about the person’s brand.

Make and commit to the decision to change

Starting with a career transition strategy framework (see Figure 4 ) solidifies the plan of achieving the goals ( Gorbatov et al., 2019 ). In some instances, it may require a combination of solutions to reach the desired outcome. Having this strategy, revisiting it once or twice during the year, and ongoing planning with milestones and measures becomes important for personal accountability and achievement.

Figure 4 . The use of a career transition strategy framework can provide you with a well-thought-through plan that lays out what is most important starting with the goals and desired outcome, working through the plan on how to best achieve. It also helps you to understand the non-negotiables. The non-negotiables become important when stress and anxiety increase, and confidence is in question. It also helps to keep you deeply grounded in your purpose. Personal Brand Triangle.

Make the necessary adjustments

Those who have successfully reinvented themselves over their lifetime may feel a career transition is somewhat predictable. However, those who are attempting this change for the first time may require additional support and coaching from colleagues, other contacts in their network, mentors, and even career sponsors to achieve their goals. Transitions occur as an individual ages and moves from one period of development to another across their career. Sullivan and Crocitto’s (2007) research has shown that the career change process can be easier for people who are earlier in their career as organizational practice tends to focus career stage learning and development efforts on this population versus those in later career. Elements like coaching and mentoring create a natural accountability toward goals, timeframes, and approaches allowing the individual to make the adjustments needed ( Seehusen et al., 2021 ). This is an iterative process that requires measurement and re-evaluation.

Relate the change to what is important

Planning for a career move should be contemplated months or even years before it happens ( George and Sims, 2007 ; Gorbatov et al., 2019 ). It is important to set a True North or North Star to drive toward while remaining consistent and committed to an endpoint ( George and Sims, 2007 ). The activation of the career strategy transition ramp-up accelerates this work once the pre-planning work has been completed.

Establish an identity and a brand purpose

Warren Bennis asks the question, “How can you best express you?” He states that there are three tests to examine, (1) knowing what you want, your abilities and capacities, (2) knowing what drives you and gives you satisfaction, and (3) knowing what your values and priorities are ( Bennis, 2009 ).

These three elements help to form a personal brand. Personal brand is made up of both professional and personal elements that define who someone is (see Figure 3 ), and how they may present themselves consciously and unconsciously ( Bolino et al., 2016 ). For example, there are more visible themes such as communication style ( Pawar, 2016 ; Gorbatov et al., 2019 ), behavior, appearance ( Pawar, 2016 ), and personal and professional accomplishments ( Gorbatov et al., 2019 ). Less visible external qualities such as emotional intelligence and emotional quotient may require deeper relationships for people to detect ( Gorbatov et al., 2019 ). Emotional Intelligence (EI) is how we handle our emotions ( Srivastava, 2013 ). Emotional quotient (EQ) or also known as emotional intelligence quotient, measures the level of one’s emotional intelligence ( Thomas and Inkson, 2009 ; Srivastava, 2013 ). EI and EQ particularly become important in self-reflection, self-awareness, and interpersonal engagements with others ( Thomas and Inkson, 2009 ).

Brand positioning requires being clear with others so they can make the necessary connections to accomplishments and qualifications, what capabilities the candidate can offer, and how the incumbent may help the organization to achieve their goals ( Pawar, 2016 ; Gorbatov et al., 2019 ). Brand also showcases that which inspires an individual through their purpose ( George and Sims, 2007 ) and the impact they have had ( Pawar, 2016 ). What people do not always realize is that brand influences how others are perceived, whether it is intentional or not ( Thomas and Inkson, 2009 ).

Preparing to make the change

As Carl Gustav Jung had said, “I am not what happened to me, I am what I choose to become.” Professional and personal experiences build upon what an individual has accomplished and should be able to be mapped to the required capabilities needed down the road. Mapping experience and skills to known gaps focus on existing strengths versus educational and experience development opportunities. Learning is a continuous process that progresses over a lifetime. It does not need to be done all at once, and through a carefully appointed career transition plan can be planned out with achievable milestones ( Rensburg and Ukpere, 2014 ). Carrying out the change requires a series of steps, including: (1) establishing a networking plan, (2) defining purpose, and (3) level-setting expectations of persistence, patience, positivity, and professionalism.

Creating a networking plan

Starting off with a networking stakeholder map determines the most impactful contacts one should connect with during their journey. The network can be activated based on the alignment of set goals and career desires, ensuring conversations can be aligned and maximized with the right people at the right time.

Relationships

Individuals who successfully make career transitions lean into their current and previous relationships while planning for other future networking connections to close knowledge gaps. These connections elevate prior experiences, enhance social support, and position for a mentor, coaching, and sponsorship relationships ( Masdonati et al., 2022 ). These relationships, when structured with an objective and trusted colleague, can provide valuable feedback on perceptions and future direction to take. De Villiers (2013) describe the power that feedback can offer through the lens of seven principles (see Figure 5 ). Her posit that feedback should be (1) relevant to the person and the transition, (2) manageable (achievable), (3) specific, (4) meaningful in how it can aid development, (5) timely, (6) from a reliable and trustworthy source, and (7) applicable and connected to the situation from the trusted coach so it can instill confidence ( Hattie and Timperley, 2007 ; De Villiers, 2013 ). When this model is adapted to career transitions and complemented with personal reflection, it becomes a meaningful way to provide the individual with objective guidance ( De Villiers, 2013 ).

Figure 5 . 7 Principles of Highly Effective Feedback and Star Performance. Describes the seven principles of highly effective feedback. When adapted to career transitions, it becomes a meaningful way to provide the career switcher with objective and trusted guidance ( De Villiers, 2013 ).

Mentoring, coaching, and sponsorship

A mentor is an individual who can act as a role model, someone to share ideas with, point out blind spots, collaborate on ideas, and can support development and growth ( Seehusen et al., 2021 ). A coach enables individuals to recognize their capability and acts more deliberately by providing performance and behavioral guidance as a periodic practice ( Seehusen et al., 2021 ). A sponsor, however, acts as a career advocate. They act in a capacity that voices the value the person brings and navigates them toward the career transition goal ( Seehusen et al., 2021 ). One individual can act in the role of all three, or different individuals may play these roles in a career transition.

Defining purpose

A true north is an inner sense, or a calling, of what someone wants to accomplish in life. It is a combination of values, beliefs, and purpose. It keeps people on a track that is true to them ( George and Sims, 2007 ). George and Sims (2007) argues that it is different for every person. Prior to conducting purpose-driven discussions, individuals can design a conversation guide (see Figure 6 ) that focuses on a few key areas of interest related to their goals, career progression, and development opportunities. As a result, through a clearly articulated goal and brand statement, people can create a halo effect of how they want to be perceived.

Figure 6 . Making the Difficult Transition Checklist. While making a career transition can be challenging, following these steps can help to make the process smoother.

Self-reflection and authenticity

George and Sims (2007) describes the importance of knowing one’s authentic self. The authenticity process starts with self-reflection and leads to a state of knowing oneself ( George and Sims, 2007 ). George and Sims (2007) suggests that as an individual knows oneself, they will find the passion that motivates them and defines their purpose. The self-reflection process looks deeper at motivations, biases, and behavioral triggers. Self-reflection requires deep introspection and a keen awareness of where energy and fears are generated from. Negativity, for example, can be misread by others as a lack of motivation and empathy ( Boyatzis, 2014 ).

P-squared: Persistence, patience, positivity, and professionalism

Persistence does not imply irrationality but does require consistency, commitment, and patience in the career transition process. While the process of making a career transition can be fatiguing, as popular articles such as HBR and Forbes claim, it can take anywhere from 5 months to 5 years to make a successful transition depending on the individual and their motivation. By staying positive, positive psychology data has shown that individuals are more successful in obtaining positions and adapting to career transitions ( Boyatzis, 2014 ; Buyukgoze-Kavas, 2016 ). Studies have also indicated that there are moderate to strong correlations between participants who are more resilient, hopeful, and optimistic as they are more likely to perceive themselves as more agile in their careers ( Buyukgoze-Kavas, 2016 ). According to Boyatzis (2014) , negative or dissonant behaviors can cause people to want to avoid someone versus positive or resonant behaviors creating an energized response. While staying positive can be difficult, through self-care and resilience, practicing mindfulness, and reflecting on all one has to offer, the positive psychology framing can also help to stimulate increased professionalism which ensures remaining true to personal brand ( George and Sims, 2007 ).

