A couple of weeks ago the BBC published an article about the job-hunting experiences of people who graduated in 2008 in the midst of the last recession.
There was some really helpful advice in it which I’ve summarised below:
- Accept that things don’t always work out.
- Don’t sit around waiting to be given something.
- Be prepared to regroup and ask: “What do I need to do to move forward?”
- Be willing to consider entry level jobs to get your foot in the door.
- Be open to opportunities that you may not have planned for.
- Recognise that regardless of level or type of work, you’ll pick up skills & knowledge that will be valuable for the future.
- Actively seek roles that will help you develop skills that you can use in the future.
- See jobs as opportunities to develop contacts.
- Recognise you may have digital skills & knowledge that you take for granted which people older than you don’t have.
- Accept that we no longer live in a world where people go to university, get a job, stay for life, and get a nice retirement package at the end with a watch.
- Stay positive.
- Don’t be afraid to ask for help.
The last point is especially important.
All too often, people who are mid-career don’t think of asking for help because… well, we’re all grown-up, aren’t we? We tend to take for granted the fact that we know what we’re doing. But when it comes to thinking about careers and working out how to move forwards, most of us don’t know what we’re doing – not really. The only way I learned about careers was by being trained as a career coach. And that took six years!
So if the worst has happened and you’re now in a situation that you weren’t expecting to be in, please feel free to get in touch. We can have an initial chat to discuss how career coaching might help you.
