The Big Quit: How to Cash in on the Historic Mass Resignation of 2021
A curated list of tips and tricks to help you navigate the largest U.S. job market in modern history.
Guest post by Brynne Labuzan - Content Writer Intern
In our latest blog post, we discussed the employment revolution many are calling, "The Great Resignation." With a post-COVID world looming on the horizon, millions of Americans are quitting their jobs in hopes of a brighter future. The result? More open U.S. job listings than ever before in history. For the first time in a long time, employees have the upper hand. Rather than settling for unsatisfactory work out of obligation, we now have a chance to weigh our options until we discover the career that's the perfect fit. Pretty exciting, right?
This is a historic moment for employers and employees alike. As employers scramble to fill empty positions, eligible candidates have the pick of the litter. Additionally, those currently employed have unprecedented leverage when it comes to securing promotions and pay raises. So, whether you are currently employed or actively searching for work, there has never been a better time to explore your career path. But before you go down the rabbit hole, here are some helpful tips and tricks to help you get the most out of the historic Great Resignation:
1. Take a moment to evaluate your career satisfaction.
Not everyone needs to participate in the Great Resignation. In fact, many employees have found that their jobs have become more accommodating in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, recent national employment data suggests that this was not the case for millions of Americans. To help you decide whether you should jump on the Great Resignation bandwagon or stay at your current job, we suggest taking a moment to evaluate your career satisfaction.
What is career satisfaction and how is it measured?
Career satisfaction refers to your level of contentment regarding your job and how it affects your life. Those who are highly satisfied with their careers find themselves engaged with their work and excited about their futures. On the other hand, those experiencing career dissatisfaction often find themselves procrastinating tasks and compromising the quality of their work to meet harsh deadlines. In turn, they may be subject to high levels of stress and long-term occupational burnout.
When evaluating your career satisfaction, we recommend asking yourself the following questions:
1. How do I feel when I wake up for work each morning?
2. Do I feel valued and respected by my workers and company leadership?
3. How does my career impact my stress levels and work-life balance?
4. Does my job provide me with opportunities to learn new skills and fill new roles?
5. Does my career give my life a greater purpose?
When looking at your responses, do you notice any trends? Take note of these and consider the effect they have on your overall happiness. If you find that you are compromising your wellbeing to meet the demands of your job, it's probably time to make a career change. Don't worry, we're about to tell you exactly where to start.
2. Chat with a career coach to gain clarity.
The COVID-19 pandemic has made it increasingly difficult to find the support and guidance we need to navigate our careers. When universities and offices were shut down in March of 2020, we were suddenly stripped of the community resources that we once took for granted. As the world begins to reopen, it seems that many of these resources remain limited and underserved. Consequentially, you might find yourself struggling to answer the career questions necessary to establish and achieve your goals. That's where a career coach comes in.
How do career coaches help clients reach their goals?
Whether you are just now starting your career or are feeling unsatisfied at your current position, a career coach may be the professional guru you never knew you needed. In a time of unprecedented employment opportunities, it's more important than ever to have a clear understanding of your goals and how you can successfully achieve them.
Unfortunately, there is a cloud of misinformation surrounding career coaching. While faulty assumptions may lead you to believe that career coaches are "pushy" or "judgmental," this is seldom the case. By virtue, career coaching exists to meet the unique needs of the individual client. For some, that may mean providing specific suggestions for employment. For others, they may simply seek a casual conversation about potential career opportunities.
Regardless of what your personal needs may be, a career coach is there to listen and provide guidance. By speaking to an unbiased professional about your career path, you will gain the clarity you need to begin taking concrete steps toward your goals. So, if you're seeking clarity and are ready to take that first step, consider signing up for the Careerskitchen program and receive a 30-minute coaching session free of charge – you can thank us later.
3. Meet your new best friend, LinkedIn.
As discussed in last week's blog post, LinkedIn and other hiring services are seeing record-setting numbers of open jobs right now – but that's not all. In a recent study conducted by the #1 employment-oriented social media platform, LinkedIn found that the time from application to hire is decreasing, and the competition for roles is decreasing as well. In short, LinkedIn is essentially the nirvana of the Great Resignation and it's time for you to cash in your good karma.
You may be wondering where to start...