Assessment for transition readiness

During this research, the authors identified a 40-item multidimensional Career Transitions Inventory (CTI) which looks at five factors including (a) readiness, (b) confidence, (c) perceived support, (d) control, and (e) decision independence ( Heppner et al., 1994 ). This tool provides an additional layer to examine one’s readiness and potential barriers for this level of career change in the coaching process.

Limitations and future research

While this literature evaluation examined career transition and personal branding approaches in a changing and constantly evolving job market such as what has been witnessed in the Great Resignation, there is further opportunity to explore additional approaches that can be applied when there is an increase in the jobless rate and decrease in talent demand. This market shift does not imply any less importance on personal brand and career transition strategy and, in fact, may require an additional layer of change planning. Based on the review of the literature, there is also an opportunity to focus more heavily on individuals making transitions into full retirement or moving into self-employment and the value of a personal brand and career transition strategy. Also, at the time of this article, one leadership style over another did not increase the likelihood of successfully transitioning in a career. Being self-reflective, authentic to one’s identity, and aware are key success factors. There is an opportunity to further evaluate this in future research.

This literature review analyzed different career strategies and approaches addressing strategic career transition and personal branding. It was determined that career transitions extend beyond the acquisition of new knowledge and the development of new skills and positively impact the formation of new personal brand identities. While the Great Resignation has represented an important point in history in the way people work, it also presented opportunities for transition to different careers. In the words of Barack Obama in his 2008 inauguration speech, “Change will not come if we wait for some other person or if we wait for some other time. We are the ones we have been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.” The change we seek may come through our transition in our careers.

Author contributions

Both authors listed have made a substantial, direct, and intellectual contribution to the work and approved it for publication.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Publisher’s note

All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article, or claim that may be made by its manufacturer, is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Keywords: adaptive leadership and change, branding, career change, career transition, development, personal branding, great resignation

Citation: Coppola PJ and Young AF (2022) Making the difficult career transition: Writing the next chapter during the great resignation or in the future. Front. Psychol . 13:905813. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2022.905813

Received: 27 March 2022; Accepted: 27 September 2022; Published: 25 October 2022.

Reviewed by:

Copyright © 2022 Coppola and Young. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) . The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) and the copyright owner(s) are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

*Correspondence: Paul J. Coppola, [email protected]

Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.

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Reshaping Your Career in the Wake of the Pandemic

• Dorie Clark
• Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic

The past year has given us a chance to think about what we need to thrive in our jobs — and what we want to change as we move forward.

The pandemic has been an experiment like no other: a vehicle to understand what we need to thrive in our jobs. The authors identify three key aspects of work that the pandemic has impacted and which — if you approach them thoughtfully and strategically — can help you reshape your career successfully for the future.

Over the past year, we’ve all heard that we should be preparing for the “ new normal ” — but what that means or when this will start is unclear. During the pandemic, some professionals had to put their career aspirations on the back burner as they dealt with unexpected health care or childcare responsibilities , and many others may have felt their hard-fought career progression stall because of unpredictable outside forces, including company and industry disruptions.

• Dorie Clark is a marketing strategist and keynote speaker who teaches at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business and has been named one of the Top 50 business thinkers in the world by Thinkers50. Her latest book is The Long Game: How to Be a Long-Term Thinker in a Short-Term World (HBR Press, 2021) and you can receive her free Long Game strategic thinking self-assessment .
• Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic is the Chief Innovation Officer at ManpowerGroup, a professor of business psychology at University College London and at Columbia University, co-founder of  deepersignals.com , and an associate at Harvard’s Entrepreneurial Finance Lab. He is the author of  Why Do So Many Incompetent Men Become Leaders? (and How to Fix It ) , upon which his  TEDx talk  was based. His latest book is I, Human: AI, Automation, and the Quest to Reclaim What Makes Us Unique.   Find him at  www.drtomas.com . drtcp

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Why Career Change? Interview Question and Answers

By Biron Clark

Published: November 15, 2023

Any time you look to make a career change, you’ll face the interview question “Why are you changing careers?” And if you aren’t prepared to answer, it can result in job rejections and potential failure in your job search.

As a former recruiter , I’m going to share:

• How to answer the “Why career change?” interview question (and why employers ask this)
• 9 good reasons for a career change
• 4 word-for-word sample interview answers to why you want a new career
• Mistakes to avoid when answering career change interview questions

Why Employers Ask This Interview Question

Employers ask interview questions about why you’re making a career change because they want to understand your career goals. In a job interview, they aren’t just looking to see if you can perform their job well; they want to know if you’re likely to stay long-term and enjoy the job. And the more you can show them that you have solid, well-thought-out reasons for changing careers, the more comfortable they’ll be in hiring you. If you seem unsure, they’re less likely to hire you into their organization. They also want to make sure you’ve researched and taken time to understand this new career/industry you’re looking to join. They aren’t going to hire you if you don’t seem like you understand the work and challenges that you’ll face.

Finally, they’re hoping to get a sense of whether you performed well in your past career or not. If you tell an employer, “I’m looking to switch into a different career because I’ve been getting poor performance reviews in my current job,” they’ll worry that you may struggle to perform well in their job, too.

So as you answer this question, it’s best to focus on the favorable aspects you hope to gain in your next role, and don’t talk too much about the negatives of your past industry. The only exception is if your industry is struggling as a whole and facing layoffs, reduced opportunities, etc. You’ll see this in the example answers coming up.

Let’s look at how to answer this question now…

How to Answer “Why Career Change?” in a Job Interview

When you face interview questions like, “Why are you looking to change careers?” you should address the question head-on with one or two clear reasons. Avoid badmouthing your current job, employer, or industry, and instead, focus on what you hope to gain in your next career path. You can talk about how it’s more in-line with what you’re passionate about or interested in, how you feel it’s a better industry for future growth and job security, or how you’ve always wanted to be a part of this industry and finally feel it’s the right time to change careers now. Also, highlight any ways in which your skills and experience from previous jobs will be relevant to the new career you’re pursuing.

If you can point out how your past work will help you succeed in this new job, it’ll make the interviewer feel better about offering you the position. And it’ll also explain why you want to change to this new career or job.

Also, it’s best if you point out one specific career you’re pursuing now in your job search. If you tell the interviewer that you’re looking at five different new careers, it’s going to cast doubt about whether you know what you want.

I’ll discuss this more in the “mistakes” section later in this article.

To recap, there isn’t one “right” answer here but you need to be direct and head-on. Avoid badmouthing, and stay positive in your answer.

Don’t worry if you’re still not sure what to say for why you’re changing careers. Coming up, I’ll give you sample reasons for why you want to change career, and word-for-word interview answer examples.

Why Make a Career Change? 9 Good Reasons

• More opportunities for long-term career growth and higher pay.
• Personal interest/passion in an area.
• Make a bigger social or community impact.
• Uncertainty about the long-term prospects of your current industry. (This isn’t considered badmouthing if you simply share your unemotional observations about the industry in general.)
• Seeking new challenges and personal growth.
• Taking a job that is better suited to your skills, experience, and/or personality.
• Following colleagues from a previous company who have made a successful career change and have recommended this new job/career to you.
• Higher salary potential. (It’s best to combine this with another reason above.)
• Starting a new career that’s more aligned with your idea of your “dream job.”

4 Example Answers to “Why Are You Changing Careers?”

Example answer 1:.

I want to change my career path for future growth potential and new challenges. I feel my skills and experience will transfer well into this new career. For example, I saw your job description mentions communication with clients and the ability to lead projects, which were key parts of my last job. And overall, I’ve received career advice from a few colleagues who have successfully made this same career change and recommended it as a way to grow, earn more in their career, and find new challenges.

This is a great answer to “Why make a career change?” for a few reasons. You’re pointing out your relevant skills and experience. You’re mentioning a few colleagues who have successfully made this change, which will put the hiring manager’s mind at ease about whether you’ll “work out” in this new career. And you’re explaining your personal reasons for wanting this new career path… such as higher potential for career growth and earnings.

This is a solid interview answer to why you are looking to change careers. Let’s look at more examples.

