Purposefully Transition Your Career

For many people, personal ethics and morals are reasons why they are not happy and seek meaningful careers with purpose. Interestingly, Gallop conducted a global poll in 2019 with results showing that out of one billion full-time workers, 85 per cent of them were unhappy in their jobs. How do you start to make the transition from a job you dislike to one that you can be passionate and enthusiastic about?

Pandemic learnings

The pandemic quickly showed the world that anything was possible. Working from home became a norm, even in fields that traditionally required workers to be 'office-bound'. The fundamental shake-up has led to employers making a concerted effort to understand if their staff feels engaged and valued at work. If you are still displeased in your current role, how do you transition into a career with a purpose that makes you happy and content on numerous levels?

Careers with purpose bring infinitely more meaning to what businesses do. Purpose-driven companies go above and beyond merely offering a product or service but develop programmes that have environmental or social impact. It's an exciting time to explore new trends if you want to make a difference in your career. 

You might well be a consumer that chooses a brand for its ethical values and how it impacts the environment and the community. A business needs to have a purpose; not only does it make the brand unique, but it can also showcase how an organisation intends to evolve and transform with an inner and outer rightness. Is this the kind of company you want to work for?

The pandemic has made many companies and individuals realise what a purpose-driven company and life should look like at a deeply profound and individual level. Ho Kwon Ping, executive chairman of Banyan Tree Holdings Limited., said at the Global Compact Network Singapore Virtual Summit held in Singapore, "One of the basic purposes of a purpose-driven company is to build a culture of resilience. It's pointless to talk about the business's purpose if the basic purpose is not taking care of your own people". 

Follow your passion

Following your passion can lead to a more fulfilling life and make you happier,  more productive and successful. Changing careers requires careful planning, courage, determination, and the right connections. Careers For Purpose encourages you to follow three critical steps so that you can make a positive change for the rest of your life. 

First things first. Zone into your passions and identify how you can transfer your skills into another industry and role. Excitingly, purpose-driven industries are on the rise in both profit-making and not-for-profit sectors. Are your skills aligned with the new job description? Perhaps you are a talented marketer and want to transfer your skills into an industry that cares for animals; what are your transferable proficiencies? You might be an engineer intrigued by the forward-thinking cellular meat movements or plant-based food innovations; how can your experience and knowledge benefit these novel new movements? How can your HR experience and compassion lead you to support human rights, equality and encourage minorities into a compassionate workplace?

You must be clear about the direction you want to take in your career. Understand how you can apply your skill sets and synergies to the purpose-driven sector you aspire to become part of. 

Research, connect, volunteer 

Understanding new industries and organisations that you admire is paramount. Thankfully, you’ll have access to the infinite amounts of information available online, via social media and business pages. Spend time engaging with new communities by enthusiastically interacting with thought-leaders, employers and peers. Start to make connections by networking across various sites such as LinkedIn and other appropriate industry organisations. Continue to add to your learning skills through online studies, or best of all, get involved and actively volunteer with a relevant organisation.

It's well known that volunteering is not only a great way to support philanthropic causes and provide assistance to your local community. It’s also beneficial to your wellbeing and helps you maintain positive mental and physical health. You might see a rise in your confidence by feeling a sense of achievement, connecting you to others, and providing optimistic social interactions. Volunteering also helps you build interpersonal skills and communicate with other volunteers, which provides the foundation for engaging social relationships. You might also meet new people who become friends or even afford new opportunities within the organisation. Ultimately, volunteering should bring you joy and happiness. Offering the skills you have in your paid career will benefit an organisation. Perhaps join a board, become an intrinsic part of their back-office function or even lead some public-facing outreach events. 

Transitioning your career - let Careers For Purpose help 

Transitioning your career into a purpose-driven company takes time and effort and puts you up against some fierce industry competition. Allow Careers For Purpose to guide you and take care of some of the preparatory groundwork for you. As expert recruiters, Careers For Purpose are the conduit to helping companies source employees who align with their mission. We will help you transition your career to a company that supports your ethics to make the world a better, healthier and more ethical place to survive, and importantly to thrive. Our connections, experience and relationships could help you get there a little bit quicker. When you allow Careers For Purpose to represent you, we’ll take the time to understand everything about you, from your core skills to your human-centric attributes and, of course, the passions that drive you. You are so much more than a CV. You can make a difference.