Whether you're a recent graduate, someone with a few years work experience under your belt, or a high flyer at the top of your career seeking out that last challenging role before retirement, all of the above have the same thing in common; you face the biggest struggle EVER to secure that make or break career move that could be the difference between eating value baked beans for the rest of your life, or care free dining out a couple of nights a week, indulgent retail therapy sessions, and super relaxing five star holidays.
Speaking from recent personal experience, I think the most difficult stage of someone's working life is that of your mid to late twenties. I have been led to believe that our twenties are about finding the right career path, with flexibility and lack of responsibility being the fuel for this period of self exploration. Now, I'm not a senior staff member, and never been in the shoes of someone of that age or level, but us late twenty somethings really have the roughest deal. At our age, we are expected to have relevant job experience for our next role. How can you have this if you want to change direction, scared that otherwise you will have to spend the next forty years stuck in an industry that you would sell your first child to get out of.
Put it this way; when you're fresh out of uni and 'mouldable' employers will lap you up because any company worth it's salt will have a grad scheme designed especially for those straight out of higher education and ready to unleash themselves at the merciful hands of the working world. If it turns out that this is the industry for you, and there is no chance you would ever get cold feet a few years down the line, then you're made for life.
When you're at the latter stage of your career, chances are you've built up an army of contacts to whom you can consult about changing companies. A former colleague of a former colleague may know of a former employer searching for someone just like you. You will have the expertise and years behind you in that industry to be hired in a heartbeat for a decent position. At this stage, there is less desire to switch career paths as, let's face it, what would be the point when retirement looms and you need to make as much money as possible to survive the rest of your life?
When you're 26 and still don't know what you want to do, having sampled a few job options, how are you meant to get another? If you want to change angles, how can this be done, when the path of linear progression is abandoned in favour of taking a chance on something off the beaten track? At 26, employers want you to have at least two years relevant experience in the same or very similar role, and career experimentation is frowned upon in our new culture of 'won't look at your CV if you don't tick all the boxes'.
What is to be done aside from fleeing to a tropical paradise and opening a beach bar for a simple life? Answers on a covering letter please!