Example Answer 2:

My current industry is struggling and I feel this industry has many overlaps with my current industry and role, so I’ll be able to use my skills quickly to contribute, rather than having to start over and learn from scratch. For example, in my current role, I manage projects for four to five large clients at a time and use many of the skills listed on your job posting, like leading teams, leading meetings, and interacting with clients to provide progress reports and updates. So I see this as a way to shift into a healthier, more stable industry while also keeping my relevant skills and being able to hit the ground running in my next position.

Notice how this answer is positive and direct.  It also shows how you’ll be able to perform well for this employer based on your previous work experience. All of these factors make this a good answer that will impress the typical company.

Example Answer 3:

I’m looking to change careers to join a company that’s more aligned with my personal interest and passion for community service. I want to make a positive impact, not just help a company generate profits, and I love that your company has a focus on social impact and responsibility to the community. I read about this in detail on your website and a few of your latest press releases and it’s one of the main reasons I wanted to apply for the position .

Example Answer 4:

Two colleagues from my previous company changed from the finance industry to the tech industry and have said they’ve found the work to be more exciting and fulfilling. They’ve convinced me that it’s a worthwhile career move, and since I have similar interests and motivation to those two colleagues, I’m confident I’ll enjoy working for a company in tech. That’s the entire focus of my job search now, and I’m not applying to any finance companies. I’m not unhappy in finance; I just feel tech would be more exciting and more aligned with my passions.

Mistakes to Avoid in Your Answer

All of the above answers will impress an interviewer and successfully answer those tough questions about why you’re looking to change careers. There are a couple of mistakes to always avoid, though, so let’s go over each mistake now. First, always address the question head-on. The interviewer will feel uncomfortable offering you the position if you seem to be dodging this question, unprepared to answer, or uncomfortable answering. Practice and prepare a direct answer ahead of time. Don’t ever go into the interview unprepared or unsure how you’ll answer this question because you’re not likely to come up with a great answer on the spot.

Next, don’t sound unsure of your decision to leave your previous industry and job. You need to sell yourself by sounding confident in your choice. You can re-read the end of the fourth example answer above to see how to do this. In the second half of that answer, you’re showing the interviewer that your entire focus is on joining this new industry, and you have no hesitations about your decision.

Employers don’t want to hire someone who may change their mind after three months and decide to search for another position. So you need to sound less risky, and you do this by showing that you’re sure about your decision to search for a new career.

Finally, as mentioned earlier, never badmouth in your job interview. Always sound positive and focus on what you’ll gain in this next job and career.

Even if an interviewer asks you, “Why do you want to leave your current job?” it’s not an invitation to badmouth.

Conclusion: Answering Why You’re Changing Careers

Answering questions about why you’re changing careers doesn’t need to be stressful. Practice ahead of time, stay positive, and address the question directly. Show employers that you have strong reasons for making a career change and you’ll get more job offers .

And don’t apologize for wanting to make a change! It’s not bad to be targeting a new direction in your job search. You simply need to be ready to confidently answer the interview questions that you’ll face on this topic, because employers will ask. Your interviewer may have even changed careers in the past (you can research them on LinkedIn to see if this is the case).

They’re not asking to trick you or trap you; they just want to know your motivations and reasons.

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Career goals Essay: Short-term and long-term goals

What career goals should you write in your MBA applications? How do you ensure that the short-term career goals are aligned with the long-term goals?

Vibhav Agarwal sure knows a thing or two about crafting winning MBA applications. He’s helped many applicants get into the most selective programs in the world.

In this post he shares some tips on tackling the career goals MBA essay .

by Vibhav Agarwal

I may probably know where I can be in the next 3-5 years. But beyond that who knows, right?

Think of it this way. MBA education is going to be one of your biggest investments – not just with money, but with the time and effort as well.

So, it’s very important that you focus on the right things in terms of coursework, network, placements etc. during those 1-2 years that you spend in the college.

( Take it from us, time flies in a b-school, the more your priorities and goals are clear, the easier it is to navigate those ten thousand opportunities that you will get at the school to do something or be a part of something)

Now, who better understands the importance of this prioritization than the ad-com? And this is their rationale of asking this question.

They want to see and understand the clarity a candidate has in terms of being able to understand and showcase the clarity in their short-term and long-term career goals.

Let us tackle the key requirements for short-term career goals first.  

Short-term career goals

Short-term goals are those where you see yourself as soon as you graduate out of the school. These goals need to be a very precisely defined in terms of industry, geography, set of companies you are aiming at and the role that you are looking for.

You are expected to have complete clarity on the skillset required to do this role, the key responsibilities you will be handling and the results that you are expected to showcase in the next 1-2 years.

The ad-com wants to understand the above from your essay and then ascertain whether “you” the candidate have a realistic chance with the MBA education and his current experience to gain that role in light of the skillsets required for that role and the competition posed by the typical MBA class.

In this context, there are typically 3 scenarios that candidates are likely to define their short-term goals. A quick disclaimer first.

Disclaimer: We’ll include some representative examples to clarify the key principles. Blindly copying these career goals in your essays, without understanding the bigger picture, is sure to backfire. More on this in the last section.  

1. Career Progression

This is the scenario when you are already performing a role in the similar industry and you would like to accelerate your progress in terms of the career ladder or in terms of the organizational brand.

For example:

• I am a consultant in big4 consulting firm or KPO who wants to move into McKinsey or BCG
• I am a software engineer with product development experience who wants to move into product management role in a Silicon Valley tech firm
• I am a commerce graduate with CA or CFA background who wants to move into Investment banking or Private banking in a top-tier bank
• I am working in a corporate law firm and want to shift into M&A or strategy team for a big conglomerate

  Such shifts are very logical and easier to explain and manage. The requirements remain the same when it comes to explaining in the short-terms goals essay, but your ability to visualize yourself in that role and showcase the skills you bring to the role are easier to explain since you are already have counterparts or seniors who are performing that role and can explain the difference between it and your current role  

2. Career Shift

This is the scenario when you want to “shift” into a more exciting role in probably a more exciting industry and organization. So basically, you are looking to change your industry, role profile and probably geography as well. This scenario accounts for more than 60% of the candidates who want to do MBA. For example:

• I am a project manager in IT services firm in India who wants to get into product management for a B2B SaaS product in US
• I am a team lead in a semi-conductor firm who wants to get into business development roles in an IT services or IT product firm
• I am a software engineer in a tech firm who wants to move into a business strategy role with a bigger tech firm/start-up
• I am a client-side consultant with an IT-services firm who wants to into corporate finance role with a top-tier tech firm
• I am an entrepreneur who wants to become a product manager in a tech firm

  Such shifts require a lot of introspection and research. The ad-coms would like to see what is your understanding of the role, what skills are “transferable” from your current role into the new role and on top of it, how will the MBA help you gain the skillsets that are missing.

They also want to get a clear understanding of the role from your viewpoint in terms of key responsibilities, performance metrics and impact areas.

In order to showcase all the above in the essay, we recommend that candidates leverage LinkedIn and their networks to connect with at least 2-3 people who are actually performing that role they aspire and have a frank conversation to gain a clear and deep understanding of the role.

Once they do that, they can also discuss their present roles and gain an understanding of the transferable skills that can be leveraged for the new role. This understanding is paramount to showcase in a good short-term goal essay.

This helps convince ad-com that you stand a good chance of being shortlisted for that role based on your CV and pedigree during the placement season..  

3. The management consulting bug

One of the biggest aspirations for all MBA candidates who want to shift roles and otherwise is to get into management consulting with a top-tier firm like McKinsey, Bain or BCG .

Irrespective of their current roles and backgrounds, the consultant role is actually the one where your MBA performance and business acumen take precedence.

But even then, when you are showcasing it as your short-term goal, you need to have a clear understanding of the skillsets that define a good consultant and where have you demonstrated those skills in current roles.

For example, skills like problem solving, management communication, data analysis are cornerstones of any good consultant and they need to be showcased in your CV as well as essay.  

Long-term career goals

Coming to long-term career goals, essentially the easiest path and the one taken by most of candidates is to showcase the career ladder growth as the long-term goal.

So, you see yourself as a partner in the consulting firm, you see yourself as a product management leader in the tech firm or as a CXO of a conglomerate.

