For many of us, looking back on our 2020 personal and professional goals is mostly good for a laugh. Who could have guessed what 2020 had in store for us? If your goals were along the lines of “travel more” or “conduct more client meetings in person,” you may be feeling like a bit of a failure. Realistically, just surviving the year was an accomplishment. If you did so with your optimism and professional enthusiasm intact, even better. Here are just a few things we learned in2020.
5 Lessons 2020 Taught us About Work and Careers
Expect the Unexpected
While a global pandemic is on the extreme end of unexpected challenges that you can encounter, realistically, events come up weekly or even daily that can throw you off your game. The importance of resilience and flexibility in succeeding on the job and keeping your career on track has never been more evident.
You Can Do More With Less
Many of us abruptly switched to work from home with little or no notice. Those unaccustomed to remote work may not have had dedicated space or an ergonomic desk set up to work from. It was not uncommon to work on a laptop in a corner carved out of the main living space while wearing noise-canceling headphones. While not ideal, in a pinch, it got the job done. Are there other aspects of your job or career you can strip to the essentials?
Work/Life Balance is Critical
Work/Life Balance has been a topic for decades, but many employers just played lip service to the idea. Now that video communication has brought us into each other’s homes, we have been forced to be more realistic regarding what it takes to keep all the plates spinning. Just a year or two ago, a video went viral in which a child wandered into the room where his father was being interviewed on air. In 2020, similar situations became a daily reality. Also, many professionals take pride in dragging themselves to work, no matter how sick they are, with little regard for their coworkers. A key 2020 takeaway is stay home if you are sick.
Opportunities are Found in Unexpected Places
While some businesses floundered when the pandemic hit, others pivoted to meet needs as they developed. These are the businesses that continued to succeed. If a company manufactured clothing and shifted to PPE, chances are it thrived through adversity. The same goes for individuals. If there was one thing to learn this year it was the importance of breaking your professional experience down into transferable skills to make the most of them even when the economy is trending downward.
If you are looking for a new opportunity but aren’t sure where to best put your skills to work in today’s changing economy, The Panther Group can help.
Pivot Your Career With The Panther Group
We help professionals in accounting and finance, engineering, life sciences, and information technology make smart career moves in any economy. If you a looking for your next opportunity, but need a little help, contact the recruiting professionals at The Panther Group.
There is no cost to finding a job through us here at The Panther Group! We serve the following industries: Professional, Accounting & Finance, Engineering, Life Sciences, Information Technology, Federal
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