Telltale Signs Your Career Needs a Makeover

Telltale Signs Your Career Needs a MakeoverTelltale Signs Your Career Needs a MakeoverIs your career in need of a makeover? Do you feel like your professional life is at a standstill? Is it time to upskill your credentials so you can move your career forward? How do youknow when its time to seriously consider whether youre stuck in a career or a job, and its time for a reboot? There might elend be a single glaring warning sign, though there are some indicators that you can look for if youre not sure where your career is going. It could be something as simple as a feeling in your gut that its time for a change. It could be more complicated to make a change if youre working in anindustry thats in declineor has ahigh level of wage stagnation. Warning Signs to Watch For Besides having a sense that all is not right, there are some warning signs that could indicate that youve reached a point in your career where you need to make a transition. That could meanstarting a job search,consid ering a long-term career change, or upgrading your credentials to give your career a quick-as-possible makeover to reposition yourself as a competitive employee or candidate for a new job. If any of the following are happening to you, it may be an indicator that you need to revamp Youre not getting promoted. Areother employees getting promotedwhile youre not getting considered? If you arent in line for a promotion, or if you areapplying for new jobs within your companyand not getting them, one of the reasons could be that your skills arent current.Yourenot getting raises. Does it feel like youve been getting the same pay rate almost forever? In general, pay raises arent high, with theaverage increase for 2019 at 2.9 percent. But there could be otherreasons that you arent being considered for a raiseor only getting a small one. You feel stuck in your job.When you feel like youre stuck in your job and theres no way to move up the career ladder ortransfer laterally into a positionthats a better fit, think about what you could do to change the dynamic. The longer you stay, the harder it will be to move on.You hate going to work.The fact that you cringe at the thought of going to work might be a warning sign that you need a career makeover. Keep in mind, however, that it may just be the job that you hateand you dont need to pursue other career options. Your hours are getting cut back. If yourwork scheduleseems to be including fewer and fewer hours, it may be an indicator that you are lacking some of the skills the employer needs to get the job done.If youre a freelancer, youre not finding gigs. The same holds true for freelancers. If your client base is shrinking and youre not able to line up enough new gigs to pay the bills, you may not have the in-demand skills that are necessary for success in agig economy.Job openings are scarce.In a strong job market, there should be plenty of opportunities for candidates who are seeking a new job. If youre spending a lot of t ime onjob sitesbut not seeing many listings when you search for openings, take the time to investigate why not. Perhaps you need toswitch up the keywordsyoure using to search, or there may simply not be a large volume of jobs for someone with your qualifications. Nobody wants to hire you.Youre actively applying for jobs but having difficulty getting hired. There are manyreasons why you may not have gotten the job, but one of them could be that there are other candidates that are more qualified than you are.Your skills are obsolete.If your resume or LinkedIn profile still says that youre an expert in Windows Vista or at using a telephone switchboard or any other vintage technologies, it could be hurting your chances of getting hired. There are someskills that should be left off your resumebecause they will label you as dated. Youre being replaced by automation. Is your job indanger of being taken over by automation?Employers are continuing to rely more on computers and robots to do t he jobs that people used to do. It probably wont happen right away, but if you are in one of those occupations, consider what youll do when your job is gone.You work in a shrinking career field or industry. When youre working in one ofthe best industries for jobs, upgrading your skills and making a change can be relatively easy. When youre working in anindustry thats losing jobs, evaluate whattransferable skillsyou have that can be used in another sector. Tips for Making Over Your Career One of the best ways to makeover your career is to upgrade yourskill set. Upskilling, the term used to describe learning new skills and enhancing those you already have, is one of the best ways to get your career back on track. All the skills you learn can beincluded on your resumeandin your LinkedIn summary. Depending on your career track, you may need to go back to school to continue your education, or you can supplement your credentials by taking online courses, earning a certificate, partic ipating in a boot camp, or attending professional development classes. Start by learningwhat skills are in demand, and then explore career options that match the skills that interest you the most. Take acareer assessment or two - many are free - to help you line up possible matches. Think outside the box. What would you love to do next in your career vs. what can you do with your current credentials? Now is a good time to consider all possible options. Then take some time totalk to people in your networkwho are working in fields of interest. What do they like best about what they are doing? What dont they like? If you are looking at career options that require a degree, take a look at thepotential return on investment(how much youll boost your wages) for the degree that youre considering. When earning a new degree isnt in your budget, take classes to acquire the new and more relevant skills youll need for jobs of interest. Certificate programsandboot campsare lower cost ways of ga ining the skills you need for a career makeover. Attend as many conferences and professional development programs as you can to learn and to connect with people who can help your career. There are manyonline coursesthat are free or low-cost. Even taking a few courses can bolster your resume and help you transition to a new position or industry. Dont forget to add everything new to your resume and LinkedIn profile. Also, remember that a career isnt a one- or two-step process. Your career will most likely be transitioning over your working lifetime. Making it a point to keep upskilling, even when youre not actively job searching, will ensurethatyouare well-positioned tomakeover your career whenever the timing is right for a change.