These are all acceptable as long as there is a clear and straight-line path between short-term and long-term goals. The ad-com sees the logic and ambition here and that’s a tick from their side.   The other category is those who aim to turn entrepreneurs. That is also acceptable as long as there is a defined synergy in your short-term and long-term goals.

As long as ad-com sees that the skillsets you are gaining in short-term career and the industry knowledge and network you are building shall be used in the entrepreneurship venture you are aiming for, they are happy to give you the tick.   Now, if you have read till here, you get to know a little secret. The reality seldom matches the essay. Once you get into the school, there are new interest areas, new avenues that you may end up exploring or change your mind to take a safe bet and stick to same industry.

But it’s important that the story you present in your essay showcases your ambition in a logical way in line with your current career path and also in line with how the college can place you (Read How important are MBA essays ).

After all, their reputation is built on the alumni they have the best positions in top-tier firms!   A strong application generally is one which is able to create a cohesive and persuasive story not only about the career goals of the applicant, but also dovetail it into his past achievements, his extra-curriculars and his personal highlights.

This is the most important ingredient to a successful application.

An admissions consulting team like MBA Crystal Ball, can not only help you discover the right set of career goals, but also help you create an overall impactful story. One that will impress the ad-com enough to invite you for an interview.  

You’ll find some of Vibhav’s success stories at the end of this article: Career Change from Software IT to Product Management after MBA .

And here’s a success story of an ISB reapplicant who used career counselling for MBA admissions .

Mini-MBA | Start here | Success stories | Reality check | Knowledgebase | Scholarships | Services Serious about higher ed? Follow us:                

12 thoughts on “Career goals Essay: Short-term and long-term goals”

I have large experience (8+) in big CPG companies in India in varied sales and marketing (mid-managerial) functions (Sales, Sales Development, Trade Marketing, Customer Marketing). My short term goal is to leverage my experience and work as a strategy consultant with McKinsey for CPG clients. It will not only add to my managerial skills but also help me build and gain insights into cutting edge innovations in the industry.

(Long term Goal) After working 3-4 years as a strategy consultant, I would like to take up a senior management role (Head of Business, CXO) and work in a CPG startup firm in India providing and implementing cutting edge strategies and solutions to break ground and win the market. The startup setup in CPG is a new booming space in India and given the customer base and demand for CPG products, there is tremendous scope in the coming years.

How does my short term and long term goal look? Would this be put down as being too unrealistic? Pls help.

Tough to say per say since consulting is a very common goal. It’ll eventually depend on how well you explain the need for MBA to begin with, and then, why consulting. Why not say CPG itself? Start from there.

Dear Sir, I am currently pursuing B.Tech Marine Engineering and will be sailing in 2021. I plan on sailing 5-7 years and then settle onshore. Although, I am uncertain about the career options available to me. Certainly, I have considered doing MBA and pursuing a job. But at this point, it’s very confusing to have a clear mindset as to what is to be done. I’d highly appreciate if you could guide me and tell what I should be doing and where I should be looking for some more guidance.

Once you’ve sailed for a year or so, see if you want to explore this intervention with us, if still unclear: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/career-counselling

I am a BE (EEE) graduate with following details: 1. 10th – 85% 2. +2 – 94% 3.BE – 81% – 2008 passout

I have Two Years of Experience in Software Testing in ADP India Pvt Limted(2008-2010) and Currently working as Manager in Powergrid Corporation Of India Limited (A Central Govt Mahartna PSU) from 2010. Profile in ADP: Test (Automation) Engineer in ADP – Dealing with Tax and Financial Services for Clients in USA Profile in POWERGRID: 1.Was incharge of execution of Power Transmission Projects of 400kV ,765kV level with Cost of Projects ranging from 250Cr-700Cr. 2. Worked as Special Technical Assitant to Executive Director of Southern Region,India which exposed me to various functions of Organization line HR, Contracts (Procurement Services), Project Management, Supply Chain Management, Operation of one of the Largest Power grids in World etc.. 3. Was part of Competitive Bidding group in Transmission Project which involved preparation of Bids for the projects, Financial Modelling for calculation of returns, Cost Control etc.. As seen from above I have many dots and all of them needs to connected and hence want to pursue a proper MBA.

Now I am interested to do Global MBA in USA . GRE:320. TOEFL will write in July-2020.

How are my chances to get into reasonably Top MBA schools in USA.

Overall profile looks decently poised. We don’t do profile evaluation here. For that, you can start here: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/profile-evaluation

I have persuing my MBA in finance and human resource. I want to do study PHD in management in USA. Please guide me how it is possible.

@Jasbir, start here: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2018/04/11/phd-after-mba/

Sir i have completed my B tech in textile technology in 2017 since then i am unemployed and preparing for ssc and banking exam. Now in 2020 i would give cat ,mat exam . What are chances of getting a decent or mediocre mba college with a gap of 4 year with no experience and what problem will i face in getting my job

@Ravi, gaps are always very tough to explain: https://www.mbacrystalball.com/blog/2016/04/01/how-to-handle-career-gaps-in-mba-applications/

Beyond chasing another education, you should make a very hard attempt at starting your professional journey first.

Thank you for this amazing exposition. I am currently working as an in-house counsel in a reputable professional regulatory body and I intend to do MBA for the purpose of advancing my career. However, I am not exactly sure what are the career goals for an in-house lawyer like me who seeks to do MBA. I would be glad if I could get some perspectives from you.

@Mide, you are approaching the thing from the wrong end. Don’t decide to do MBA and then figure things out. Think first about what you’d like to do in your career ( https://www.mbacrystalball.com/career-counselling/ ) and then, work backwards from there to assess whether MBA is even needed. Don’t consider an MBA as a be all and end all.

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Navigating early career change: When and how to go about it

Mar 19, 2024

Freelance journalist and writer

Picture this: You just graduated college, started your first your first 9-5, and it feels … not right. Happiness eludes you, professional fulfillment remains elusive, and you can’t shake the feeling that this isn’t your place or your calling. And you know what? That’s fine. It’s perfectly normal to experience doubts about your career, especially early on—and perhaps even more than once. That’s why, in this article, we’ll explore everything you need to know if you’re considering a career change as a young professional, with insights from career pivot coach Erin Lewber .

It’s a career change world

Let’s start with some statistics. Did you know that an average of 52% of American employees seriously consider a career change ? In fact, an average American working professional will have 10 jobs by the age of 42 , and will have altered the trajectory of their career 5-7 times throughout their whole working life.

In terms of young professionals, the need for changing careers appears even more recurring compared to their older colleagues. Results from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reveal that employees between the ages of 25 and 34 tend to hold an average of 4 jobs , whereas those between 35 and 44 hold 2 to 3 jobs. What’s more, almost 80% of satisfied workers under the age of 20 express a desire for a career change by the time they reach their 30s.

Career change is a common occurrence, no matter where you are in your professional journey. If anything, nowadays it’s almost expected for people to switch jobs and explore different career paths rather than sticking with one company or role for decades.

Generally, there are numerous reasons why young professionals decide to change careers. “But it always boils down to something not working well enough: pay, work-life balance, purpose of the work, location, etc.,” says Lewber. “Individuals changing careers are doing so because they’ve taken a look at their lives and decided something isn’t aligned; something isn’t working anymore. They’re insisting on something better and willing to take action to make it happen.”

And when is a better time to make such a change than when you’re still young and relatively new to the workforce? “If you’re a young professional, this is the time to take chances and bet on yourself. If you can’t shake the call of a particular role or opportunity, go for it,” advises Lewber. Your professional youth is key in discovering what you strive for in terms of your career development, as well as in forming your character and your skillset . “There’s plenty of time to correct if it doesn’t work out.”

Making the decision

Deciding to change careers is not an easy, straightforward process. So how do we discern the genuine need for a career shift from moments of fleeting dissatisfaction or uncertainty?

“Ever heard the saying, ‘the grass isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence’? This is incredibly true for career change,” Lewber shares. Most of the time the grass isn’t greener—it’s just different grass. “Every job out there has pros/cons, good/bad, things you’ll like/things you’ll dislike. That’s why, before changing careers, it’s important to identify what isn’t working and why those things don’t work—then consider the things that are working well in the current role .”

