Where is your next job?

Even in these uncertain times for business, people are planning for the future. If you were already looking for a career change before the lockdown, you may now be staying put or perhaps looking in a completely different sector. As the lockdown situation eases, companies are starting to look at how to enable their employees to return to their offices. It’s often nerve-wracking beginning a job hunt, but if you’re starting to look now, where exactly are you looking?

Transferable skills

Several of the criteria for looking for a new job have changed over the last few months. As we’ve discussed in earlier posts, some sectors have thrived during lockdown, while others will be considerably reshaped following the crisis. If you are working in a sector that you think might be affected, such as a company that is scaling back its operations and consequently its staff, it may be worth seeing which of your transferable skills can take you into an allied sector. Look at how your skills will prepare you for other roles. There are many talents such as leadership, planning and organisational skills that will be applicable across a range of sectors. The medium may change, but the message will be the same. Look beyond the confines of ‘an industry’ and see how you could fit into new roles.

A place of work

In many cases, people have come to appreciate their local area and have not missed the commute to work. Home working was already something many workers were pursuing before lockdown, but the current situation has led to it becoming widespread and the norm. As a result of this, location has sometimes decreased in importance. You could work for a company 10 miles away, 50 miles away or in another country just as easily as you could work for a firm just down the road.  What this has proved is that many roles can be completed from home without losing productivity levels.

Redrawing the map

It’s also interesting now that if one person from a household or relationship has to relocate for their job – or secures a job in a different geographical region – it does mean the person’s partner doesn’t necessarily have to change their jobs too. They can work remotely from a new location, or the person can work from their current location for their new employer. This level of flexibility adds a whole new dimension to the world of work and job seeking. Some managers prefer to have their teams in front of them, and some teams like to be managed in person, but in the future it’s more likely to be a combination of the two.

Island living

An interesting twist on this thinking is illustrated by the Barbados Welcome Stamp scheme. If you can work remotely, the beautiful island of Barbados in the Caribbean has found an interesting way of countering the economic challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic. It is offering some great opportunities for anyone who can answer yes to the question: “Need a change of scenery? Can you work anywhere, as long as you have access to the Internet?” The island is offering a special visa for remote workers who want to work and live in Barbados. The new 12-month Barbados Welcome Stamp allows anyone who qualifies to be based in one of the world’s most beloved tourism destinations. With the tagline ‘Work from Paradise’ this novel initiative has redefined what it means to be ‘working remotely’. You really never know where your next job will take you.