Searching for jobs on LinkedIn can seem a bit overwhelming right now. After all, the site has reached peak popularity in recent months and is seeing an influx of professionals looking to change careers. Luckily, LinkedIn offers built-in features to help you narrow your search and discover relevant employment opportunities.
First and foremost, you should begin your LinkedIn job search by updating your workplace preferences settings to reflect your career goals. Next, you should add the Open to Work feature to your profile to be matched with job opportunities that align with your workplace preferences.
When searching LinkedIn for job listings, make sure to utilize the remote, hybrid, and on-site filters to only see the listings that fit your individual needs. If you find a listing that sparks your interest, you can navigate to the Company Page associated with the listing to learn more about the company and its workplace culture. Assuming you like what you see, you can then reach out to a hiring professional to ask any additional questions you may have about the company or position.
So, you've browsed the plethora of job listings and have narrowed down your search to a few top-ranked positions – what now? Well, the first step to landing your dream job is to present yourself as the perfect fit. When applying through LinkedIn, this means updating your profile.
Creating the perfect profile requires an in-depth understanding of what employers seek in the specific position of interest. As you review your desired job listings, make notes of what they are looking for and draw connections to your own skills and experiences. When you're ready to give your profile that much-needed facelift, bust out those notes and start incorporating relevant connections into your personal brand. While other candidates may have more experience or technical skills, a profile that aligns itself with the role will set you apart from the competition.
4. Be upfront about your expectations.
After gaining a clear understanding of your career goals and applying to open positions that reflect your vision of success, it's time to confront the interview process. If you receive an interview inquiry and feel drawn to the position, there are a few things to consider in light of the Great Resignation. While you should always come to an interview thoroughly prepared (check out our social media for more on that), interviewees have a unique advantage that they haven't in the past.
What's changed since the Great Resignation?
Prior to COVID-19 and the employment trends that followed, being extremely forthright in interviews was generally frowned upon. To appear genuinely interested in a position, potential candidates were advised to leave pay and benefits out of the conversation until an offer was on the table. Thanks to our good pal the Great Resignation, this is not necessarily the case anymore.
According to Bloomberg, there are nearly 11 million U.S. job openings today, exceeding the 8.4 million unemployed, and dwarfing new hires.
Hear that? That's the sound of employers scrambling to fill the positions left empty by unsatisfied employees. At long last, employers are finally beginning to realize that their employee treatment has a direct and unforgiving impact on the success of their businesses. If they want to stay in business, employers can no longer maintain unnegotiable salaries and sub-par benefits for the people they rely upon.
While most of us are conditioned to be modest in our expectations, the Great Resignation has allowed us to break the cycle. Rather than settling for what others deem us worthy of receiving, we now have the leverage to claim our own worth. So, if you find yourself in an interview setting, don't be afraid to be upfront about your expectations. Even if an employer refuses to meet your perfectly reasonable demands, you can leave the interview knowing that you have the power and freedom to pursue another employment opportunity that will.
The Great Resignation is here, and you now have the tools you need to take it by storm.
The past two years have been marked by a great deal of hardship. For what seemed like an eternity, many of us sat at home and wondered if the COVID-19 pandemic would ever come to an end. Moreover, if it did eventually end, we questioned what a post-COVID world would even look like?
While many aspects of our world remain hindered by the implications of COVID-19, the job market has never been so abundant. Alongside many tragedies, the pandemic brought a poignant awakening amongst the U.S. labor force. Unsatisfied by their careers, millions of Americans participated in a mass resignation that shifted the occupational balance of power in favor of employees.
We've made it through the past two years against all odds. As we approach the light at the end of the tunnel and look towards the future, a successful and fulfilling career should be a top priority. Luckily, the Great Resignation has left behind a vast trail of employment opportunities ready for the taking. It's just a matter of realizing your dream career and taking the necessary steps to make it a reality.
How do you find the opportunity that is right for you?
@CareersKitchen, we would love to hear how it is going for you!
Our program is designed to offer a full spectrum of support when it comes to finding and pursuing your dream job. You may not even know what that dream job is, but we can help you to find out. We will help you to understand your strengths and motivations better, and with our data-driven tools and personalised coaching at your disposal — we can begin to narrow down the search for industries, companies or even specific roles that interest you.
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