When considering early career transitions, a significant point of the discussion revolves around the choice between either pursuing a passion or opting for a more stable profession . On the other hand, passion can exist in so many forms, also outside of work, Lewber reminds us—be it hobbies, volunteer opportunities, relationships, or interests. Most of the time, your job should mainly complement your life, providing you with the means to pursue these passions.

“When it comes to career change, the best advice I can offer is to separate emotion from fact so the career changer can evaluate the true opportunity related to making a move,” says Lewber. “Even if you’re passionate about a job, there will be good/bad days, things you like/dislike. Pick the job that best enables you to live your best whole-person life.”

Finding your path

To discover the ideal career path for yourself, it’s crucial to blend self-awareness with thorough research. Begin by honestly assessing what aspects of your current job resonate with you and which ones don’t, as well as pinpointing your professional desires and aspirations for your next endeavor.

Following this introspection, dive into research . “There’s never been a time in history where information was more accessible than it is right now,” says Lewber. “Between Google, LinkedIn , [and] ChatGPT , every job seeker has access to people and resources that can help them learn about different career paths and find the right fit.”

You need to be smart and strategic about your career change. It’s not just about what you want to do next, it’s about what you have to do to get there. “My best advice for this part of the process is to take your time, don’t rush, and do good work that builds a solid foundation of confidence and knowledge on which to build the rest of the pivot,” Lewber explains.

Transferring your skills and knowledge

Taking your time to learn relevant skills and nuances about your future field is important. Equally essential when transitioning careers is recognizing transferable skills . “These are the skills that lift and shift to many different roles,” explains Lewber.

“It is almost always easier to transition into a role that favors soft skills —relationship building, personality, energy, competitive nature—over specific technical skills—[the] ability to program in a specific computer language, deep knowledge of certain software or systems,” Lewber continues. If you’re not sure which skills you already possess might be useful for your career change, try using AI tools . “You can write a prompt asking ChatGPT to evaluate a list of skills you’ve written and suggest some roles that could be good for you, and tell you why it suggested them to you.”

If particular hard skills and knowledge are required, you’ll need to give yourself time to acquire them before you start looking for a new role. “Reputable courses and boot camps can be great options for that,” says Lewber. “Remember to always make sure the course or training, or any source of knowledge you use, is reputable before you go for it.”

Don’t forget about networking

Networking is a crucial part of the career change process, as it can help you learn about any potential careers in your field of interest, which could even lead to finding a role through a referral. When you openly share what you’re looking for, you’ll create opportunities for the people you know to connect the dots and help.

“The best way to network while changing careers is to tell the people around you what you’re trying to accomplish,” says Lewber. “Tell your hairdresser that you’re looking for a new job in sales—perhaps they have another client who leads sales teams … You never know who knows someone!”

Similar proactive measures should be adopted when building a new network . For that, Lewber suggests leveraging LinkedIn and actively engaging with relevant individuals on the platform. “Use the search feature to find people who are doing what you’d like to do. Follow them and send a note with your connection request with a clear statement on why you’d like to connect.”

And if you find people who work in your target role and post regular content about it, show up in the comments and make yourself visible. Here’s a template Lewber recommends using:

Hi [name], your posts have been so helpful as I’m working to pivot into [field]. What’s the best piece of advice you’d offer someone trying to break into a [field] role right now? Thank you!

“Simple, specific questions are easy to read AND easy to answer, which increases your odds of a reply,” says Lewber. “And if you get a reply, now you’re in a networking conversation!”

Beware of these challenges

Transitioning to a new career path, even when you have a clear direction in mind, can be daunting and riddled with challenges. Lewber identifies three main pitfalls to be aware of during your career change journey.

1. Lack of focus

“Many career changers know they want something else, but they aren’t sure what it is,” says Lewber. Instead of quitting your job and applying for everything that sounds better than the job you just had, actually spend the time to figure out what you want and come up with a plan on how to get there.

“Hopping on job-hunting sites with only an idea for a new career may _feel _really fun, exciting, and productive, but it generally doesn’t pan out well because there’s no focus or intentional plan, which leaves the job seeker frustrated … and without interviews .”

2. No understanding of the new role

Unfortunately, young professionals thinking about changing careers tend to fall in love with the idea of a new role. They’ll read a few things about it or hear about it from their friends and just want to jump on board. “The problem is, they don’t take time to research the role and understand important things like core capabilities, tools and technologies required, common terminologies, the daily/weekly/monthly/yearly norms of the role, etc,” says Lewber. “As a result, they show up looking unprepared and under-informed, compared to other candidates who have experience.”

This mistake can be avoided in a couple of ways. You can:

• chat to people already performing your dream role ,
• have conversations with mentors from LinkedIn,
• enroll in a reputable course or boot camp,
• use AI tools to ask basic questions about the role.

“The good news is that anyone can learn about a role—it just takes some time and effort,” says Lewber.

3. The job market

In the past couple of years, the job market has changed tremendously. “We’ve gone from the candidates’ market to one controlled by layoffs , reductions, or slowed numbers of job postings,” says Lewber. A young career changer should take this new job market reality into account from the very beginning of their career change journey.

For example, job hunters should look at how long an average job search takes from start to finish or what is expected to be proven during the recruitment process in their chosen field. “Managing expectations based on the current job market reality can really help prevent frustration associated with feeling like the pivot should happen faster—and prevent reactive or bad decisions, like taking a job that isn’t right for them.”

Key takeaways: Making a career change early on

Embarking on an early career change is a significant yet increasingly common decision among young professionals. Here are a few critical insights to guide you through this transition:

• Wide prevalence: The urge to switch careers is a frequent phenomenon, with statistics showing a consistent desire among young workers to explore various paths for greater fulfillment and alignment with personal values.
• Self-assessment and research: A successful career change hinges on thorough self-reflection and research. Identifying what aspects of your current role align or clash with your aspirations is essential, as is understanding the new field’s requirements and realities.
• Networking and skill transfer: Building a robust network and effectively communicating your transferable skills are pivotal steps in navigating a career pivot. Leveraging platforms like LinkedIn and recognizing both hard and soft skills that can apply to your new career path are crucial strategies.
• Understanding market dynamics: Acknowledge the current job market’s complexities. Adjusting expectations and preparation according to the market’s state can help mitigate frustrations and lead to more strategic decisions.

By taking a considered and proactive approach, you can navigate the complexities of an early career change and move towards a role that better aligns with your aspirations and values. Good luck!

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Key to Writing Better Career Change Personal Statements

Table of Contents

A  career change personal statement  outlines an individual’s reasons for wanting to transition from their current career into a new one. It typically includes details of the person’s skills, qualifications, and relevant experience that would make them suitable for the desired role. 

In addition to summarizing an applicant’s credentials, it should also explain their interest in switching and how it aligns with their professional aspirations.

The Importance of a Career Change Personal Statement

A  career change personal statement  is essential in a cross-career job application because it helps quell a recruiter’s doubts regarding qualifications. Career shifters are typically disadvantaged because of the initial perceived lack of experience. Moreover, you’ll also need to contend with the presumption that you’re shifting careers because things didn’t work out.

This is particularly true among applicants with few transferable skills or experience. The main point of a career change statement is to showcase your value and also your willingness to excel in the new field.

The most crucial function of a personal statement is to help recruiters understand and appreciate your unique experience and skill set . It’s a way for applicants to provide meaningful evidence of their transferable skills, knowledge, and achievements.

Not all recruiters will immediately see the value of your transferable skills. There are many times applicants will have to point them out.

A more significant change of career statement can elucidate to a reader how your cross-career skills can benefit your success in your new role. The following section describes how best to write them.

Writing a Change of Career Statement

Use Vivid Language

Anecdotes rely heavily on imagery. Therefore, it’s only perfect sense that you use strong descriptors to share your story. Painting a vivid picture will attract and grasp your reader’s attention, keeping them invested until the end.

Explain Your Decision to Shift Careers

Explaining your career shift will give recruiters insight into your decision and clarify any questions they might have. Nobody just shifts careers on a whim. Quelling this point of curiosity can set a strong background for you. Make sure to demonstrate how your career shift aligns with your long-term goals.

Include Concrete Evidence

Use concrete experiences to showcase your ability. Even when you may not have experience in your new career, try to research key skills. Use this information to show how you were able to use key skills in your previous role or company. Focus on transferable skills.

