For many people, the coronavirus pandemic has been a time of great personal stress. Most people know several people who have contracted the virus and might even know people who have contracted and lost their battle with it.
Even without contracting the virus, this has been a stressful time for so many who have been laid off or furloughed due to the lack of work in their areas. Hunting for a job during this crisis has been more difficult than usual. We are now seeing that businesses have settled into a new normal and they are once again hiring for open positions.
This is great news for people who have been out of work for many months already. However, it is more than just people who are out of work who are looking for these newly available openings.
Is This A Good Time to Change Jobs?
Whether the time is right for you to leave your job to look for a new job, or even a new career is a very personal decision. No one can tell you if the time is right or not. If you are in a job where you are extremely unhappy and you are looking for a change, then you have to make the decision as to whether the time is right.
The only advice we could give objectively is that in most cases, it is not a good idea to quit a job if you don’t have a new one to go to. There are exceptions here, but it then goes back to the decision being a personal one and what is right for you.
There are Advantages to Looking for a New Job Now
Many companies have made the decision to keep employees remote. Some companies have even vacated their expensive office space with the plan of having most people remain at home. Some companies are mandating that employees come into the office as soon as they are legally, and logistically able to do so.
As more companies begin to allow for a greater amount of flexibility, positions within those companies are going to be more sought after. Having more companies being flexible about working from home, also extends the range to which they are able to search for a job. People are no longer tied to a certain area for desk jobs. For deskless jobs, such as trade jobs, healthcare, and most services, working form home is not an option, so they continue to be tied to jobs within a certain geographical range.
Learning a new Skill
For many people, this is a great time to focus on expanding their knowledge within their field or even taking on a new area of study. The pandemic has caused a greater demand in some areas and it has cause other industries to struggle. Keeping an eye on the job market is always a good idea and adjusting your expectations and your goals is a great way to keep up with the changes in the market.
If you can take advantage of the changing landscape and learn a new skill that gives you an advantage in a growing field than you are going to have an easier time adjusting, and in that case, taking the leap into a new job or career is a great idea.
You have to be happy at work
There are many excuses people make for staying in a job they do not like. The benefits are too good or the job is convenient based on its location. Even if people are unhappy in a job, they can rationalize staying for any number of reasons.
If you are unhappy in your current position, there is no reason not to begin the process of looking for a new position. You have the time to get your resume up-to-date and begin to put out feelers and test the waters.
There are a lot of opportunities out there if you look hard enough. Whether it is the right time is a personal decision that you have to make, however, as we see the job market open up, now is a great time begin your search.
