Career Changers Seek Better Work-Life Balance, Ahead of Better Pay: FlexJobs Survey

By Justin Johnson.
Updated Aug 16, 2021

BOULDER, Colo. (PRWEB) August 16, 2021 - Today FlexJobs announced new survey results from over 4,600 workers, delivering insight into the rising trend of career changers amid a changing workplace. FlexJobs' 10th Annual Survey found that currently sixty-eight percent of respondents would consider changing careers, and an additional nineteen percent would consider changing careers for an amazing opportunity. Only 5 percent currently say they are happy in their current profession.

The number one reason cited for wanting to change careers was seeking a career with better work-life balance (56 percent), ahead of wanting higher pay (50 percent). Top reasons for wanting to change careers include:

When asked how difficult they anticipated a career change to be, most are relatively optimistic:

Since the pandemic started, our coaching team experienced an uptick in the number of people seeking information about whats involved in changing careers, and how to do it successfully, and those requests have really spiked in the last month, said Brie Reynolds, Career Development Manager and Coach at FlexJobs. Transitioning to a different career is a challenging undertaking, but if you're doing it for the right reasons, it can be a wonderful decision full of professional rewards, Reynolds concluded.

To assist those who are unclear if changing careers is the right move for them, FlexJobs Career Coaching team has compiled important warning signs that ones current career is no longer a good fit. Top signs include:

1. Youre physically burned out 2. Your productivity has dropped 3. Work isnt challenging anymore 4. Youre not invested in the companys success 5. You strongly and regularly experience the Sunday night blues 6. The future for your career path looks bleak 7. Youre second guessing your career choices 8. You daydream about a new career more than you engage with your current one

If these warning signs resonate, FlexJobs' coaches recommend workers ask themselves the following questions that can help determine if a career change is truly in order.

1. Do I actually want a career change or just a new job? 2. Do I really know what is involved in switching to this new career? 3. Would I take the risk in hiring a career changer who has my experience, skills, and abilities? 4. Would I take a pay cut to make the change? 5. Am I willing to start in a lower position than the one I currently have? 6. Do I have the dedication to attain the education and/or skills that Ill need in order to work in this field? 7. Do I like my field, but just need more flexibility in my job?

To help the large number of workers who have decided to transition to another career field, FlexJobs Career Coaching team recommends updating ones resume very strategically, and consider the following three tips:

Headline A resume headline is a one-line statement that provides top-level information about the candidate. When changing careers, it is virtually important to communicate in the language of that new field immediately in this section. Research and mimic the keywords and jargon of the industry in ones resume and all application materials to demonstrate you are educated around the ins and outs of that particular profession.

Focus on transferable skills One of the most important factors in making a successful career change is translating your best skills from your previous career so employers can see that youre a great fit, even if youre coming from a different field. Top transferable skills include problem solving, analytical reasoning and critical thinking.

Format Depending on the type of career shift, one may need to consider formatting the resume differently. For the creative field, for example, a standard text-based resume may not be appropriate. Research what the common resume looks like in that new field and apply appropriately. In addition, if you dont have a lot of experience in your new career, consider moving the professional development and transferable skills to the top of your resume.

The Coaching Team has also shared specific career change resume examples on how updating experience descriptions and using the right keywords can create a more targeted resume for a new career path. These examples can be viewed here: https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/how-to-translate-skills-on-your-resume-for-a-career-change/

Throughout August, FlexJobs has planned a number of webinars to assist career changers:

*FlexJobs created the survey, which was promoted to general audiences and its subscribers/members primarily through social media and newsletters. FlexJobs used a multiple choice and multi-select question format via Survey Monkeys online platform. The survey ran from July 21, 2021 to August 9, 2021.

Demographic breakdown of the 4,612 respondents: Gender: women (76%), men (23%), prefer not to identify (1%); Generation: Gen Z (7%), millennial/Gen Y (32%), Gen X (39%), baby boomer (21%), The Silent Generation (1%); Education: less than a high school degree (1%), high school degree or equivalent (8%), some college but no degree (17%), associate or bachelors degree (49%), graduate degree (25%); Career level: entry-level (17%), experienced (54%), manager (18%), senior-level manager (11%); 36% had children 18 or younger living at home with them.

For more information, please visit https://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/career-changers-seek-better-balance-ahead-pay-flexjobs-survey/or contact Kathy Gardner at kgardner@flexjobs.com.

About FlexJobs FlexJobs is the leading career service specializing in remote and flexible jobs, with over 100 million people having used its resources since 2007. FlexJobs provides the largest database of vetted remote and flexible job listings, from entry-level to executive, startups to public companies, part-time to full-time and freelance. To support job seekers in all phases of their journey, FlexJobs also offers expert advice and career coaching services. In addition, FlexJobs works with leading companies to recruit quality remote talent and optimize their remote and flexible workplace. A trusted source for data, trends, and insight, FlexJobs has been cited in top national outlets, including CNN, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, CNBC, Forbes magazine, and many more. Follow FlexJobs on LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok and YouTube.