Use Your Emotions

A powerful letter can sway hearts and minds. We can say the same for expressive personal statements . The point of leveraging emotion is that people are more likely to remember their feelings during an experience. If your personal statement evokes their emotions, they are more likely to remember you.

Use a Broad Vocabulary

A broad vocabulary is essential because it helps keep your sentences fresh and unique. A repetitive personal statement is the quickest way to bore your reader. Moreover, expansive vocabularies give off the impression that you are intelligent and communicative.

The best part is the simplicity of using this tip. You need only use a thesaurus to find other and better words to represent your ideas.

Career Change Personal Statement Examples

After a decade of working as an engineer, I have realized that my true passion lies in teaching. As such, I am eager to transition from engineering and devote myself to helping others learn and grow through education. I can utilize my experience in technology to enhance learning opportunities. With this, I possess the requisite patience, empathy, and enthusiasm to thrive as an educator. 

Having worked in my current field for over a decade, I have gained extensive experience and knowledge. Although it has been an immensely gratifying journey to hone my expertise, I now feel the urge to pursue something new. I am well-versed in the challenges that lay ahead, yet, I look forward to facing them with enthusiasm and ambition. 

Throughout my professional life, I have remained passionate about problem-solving and creative collaboration. I consistently seek out unique opportunities to bolster my capabilities and test myself. Shifting into a different field will be stimulating and allow me to expand on my existing skill set. 

I am confident that my multidisciplinary outlook will allow me to quickly become proficient in any vocation. Being self-motivated, tenacious, and having a penchant for innovating solutions, I can meaningfully contribute to any organization or team. 

By embracing novel approaches and drawing from tangible and intangible resources, I thrive in dynamic work environments that foster growth. Most importantly, I’m invigorated by obstacles making them stepping stones instead of stumbling blocks.

After spending nearly a decade as a highly successful software engineer, I have decided to pursue a career shift into the finance sector. My years of coding and programming experience have equipped me with a plethora of technical understanding I can use in this new industry. 

My familiarity with complex data analysis and problem-solving will enable me to quickly become an invaluable asset to any financial services company. Furthermore, my familiarity with stochastic processes and high-level mathematics proves that I am uniquely qualified for success. 

I understand that transitioning into finance may not come without its challenges. Yet, having the capacity to exercise nimble adaptability is a salient reminder I am more than capable of overcoming any hurdles. 

I am poised to make an immediate impact on any organization willing to take me on.

Personal statements are essential in applications because they give recruiters a clear idea of your values and character . They are also an opportunity to create a good impression. If you want to stand out from the applicant pool despite shifting careers, this is the way.

Abir Ghenaiet

Abir is a data analyst and researcher. Among her interests are artificial intelligence, machine learning, and natural language processing. As a humanitarian and educator, she actively supports women in tech and promotes diversity.

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WBZ-TV anchor leaves his dream job, and pens an essay about it

Liam Martin just walked away from his dream job: TV anchor, at WBZ-TV . Not only did he walk away, Martin decided to publish why he did it, with a Boston magazine essay .

In that essay, Martin details his own emotional struggles, not to mention the physical challenge of waking up at 2:15 a.m. for the morning shift. He previously worked an evening shift, but that meant barely seeing his two young children. The move to the morning shift meant he was often too tired to be truly present for them.

So he left the news business completely, joining former NBCUniversal newscaster Jackie Bruno as a partner in her PR and communications business, Newsmaker Marketing , along with third partner Rachel Robbins , formerly with Greenough Communications . (Bruno penned a similarly themed essay for Boston magazine a year ago.)

Martin decided to write it in part because men often don’t feel comfortable talking about mental health issues or the struggles of balancing family and work. The response, he said, has been overwhelming.

He still gets to tell stories, but in a different way. For example, he just spent a day in New Hampshire working on a documentary-style video about Cyclyx , a plastics recycling company.

Martin misses the rush of the newsroom. But he’s also glad to no longer be in it.

“I miss the people at WBZ-TV,” Martin said. “I do not miss having to be in the know all the time about everything.”

This is an installment of our weekly Bold Types column, which runs in print every Tuesday.

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Guest Essay

The Most Famous Golfer at the Masters Is Black. Why Aren’t There More Players Like Him?

By Peter May

Mr. May is a former sportswriter for The Times and The Boston Globe and the author of “Changing the Course: How Charlie Sifford and Stanley Mosk Integrated the PGA.”

When the Masters Tournament commenced on Thursday, featuring 89 competitors, there was exactly one Black golfer in the field: the one we all know, Tiger Woods. Beyond that, the field for the 88th Masters didn’t look all that different from the previous 87.

This is not what Charles Sifford envisioned when he and Stanley Mosk, the attorney general of California, fought to integrate the Professional Golfers’ Association of America. Sifford, who is often referred to as the Jackie Robinson of golf, became the first Black P.G.A. member in 1964 after a decades-long fight to join the organization that had, for much of its history, stated in its charter that it would admit only golfers “of the Caucasian race.”

Sifford blazed a trail for talented Black golfers such as Lee Elder, Calvin Peete, Jim Dent, Jim Thorpe and, of course, Woods. But 60 years later, their stories of success are still exceptions. The P.G.A. remains woefully inaccessible to Black golfers and has made only marginal and inadequate efforts to diversify its ranks. According to Golf Digest, fewer than 1 percent of the P.G.A.’s 29,000 members are Black. The P.G.A.’s tournaments and its professional golf shops need to take concrete steps to look more like the America they purport to represent.

In 2014 the P.G.A. identified diversity and inclusion as “foundational principles” but, in practical terms, that has meant little more than the occasional golf camp or clinic at a public course in a Black neighborhood. The P.G.A. recently partnered with the Advocates Professional Golf Association, which was founded in 2010 to diversify the game, and together they will host 18 tournaments this year. But the P.G.A. must do more to lead the way in action and by example, promoting inclusion at every level. Until private country clubs, elite prep schools and Division I golf programs actively recruit and train Black golfers, Sifford’s legacy will remain unfulfilled, and the game will continue to be dominated by white players.

For the decades that Sifford and other Black golfers fought to become P.G.A. members, they dealt with bigotry, death threats and countless humiliations while simply trying to play golf with and against the best players of the era. Because the P.G.A. had explicitly codified racial discrimination in its bylaws, Black golfers not only couldn’t compete as PGA Tour members; they also couldn’t find jobs in P.G.A.-affiliated pro shops — which, until the 1950s, had been the traditional route golfers took to join the P.G.A. The P.G.A. continually thwarted the efforts of Black golfers, abetted by star players who failed to speak up for inclusion.

The battle to integrate professional golf stalled until Mosk, enraged by Sifford’s exclusion from the P.G.A., threatened to sue the association to prevent it from holding its segregated tournaments in California. Several other state attorneys joined Mosk in the fight, and their resolve forced the P.G.A. to eliminate the Caucasians-only clause. The removal of what Mosk called “this obnoxious restriction” paved the way for Sifford to become a full-time member.

But Sifford’s breakthrough did not open the gates to Black players. Fifteen years after Robinson broke baseball’s color line, Black players represented over 10 percent of Major League Baseball rosters. Yet decades after Sifford’s breakthrough there were still only a few of Black golfers on the pro tour. The Masters waited an unforgivable 41 years from its inception before inviting a Black player to participate, when Elder broke the color barrier in 1975. Even after Sifford won two PGA Tour events, the Masters refused to invite him to its tournament. Sifford never set foot on the grounds of Augusta National Golf Club.

Little has changed. The 2022 Masters featured just three Black players , which was a record high for the tournament. There were no Black golfers last year in the United States Open, and this year’s Masters features only Woods — who has publicly credited Sifford with making his career possible, calling him “the grandpa I never had,” and named his son Charlie in Sifford’s honor. But Woods, who is 48 and oft injured, can no longer play a full schedule, which means there are only two Black golfers today who play professionally with any regularity. One is Cameron Champ, a three-time PGA Tour winner. The other, Harold Varner III, is no longer a member of the P.G.A., having joined the Saudi-backed LIV tour.

