Feeling stuck in your career journey? What is the best next step to take? Knowing where you are in your career journey makes getting the help and advice you need to move forward easier. According to E2i, the Employment and Employability Institute, there are usually four career stages in which you could find yourself: from being completely lost about what to do with your life to being employed and amid a job but concerned about upskilling for the future.

Each stage of your career journey comes with doubts and challenges, but the good news is that you can always do something about it and aren’t alone!

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟭: 𝗜 𝗔𝗺 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗟𝗼𝘀𝘁
You don’t need to be a fresh graduate to feel lost about what job suits you best. You could be completely lost even during a career switch or returning to the workforce after many years of hiatus. The job landscape and workplaces change rapidly. What was once considered an  ‘essential skill’ may now be obsolete. What seems unrelated to your industry of choice could now be a compulsory requirement.

With so much information, options, and now unfamiliar hiring practices, where do you start finding a job? What steps should you take? Well, first, take a deep breath. The most important thing to be doing when you’re feeling completely lost in your career is to assess yourself:

• What are your strengths and interests?
• What values do you hold dear?
• What are you looking for in a job?
• What are your current skillsets?

The more you know about yourself, the easier it will be to narrow your options and focus on what’s best for you. Your answers to these questions will change over time, so do this self-check when your circumstances change. Use these SkillsFuture Assessments to get started!

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟮: 𝗜 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗪𝗮𝗻𝘁, 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗜 𝗗𝗼𝗻’𝘁 𝗞𝗻𝗼𝘄 𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗧𝗼 𝗗𝗼!
If ‘lost’ doesn’t quite describe where you’re at in your career journey, this stage of your career could be where you’re at. You know what job or industry you’d like to enter; you may even know which company you’d like to apply for. But what are your chances of landing that job? Do you have the skills required for it? Will this job help you achieve the goals you’ve identified in the previous stage? Is there a future for career progression if you pursue this now? If this is you, then the first thing you need to be doing is more research.

You need to understand the industry. Know what’s in demand in it that you’re interested in. Research the projected growth of your industry in the next five to ten years. Explore future trends, read news about the challenges and roadblocks the sector faces and find out what skillsets other employees of your desired rank possess.

A deeper understanding of the industry you’re interested in, whether through online research or talking to people who work in the field, will give you a better idea of what to expect should you decide to pursue the job or career.

Here are some comprehensive national frameworks rolled out across 23 industries that you should know about before researching in detail.

Next, bridge your skill gaps. Should you still pursue a job or career that – after some research – you find you’re not entirely equipped for? You can.

If you’re enthusiastic about the prospects of your desired industry despite your current limitations, there’s no need to settle for less. Look at the skills required to get where you want to be, then bridge those gaps! This might mean pursuing further education. But if a formal qualification is not necessary, enrol yourself in applicable SkillsFuture courses or other training programmes to develop those new skills.

Learning new skills is good, even if you decide to stick to what’s familiar to you. Throughout your career, you should continue upskilling because that’s the best way to stay relevant and have something to contribute to in the workplace, no matter where that may be.

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟯: 𝗔𝗺𝗶𝗱 𝗝𝗼𝗯 𝗛𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴
After figuring out what job you want, you’d send job applications and await replies. Why is there no response? Do you need to improve your resume? Or maybe you still need to apply for a job. You’ve been scrolling through job listings (instead of Instagram) all day, ensuring you take advantage of better opportunities.

Either way, welcome to the most stressful part of your career journey – the hunting stage! At this stage in your career, there’s much to do— almost too much. You’ve got resumes and cover letters to write, familiarise yourself with job interview techniques, take practice tests, and network for more opportunities. Which should you prioritise doing first? Who can you ask to review your resume and cover letter before sending it out? Where do you even go to find the right resources for writing that resume and cover letter in the first place?

Get guidance from job-hunting experts who have seen it all! Human resource consultants like those at People Profilers are experienced in helping people get their dream jobs. They are the best people to look for if you need step-by-step guidance when job hunting. From finding job opportunities that suit your goals to teaching you the best way to answer tricky interview questions, human resource consultants have connections with people in the industry and knowledge from many years of helping others find similar jobs. The best part is that you’ll have someone to share all that job-hunting stress with! But if you need more time before approaching a consultant, don’t worry. Here are some articles from our blog that can help you get started:

• How Long Does It Really Take To Get A New Job?
• Cover Letter: Is it still essential or not?
• 5 Things To Do Before Your Job Interview

𝗦𝘁𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝟰: 𝗜’𝗺 𝗘𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗱 𝗕𝘂𝘁 𝗨𝗻𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘆
This might be the final of the four career stages, but it is not the end of your career journey. After all, you wish for a job with better compensation or prospects and return to the job-hunting stage. Or you may decide to do a mid-career switch later on, as circumstances in your life change. This could potentially mean that you’d be starting over from the beginning.

At this stage, you might have settled down and found employment. You’re getting the hang of your daily work requirements and doing your best to hand over deliverables on time, communicate with clients, and maintain good work-life balance. But there’s a nagging feeling at the back of your mind that you should be doing more. Should you continue looking for another job? Should you learn new skills or attend seminars to increase your employability? Why do you still feel discontent despite being employed?

A career journey is like a life journey – it doesn’t end until you retire. That means preparing yourself for the long haul and navigating the twists and turns that come your way. It would help if you continued upskilling yourself where possible. Do put some research into the future of your industry just so you can anticipate its needs. Learn how to operate new technologies and software to optimise your workflow. Pursue hobbies or pick up skills that seem unrelated to your line of work – who knows if they’ll come in handy one day.

Be curious about the world and ask questions, even if you’ve been in the field for a long time. Sometimes, talking to younger colleagues can give you a fresh perspective on the field that’s been changing. Get to know new people outside your usual circle of friends and discover their thoughts about industry trends. There’s a world beyond the oyster of your job, even though sometimes it seems like work consumes every aspect of your life.

Take a deep breath – again – and learn new things about yourself, your strengths, weaknesses, and your latest goals in life. Perhaps your findings will help you in the next leg of your career journey! If you need professional guidance at any point in your career journey, contact our experienced consultants and start your career journey with us today!