Thinking about making a career pivot to land the job you want this year?

February 18, 2022

Were you one of the many women spending the pandemic thinking about your career and wondering if it’s on the right track? If so, you’re not alone. According to a LinkedIn survey in 2021, more than half (59%) of working Americans have experienced symptoms of a career awakening since the pandemic began, and this increases to 80% for millennials.

The survey found that 73% of Americans who say the pandemic changed the way they feel about their career feel less fulfilled in their current jobs. But they are unclear on their next steps: 41% feel afraid, intimidated or overwhelmed when they think about switching to a new career.

Many people are feeling less fulfilled in their jobs, but aren’t sure of how to take the next step. In fact, here are some great LinkedIn Learning job seeking courses to help women put together an action plan and map out a career path.

People want flexibility

Across the world, people are comfortable and confident in their ability to work from anywhere, making remote jobs hugely attractive to job seekers. Of the searches in the United States on LinkedIn that use the new remote, hybrid, and onsite job filters, 84% of searches are for remote jobs and 1 in 6 jobs on LinkedIn are now remote in the United States.

A majority (59%) of survey respondents say feeling happy and fulfilled in their role actually drives them to produce their best results.

So, whether it’s providing better work-life balance, higher pay or a more flexible workplace, company leaders need to prioritize employee well-being.

People are looking for change - and they want it fast.

Workers are leaving for many reasons, but salary tops the list

Almost 40% of LinkedIn's survey respondents reported feeling more burned out since the start of the pandemic. But being overworked isn’t the only thing that’s driving people to look for something new.

Not making enough money is the #1 reason workers are thinking about changing jobs this year. In fact, 30% say their job salary isn’t enough to cover their personal or family living expenses.

If you’re looking to understand the salary for different roles or job titles, check out LinkedIn.com/salary and tap into your community for advice.

Advance your job search

Here are three ways women can advance their job search:

Polish your LinkedIn Profile, starting with your Profile photo. This is your virtual handshake and a simple way for your friends, colleagues and former classmates to discover you on LinkedIn. Make sure your Profile photo embodies who you are as a professional, but also is authentic to you and shows a bit of your personality. LinkedIn has also added the ability to add your pronouns and name pronunciation, too.
Share that you’re open to work and include your job preferences. You can use the open-to feature on your LinkedIn Profile to quietly signal recruiters you’re open to work, or you can engage your entire professional community in your search. Members who use the #OpenToWork photo frame receive on average 40% more recruiter InMails and are 20% more likely to receive messages from the broader LinkedIn community.
Set up Job Alerts and let LinkedIn do the work for you. As you search for a job on LinkedIn, you have various filter options, such as remote location, job type, experience level, under 10 applicants and more. You’ll see a prompt to set up job alerts which sends you a notification when a relevant job is posted. Being one of the first to apply can increase your chances of hearing back by up to 4X.

Did you change your career or job over the pandemic? Share your story using the #ConversationsforChange hashtag.