There are currently efforts to promote diversity in golf, such as the Charlie Sifford Memorial Exemption at the Genesis Invitational, which sets aside a spot in the tournament for a golfer of color every year. Why not introduce such an exemption at every P.G.A. tournament? The P.G.A. should also be funding more programs to develop young Black golfers, as well as interest in golf among Black athletes. This year, the basketball star Stephen Curry — who funded the revival of the golf program at the historically Black Howard University — will be honored at the World Golf Hall of Fame induction ceremony with the Charlie Sifford Award for advancing diversity in golf. The P.G.A. should follow Curry’s lead.

Sifford lived long enough to see significant change in the world. He saw Woods become the dominant player in golf. He saw other sports integrated in ways that once seemed unthinkable, including baseball in 1947 and, later, tennis with the rise of Arthur Ashe and Althea Gibson and the emergence of Venus and Serena Williams. In 2004, Sifford became the first Black person inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame and, in 2014, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by Barack Obama.

But when Sifford died in 2015 at age 92, he had yet to see a truly integrated P.G.A. Were he alive today, he’d still be waiting.

Peter May is a former sportswriter for The Times and The Boston Globe and the author of “Changing the Course: How Charlie Sifford and Stanley Mosk Integrated the PGA.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

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Watch CBS News

NPR suspends Uri Berliner, editor who accused the network of liberal bias

By Aimee Picchi

Edited By Alain Sherter

April 17, 2024 / 8:18 AM EDT / CBS News

National Public Radio has suspended Uri Berliner, a senior editor who earlier this month claimed in an essay that the network had "lost America's trust" by pushing progressive views in its coverage while suppressing dissenting opinions.

Berliner's suspension was reported by NPR media correspondent David Folkenflik, who said that the senior editor was suspended for five days without pay starting on Friday. A formal rebuke from NPR said Berliner had violated its policy of securing prior approval to write for other news outlets, and warned that he would be fired if he breached those guidelines in future, Folkenflik reported.

NPR declined to comment to CBS News. "NPR does not comment on individual personnel matters, including discipline," a spokesperson said. 

Berliner's  essay  in the Free Press caused a firestorm of debate, with some conservatives, including former President Donald Trump, calling on the government to "defund" the organization. Some of Berliner's NPR colleagues also took issue with the essay, with "Morning Edition" host Steve Inskeep writing on his Substack that the article was "filled with errors and omissions."

"The errors do make NPR look bad, because it's embarrassing that an NPR journalist would make so many," Inskeep wrote.

In the essay, Berliner wrote that NPR has always had a liberal bent, but that for most of his 25 year tenure it had retained an open-minded, curious culture. "In recent years, however, that has changed," he wrote. "Today, those who listen to NPR or read its coverage online find something different: the distilled worldview of a very small segment of the U.S. population."

Berliner added, "[W]hat's notable is the extent to which people at every level of NPR have comfortably coalesced around the progressive worldview. The "absence of viewpoint diversity" is "is the most damaging development at NPR," he wrote. 

After the essay's publication, NPR's top editor, Edith Chapin, said she strongly disagrees with Berliner's conclusions and is proud to stand behind NPR's work.

COVID coverage, DEI initiatives

Berliner criticized coverage of major events at NPR, singling out its reporting on COVID and Hunter Biden as problematic. With the first topic, he wrote that the network didn't cover a theory that COVID-19 had been created in a Chinese lab, a theory he claimed NPR staffers "dismissed as racist or a right-wing conspiracy."

He also took NPR for task for what he said was failing to report developments related to  Hunter Biden's laptop . "With the election only weeks away, NPR turned a blind eye," Berliner wrote. 

Berliner also criticized NPR for its internal management, citing what he claims is a growing focus on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives, or DEI.

"Race and identity became paramount in nearly every aspect of the workplace," Berliner wrote. "A growing DEI staff offered regular meetings imploring us to 'start talking about race'."

Inskeep said Berliner's essay left out the context that many other news organizations didn't report on Hunter Biden's laptop over questions about its authenticity. He also disputed Berliner's characterization that NPR editors and reporters don't debate story ideas. 

"The story is written in a way that is probably satisfying to the people who already believe it, and unpersuasive to anyone else — a mirror image of his critique of NPR," Inskeep wrote.

—With reporting by the Associated Press.

Aimee Picchi is the associate managing editor for CBS MoneyWatch, where she covers business and personal finance. She previously worked at Bloomberg News and has written for national news outlets including USA Today and Consumer Reports.

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Construction jobs changes reflect gradual shift in economic activity.

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Construction Employment Has Boomed Throughout Pandemic

Economic activity – growth and job creation – has remained remarkably strong for several years now. That resilience in the face of substantial headwinds such as higher interest rates and rising oil prices likely comes from a gradual shift in what is driving the economy. Much of economic growth since the start of the pandemic was carried by more consumer demand, fueled by pandemic relief legislation enacted in 2020 and 2021. As that extra boost to consumer demand disappeared, economic activity has gradually shifted to more investment spending by businesses and state and local governments. The composition of construction employment is one key area, where that shift is visible.

Construction employment falls roughly into three categories. Those include residential construction, non-residential construction and heavy engineering. Residential construction includes the work on single and multifamily housing. Non-residential construction comprises work on office building, manufacturing plants, new mines, among other commercial and government buildings. Heavy engineering refers to infrastructure related activities on roads, bridges, utility lines, canals and others.

Construction is a cyclical industry. It makes up a relatively small share of total economic growth and employment on average. But, it plays an outsized role during recessions and the early stages of an economic recovery. An economy will in general go the way the construction sector goes. Declining construction activity and employment will sharply increase the chance of a recession, while rising construction activity will raise the chances of a robust recovery.

Importantly, construction employment has grown slightly faster than overall job growth since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Construction employment grew from 5.0% of total employment in February 2020 to 5.2% in March 2024. In a remarkably strong labor market, construction jobs have been a particularly bright spot. The resilient recovery of the past four years has in part rested on the persistent strength of this sector.

But, construction is not a monolith. An economy that is largely driven by consumer spending should see stronger growth in residential construction employment than in non-residential construction and heavy engineering. People buy new houses and apartments. They also hire contractors to update and expand existing houses. In comparison, an economy, in which businesses and governments increase their investments should see faster growth in nonresidential construction and heavy engineering. Businesses are hiring more people to build factories, for instance, and governments hire more people to repair roads and bridges and update utility lines, among other things. These types of investments lay the foundation for stronger long-term growth in addition to buttressing the current economic expansion.

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Construction employment changes show two different economies over the past few years. First, employment in residential employment grew faster than nonresidential and heavy engineering employment. Throughout 2022, non-residential and heavy engineering employment accelerated while the growth of residential construction decelerated. By January 2023, the year-over-year growth of nonresidential and heavy engineering employment outpaced residential construction employment (see Figure below). As a result of these changes in growth patterns, the share of nonresidential construction and heavy engineering employment out of total construction jobs has increased from a low of 58.3% in May 2022 to 59.2% in March 2024.

Since Early 2023, Nonresidential Construction and Heavy Engineering Have Outpaced Residential ... [+] Construction Jobs.

The changing composition of construction employment reflects gradual changes in overall economic activity. Consumer spending, especially on consumer durables such as recreation equipment, carried the initial recovery from the depth of the pandemic induced recession. Boosts to people’s incomes from pandemic relief measures ended in late 2021. Households then gradually exhausted the extra savings they had built up. They also spent less on housing in the face of rising interest rates starting in 2022. By that time, though, spending from the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 and the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act of 2021 started to kick in, offsetting the weakening momentum in residential construction. Manufacturing construction shot up as did state and local government investments . The dynamics of construction employment are just one clear sign of the gradual changes the U.S. economy has been undergoing — from consumption to investment. The result is resilient economic growth that lays the foundation for faster growth down the road.

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Medical Lab Scientist - Transfusion Services - 3rd Shift

Durham, NC, US, 27710

At Duke Health, we're driven by a commitment to compassionate care that changes the lives of patients, their loved ones, and the greater community. No matter where your talents lie, join us and discover how we can advance health together.

About Duke University Health System Clinical Laboratories

Pursue your passion for caring and innovation as a team member in the state-of-the-art Duke Health laboratories. Duke Health laboratories are College of American Pathologists accredited and Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments certified. The multidisciplinary team is committed to serving the rare and complex testing needs of Duke Health's diverse patient population by providing timely and accurate results, educating the next generation of laboratorians, scientists and physicians, and researching and developing the cutting-edge diagnostics of tomorrow.

