New technologies mean new economies, new ways of doing business and new roles attracting people with new skillsets. More and more people are attracted to job opportunities arising from technology breakthroughs in innovation companies and fast growth sectors across the industry spectrum. Yet, it is not the lure of glamorous new roles in exciting companies that is whetting professional appetites for career change. The prospect of doing something you love in an environment that caters to your needs and wants, and the promise of more career fulfillment, flexibility, growth and autonomy are also amongst the top triggers for wanting a career change. Fortunately, it has never been easier or more common and acceptable to throw in the towel on an old career path and embrace a new one. Here are a few tips from the career experts at Bayt.com if you are looking to make that mid-career transition.
Interestingly, while some professionals have a very clear sense of purpose and knowledge of where their passions and interests lie, others may still be soul searching. This is the time to really ask yourself what your life objectives are, what motivates you and makes you happy and what you imagine yourself doing for the foreseeable future that would fulfill you, excite you and agree with your values and life priorities. In the Middle East for example, five in 10 professionals want to work for a company where they feel their work is part of a greater purpose, while seven in 10 wouldn’t work for a company they aren’t proud of, as revealed in the Bayt.com ’What Makes a Company an Attractive Place to Work?‘ poll, February 2014. You should make your ultimate objectives in planning a career move clear as well. For many, the optimal way forward may not turn out to be a career trajectory as a full-time corporate employee in a known corporate entity but rather a consulting or freelance job arrangement or embracing the riskier realm of entrepreneurship in a field you love and where you feel you can really make a difference in.
Once you are clear on a path you wish to take, it’s time to brush up on the skills you need to excel in the new role. Remember, you bring to the table a slew of transferable skills and today’s workplace is all about self-learning. The Bayt.com ‘Learning in the Workplace in the MENA poll,’ March 2015, shows that 97% of professionals in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region are very dedicated to lifelong learning. Tools such as the Bayt.com Career Map can help you find out the skills that are higher in demand by employers, and those that can help you stay competitive in the job market. They can also show you which types of training or certifications can be beneficial for your new career. Employers often hire people with no direct experience in the field but the hunger drive ambition energy and willingness to learn that is required. In fact, the Bayt.com ‘Hiring Practices in the MENA’ poll, January 2012, has shown that 28% of MENA employers consider ‘hunger, drive and ambition’ to be the most important thing they consider when making a hiring decision. Bayt.com Tests are another great way to assess your current skillset and determine what you need to improve.
Naturally, you must be up-to-date with the latest trends in the job market before making a career move. One important facet of researching an employer, for example, includes going through company profile pages and connecting with them on social media. Bayt.com Company Profiles are a great place to start. As a matter of fact, 80% of professionals check a company’s online profile before applying for a job, as stated in the Bayt.com ‘Social Recruiting in the Middle East and North Africa’ poll, October 2014. By doing this, you can find out more about a company’s corporate culture and decide for yourself if you can fit in. Another important tool to affirm your career choices is Bayt.com Salaries. Through Bayt.com Salaries you can determine the average salary paid for your target position in various companies and across industries. 95% of job seekers find researching average salaries important when accepting a new job offer, as per the Bayt.com ‘Recruitment Practices in the MENA‘ poll, May 2015.
Life is rife with opportunities – as long as you’re present in the right places. In order to ensure that chances don’t simple pass you by, be sure to make full use of the latest online technologies. First and foremost, you must apply to jobs strategically and not at random. Secondly, enhance your job application and expose your professional brand to the right audience by getting a professional profile which will help you become instantly searchable on main search engines such as Google. Thirdly, join and become a part of industry-related discussions on platforms such as Bayt.com Specialties where you can establish your expertise in a specific field and network with employers. Actually, the Bayt.com ‘Recruitment Practices in the MENA‘ poll has shown that 82% of employers think it would be beneficial to interact with candidates on dedicated professional networks. In order to be successful, you should adopt a holistic strategy to ensure that you have not left anything to fate, and this will ultimately aid your career change plans.
Finally, one of the most vital elements to accelerate your career change is networking vigorously. Networking in this sense does not imply a simple exchange of information and contact details; it means meeting the right people and developing mutually-beneficial relationships over a period of time. Fortunately, there are numerous physical and virtual avenues through which professionals can network and engage in this day and age. The most common methods to network are through career fairs and industry fairs, conferences and exhibitions. Bayt.com also holds annual virtual job fairs through which you can meet employers online, at any time, no matter where you are in the world. Finally, with a Bayt.com Public Profile you can follow influential people in your field and contact them for your professional questions and needs. 36% of respondents in the Bayt.com ‘Recruitment Practices in the MENA‘ poll feel that online professional websites are the most effective method of networking above everything else.
