New Year New Career – 2022 Predictions!

As we bid farewell to 2021, it may have left you re-evaluating your career and thinking about what 2022 will hold for you. If you are job searching right now or considering your options, here are 3 career transition predictions and what actions you can take to make 2022 your Happy New Career.

Career Changers

In 2021 stories evolved around ‘The Great Resignation ‘and we expect this will continue into 2022.  Job seekers are re-evaluating their career and exploring alternative roles and industries.  Job seekers are becoming increasingly drawn to organisations with strong corporate social responsibilities and want to work in places that care for the planet as well as profit.

If you are considering a change in direction, there are a number of ways to identify ideas and options for new careers.

• Conduct a self-analysis – make a list of strengths, transferable skills and career priorities important to you. Reflect on your career to date, what responsibilities have you enjoyed the most (or least) What else is important? Salary, industry, location, remote working?
• Search job boards - look at online job boards such as indeed.co.uk to understand the market demand against your self-analysis. Start broad and search using skills as key words than job titles to generate results and options you may not have discovered before.
• Research organisations – there may be a particular organisation or industry that appeals to you or shares the same values. Look at their social media pages to understand more about company culture and the experience they look for.

Digital Skills Requirements

 Since the pandemic, roles in AI, Data and Digital Marketing have been on the rise. Digital skills are essential requirements for employment in the United Kingdom and are no longer limited to tech and online roles.

If you are seeking your next career move and have identified a skills gap, use your time to upskill to get ahead of the competition. There are lots of free online courses and training available to help you bridge any gaps or learn new skills.

• LinkedIn's free self-paced courses help individuals upskill in the most in-demand roles
• Alison, Google Garage and Future Learn offer free online courses too

Values & Strength Based Interview Processes

Values & Strength Based Interviews were on the rise in 2021 and are likely to dominate the interview process in 2022. More companies introduced values, strengths and diversity & inclusion within their interview process to ensure candidates values and goals aligned with those of the organisation.

If you are preparing for an interview in 2022, expect to discuss strengths, soft skills and values. The hiring manager or recruiter is trying to get a sense of who you are in a short space of time. The questions are often open and may also be non-work related including:

• What energises you? How would others describe you?
• How do you remain resilient during challenging times? How do you feel about deadlines?
• What are your values? What does Diversity, Equality and Inclusion mean to you?

Most hiring managers will have a selection of questions, but don’t be surprised if the interview feels more like a conversation. In a strength or value-based interview you have less opportunity to prepare and rehearse your responses, meaning that interview questions are more likely to bring out authentic responses. It is always worth researching the company website or reviewing the job description to understand the strengths, soft skills required for the role and the company’s values to ensure your values align.

Renovo is one of the UK’s leading providers of outplacement and career transition support. We work with both organisations and individuals to support all their career transition requirements. If you would like to understand how Renovo can help you please call 0800 612 2011 or email info@renovo.co.uk