Occupational Summary

Perform a variety of routine and complex technical tasks in the performance of laboratory tests to obtain data for use in the diagnosis and treatment of disease. Job duties are dependent on the laboratory and may be composed of a combination of the following duties and responsibilities related to the specialization. Tasks are performed according to written procedures and policies with careful monitoring of quality control and quality assurance practices.

Work Performed

Perform a variety of tests in clinical laboratories using standard techniques and equipment; perform related duties in the laboratory to include specimen handling, using manual and automatic equipment to test specimens, and perform and report analytical tests. Operate manual or computerized instrumentation. Calibrate and maintain instrumentation according to standard operating procedure. Process patient samples for testing using appropriate identification techniques and written procedures to ensure quality material for testing. Perform basic troubleshooting of assay problems as directed by senior staff. Communicate problems/issues to appropriate individuals. Maintain inventory of supplies and equipment. Participate in the development of new medical laboratory tests and techniques. Participate in the preparation for lab inspections. Review lab inspection documents and procedures to maintain knowledge. Bring any non-compliance issues to the attention of upper-level staff. Perform proficiency testing as directed to maintain compliance with regulatory agencies. Document quality control and quality assurance results. Notify upper-level personnel of instrument malfunctions or unusual or unexpected data or results. Review written procedures and policies for accuracy and submit changes to manager or designee. Understand, comply, and perform all necessary safety procedures. Maintain compliance with safety training. Report all safety incidents within 24 hours. Attend all laboratory meetings, safety and compliance training as required. Comply with competency testing procedures for the laboratory staff. Comply with laboratory training programs. May provide technical guidance and instruction to students, interns, residents, staff, and other employees. Perform other related duties incidental to the work described herein. Use behaviors that support achievement of balanced scorecard targets and support DUHS (Duke University Health System) values. Consistently cooperate and communicate effectively with co-workers to ensure effective workflow.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Level characteristics.

Within the clinical laboratories we embrace Duke's purpose, placing the patient at the center of everything we do. We do this by demonstrating behaviors that focus on delivering patient-and family-centered care and embodying the values that promote a positive work culture. We expect every team member to commit to these values and hold each other accountable in the spirit of mutual respect and belonging.

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor's of Science/Bachelor of Arts in Chemical, Physical, Biological or Clinical Laboratory Science; or Medical Technology required. Minimum educational or experience requirements may be modified on a on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of the CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment) director if minimal CLIA (Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendment) requirements are met by the employee for the tasks being performed.

None required

Degrees, Licensures, Certifications

Certification preferred.

Duke is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends on the robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essentialjob functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Nearest Major Market: Durham Nearest Secondary Market: Raleigh

Duke is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual’s age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, or veteran status. Read more about Duke’s commitment to affirmative action and nondiscrimination at hr.duke.edu/eeo.

Preferred Deposits- Client Service Representative II - Ft Worth - 1st Shift

Job Description:

At Bank of America, we are guided by a common purpose to help make financial lives better through the power of every connection. Responsible Growth is how we run our company and how we deliver for our clients, teammates, communities and shareholders every day.

One of the keys to driving Responsible Growth is being a great place to work for our teammates around the world. We’re devoted to being a diverse and inclusive workplace for everyone. We hire individuals with a broad range of backgrounds and experiences and invest heavily in our teammates and their families by offering competitive benefits to support their physical, emotional, and financial well-being.

Bank of America believes both in the importance of working together and offering flexibility to our employees. We use a multi-faceted approach for flexibility, depending on the various roles in our organization.

Working at Bank of America will give you a great career with opportunities to learn, grow and make an impact, along with the power to make a difference. Join us!

Job Description: This job is responsible for resolving routine client requests through calls, chats, or emails in an inbound contact center environment. Key responsibilities include working in a challenging environment, ensuring accuracy, using logic, multi-tasking, toggling between systems, and communicating resolutions while delivering a great client experience. Job expectations include providing seamless service delivery by answering client questions, resolving problems, providing appropriate account maintenance, and looking for opportunities to deepen relationships through digital solutions.

Required Qualifications:

•  Displays passion, integrity, commitment and drive to deliver a positive, differentiated service that improves our clients’ financial lives. • Fully understands how life events can impact a client’s financial situation and is prepared to actively advise solutions and analyze/resolve complex client problems through creative solutions. • Has a commitment to excellent attendance with proven reliability and can adhere to the agreed upon work schedule. • Has a dependable team-player attitude with an understanding that calls must be handled immediately, including weekends and holidays. • Communicates effectively and confidently with all clients to make their financial lives better. • Has the ability to engage with clients – begin a conversation, anticipate what questions a client will have, actively share information using plain language, build rapport, and handle objections. • Is comfortable receiving ongoing performance feedback and coaching. • Has the ability to learn and adapt to new information and technology platforms. • Has at least an intermediate level of proficiency with computers and current technology. • Has 1+ years of customer/client service experience, including experience handling difficult client situations.

Desired Qualifications:

•  1+ years of experience in the banking/financial industry. • 1+ years of experience working in a client service capacity.

Minimum Education Requirement: Null

Hours Per Week:

Weekly Schedule:

Referral Bonus Amount:

Hours Per Week: 

Learn more about this role

[Music in background throughout]

At Bank of America, I get to make a difference every day.

On screen copy:

Client Service Representative

[Employee wearing a headset, speaking with clients on the phone.]

As a Client Service Representative, I assist clients over the phone with everything from resetting their account passwords to explaining how to deposit checks through the mobile banking app.

Best part of my job is knowing that I’m helping clients’ financial lives run smoothly

The best part about my job is knowing that I’m helping clients’ financial lives run more smoothly.

Work with my manager to evaluate and improve performance

[Employee speaking with his manager at his work station.]

An important part of my job is being able to accept feedback from my manager, who is always reviewing my performance against key metrics to identify areas for improvement.

I have to be open to learning new technology on an ongoing basis, always adapting to new systems and new ways of doing things. It’s all part of evolving and being adaptable.

I'm a dependable team-player, and I understand that calls must be handled immediately, including weekends and holidays.

My job is to be every client’s advocate

Sometimes I deal with unhappy clients, but it’s my job to be every client’s advocate. It can be hard, but it can also be extremely rewarding to know that clients rely on me to take ownership to solve their issues or concerns.

I earn more based on my work performance

I love that I can earn more here based on my work performance.

Competitive Benefits

-        Paid Time Off

-        Tuition Reimbursement

-        401(k)

-        Health, Dental & Vision

-        Career Planning

-        Child Care Reimbursement for Income-Eligible Employees

And the competitive benefits such as child care reimbursement and generous paid time off don’t hurt either.

Trained by the award-winning Academy at Bank of America

The Academy at Bank of America

Dedicated Support

Dedicated Training Time

Classroom Training

I was set up for success from day one with the onboarding I received through the award-winning Academy at Bank of America.  There was dedicated support, dedicated training time and classroom training.

The Academy’s defined career paths and ongoing development opportunities are what have enabled me to thrive in my career.

[Client Service Representatives standing around a white board applauding high customer satisfaction data.]

My team continues to support me in reaching my goals every day.

We even use scorecards to keep track of our progress and to encourage each other along the way.

Can get promoted within current department or move to another one

There’s also a ton of potential for growth in this role, whether I want to get promoted in my area or eventually move to another one at Bank of America.

My manager is always available to help talk through my goals.

I’m proud to work for a company that values every employee for our differences, and urges us to be our true selves in the workplace.

I know Bank of America is invested in helping me reach my full potential, so I can help my clients reach theirs.

We all have goals. Pursue yours at Bank of America.

Bank of America ® logo

Learn more: bankofamerica.com/Careers

On screen disclosures:

Bank of America and its affiliates recruit and hire qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, color, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, protected veteran or disability, or any factor prohibited by law, and as such affirms in policy and practice to support and promote the concepts of equal employment opportunity and affirmative action, in accordance with all applicable federal, state, provincial and municipal laws. We also prohibit discrimination on other bases such as ancestry, medical condition, or marital status under applicable laws. Candidates must possess authorization to work in the United States, as it is not the practice of Bank of America to sponsor individuals for work visas.

Bank of America, N.A. Member FDIC. ©2023 Bank of America Corporation.

[End of transcript]

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