Tips to Make a Successful Career Transition in 2022
Is 2022 the year you should pivot your skills and experience into a career in construction? The industry looks set to boom, and there is a skills shortage in construction that companies are desperate to fill.
Not only could switching careers into the construction industry make the best use of your skills that are underutilized in your current role, but it could also be a very financially rewarding move. Analysis of research data by Bloomberg found that construction workers who changed jobs realize 8.7% annual wage growth ─ while those who stayed with their current employer saw only a 4% salary increase.
Why Are You Considering a Career Change?
First things first, why are you thinking about changing your career path?
If you are considering a change in your career path, you’re certainly not alone. A study last year found that 6-in-10 American workers are considering a job change. Why are you thinking about a change in direction? The main reasons people seek to change their career include:
- To increase their pay (39%)
- Their employer’s values and philosophies no longer match their own
- Poor management
- A desire for greater flexibility and improvement in work/life balance
- Dissatisfaction with their jobs and lack of career progression/self-development
Do any of these resonate with you? Each is a good enough reason on its own to make a move. The more of them that are playing on your mind, the more strongly you should consider pivoting into construction.
Why the Construction Industry Could Be Perfect for You
So, you’ve reviewed the list of reasons you want out of your current career, and it’s cemented your decision. You may have other reasons, too (we’re all individual, right?). Your next decision is whether construction is the right industry for you to move into.
Here are a few reasons why career changers are attracted to construction:
· A high salary for the right skills
The construction industry is adopting high-tech rapidly, and many of the skills required can’t be found among existing construction workers. If you have highly-developed tech skills, and are adaptable and a quick learner, you’re likely to be offered an extremely competitive salary and compensation package.
· A challenging role with variety
No two days are ever quite the same in construction. You’ll be faced with challenges in a variety of situations. You may be working onsite, in the office, or even remotely. You’re likely to be given a great deal of autonomy, while also working as a valued member of your team.
· You’ll be doing work that makes a difference
Construction work makes a real difference to people’s lives. Whether you are working to help develop houses, contributing to efforts to build our local and national infrastructure, or employed on commercial projects like city skyscrapers, shopping malls, and business parks, the work you do has an impact on your society and the economy.
· There’s a huge amount of job satisfaction in construction
As an employee in the construction industry, the work you do contributes to the creation of something meaningful. You get to see these results almost immediately, and they are tangible. Every day of progress is measurable ─ and this delivers the sort of job satisfaction that few other industries can match.
· Career progression and stability
The construction industry is constantly evolving. New materials. New methods of construction. Innovative technologies. In many industries, workers are concerned about how technology and automation may destroy their jobs. That’s not the case in construction, where technology is creating jobs. Whatever your specialization and specific skillset, you can be sure that you will have the opportunity to advance your career rapidly in construction jobs.
5 Steps to Pivot into a Career in Construction
There are many ways to pivot into a career in construction, but here are five steps that can help you get started on your journey.
Step #1: Prepare for Career Risk
If you are switching to a new industry, you’re going to take a risk. Most important is to be acquainted with that risk, and to understand it. You’re moving out of your comfort zone. To make a successful transition, know yourself and what qualities will help you in your new industry.
We have decades of experience of helping career-transitioning professionals make a move smoothly – and our experience is that an impartial set of eyes on your experience, skills, and career objectives will help you make the best move.
Step #2: Choose Your Connector Carefully
Having been in an unrelated industry for most of your career, it’s unlikely that you have the connections to make the most rewarding move into construction jobs.
Here, again, is where we excel for our candidates. With so much industry experience ourselves, our network is highly developed. We know our clients inside out, and understand their culture, their requirements, and their desire to look beyond direct industry experience and see a candidate for what he or she can really bring to the table.
Step #3: Know the Value of Your Skillset – and Demonstrate It
It’s challenging to know which skills are the most sought in a new industry. Especially one that is evolving at pace. And if you aren’t sure of the required skills – those that will make you stand out – how can you compose a resume that will get hiring managers excited to interview you?
We work with our candidates to ensure they not only understand the skills required in a new industry and new role, but also to help them present well both on their resume and in interview. This guidance can be invaluable for you, whatever level of role you are seeking.
Step #4: Be a Learner
The technical skills you need to make a move into construction can be learned – but it is up to you to show that you are a learner. This means highlighting the continual development in your career to date, and, perhaps, taking evening classes or online tutorials that are relevant to the construction industry.
Not sure which course, qualifications, or skills you need to prioritize? We’ll help you here, too – after assessing which is your best course of career transition.
Step #5: Evaluate Your Career Potential
You’ll make the most successful transition only when you understand your strengths and weaknesses, and how you experience could be beneficial to potential employers.
We will help you assess who you are now, and to see how your experience and accomplishments make you an asset to hiring companies – we’ll drill down to what will be your best-fit role.
Don’t Procrastinate – Act Now
Don’t remain stuck in a job that you are no longer suited to, or an industry that no longer provides the challenge you need to maintain your motivation. If you have made the decision to make a move, then the faster you take decisive action, the sooner you will regain your mojo.
When we collaborate with you, we make sure that we understand your motivations, the type of role and responsibilities that get those juices flowing, and – equally importantly – the type of company to which you are most suited.
If you are considering pivoting into a career in construction, contact Pivot Workforce today.