What Every Job Seeker Should Have on Their New Career Wishlist This Holiday Season

As we draw closer to the end of the year, many people use this time to reflect on the past and what's ahead. Now is also a great time to start looking for a job if you are considering a career change. But, before you start gifting employers your resume, be sure to make a list of what you want from a position or company.

Creating a career wishlist can help you focus your search efforts, find roles that fit your personality, build a growth plan, and so much more. While you develop your wishlist, you’ll want to:

• Examine why you are job hunting in the first place

• Determine your professional values, such as accountability, respect, trust, etc.

• Analyze how your life has been impacted or changed by your previous career path or job roles

You’ll also want to consider career benefits outside of salary, healthcare, and vacation. These are often at the top of the list of reasons why people seek to change careers, however, there are many other factors that contribute to job satisfaction. By identifying what you want in a position beyond the basics, you can better tailor your search to maximize your work success and happiness.

Need some inspiration on what to add to your career wishlist? Here are some of the benefits we encourage the graduates of our Virginia Tech Bootcamps to look for in positions:

Autonomy

Autonomy is one of the best presents you can give yourself. Employee autonomy is the ability to take charge of their own decisions and responsibility for their work. This can look like a job that allows you to:

• Lead your projects

• Set your deadlines

• Provide feedback on key initiatives

• Select your preferred tools or programs to use

Research shows a strong link between autonomy and increased employee engagement. An Effectory study found that a significant 79% of autonomous employees reported higher engagement levels. Gallup's research further supports this, indicating a 21% increase in profitability for businesses with highly engaged teams. Additionally, Gartner's HR survey 2023 found that providing autonomy and context can increase the likelihood of optimal performance by 2.4 times.

Remote Work

Take a cue from Santa and pick a work environment that is best for your productivity and lifestyle. Some people find that working at an office building is more productive for them, while others may find a hybrid role or remote work environment fits them better. Upwork predicts that 32.6 million Americans, or 22% of workers, will be working remotely by 2025. You may prefer remote work if you like an environment you can control or want to eliminate your daily commute. Every environment has limitations and benefits, however, it is up to you to determine what is right for you.

Creativity

Creativity is a cornerstone of innovation and progress, helping to drive the evolution of companies and the world. You'll want to add creativity to your wishlist if you yearn to let your imagination or out-of-the-box thinking shine.

You don’t have to be an elf to use your creativity in the workplace. Some tech careers that can utilize your creative skills include cybersecurity analyst, front-end web developer, and data analyst to name a few!

Growth Opportunities Within the Company

By adding growth opportunities to your wishlist, you set yourself up to avoid feelings of being stuck or trapped in a role, which could occur when you plateau at a company. The possibility of advancing in a company can improve your sense of well-being by providing you with a goal to work toward and increase your sense of accomplishment when you progress further in your career journey.

Career changers seeking growth opportunities may find it advantageous to develop tech skills. Tech spans many industries, providing both lateral and vertical scale growth for professionals. Tech skills can be developed and advanced quickly with accelerated online programs.

Education or Learning Benefits

Education benefits are the gift that keeps on giving. The world is ever-evolving, and ongoing innovation is changing the ways that industries operate. To stay relevant and ensure you can compete in not only today’s job market, but in the job market of tomorrow, career development is essential to have on your career wishlist. For example, many companies recognize the value of a skilled workforce and offer financial support or incentives for employees to pursue further education or training, such as tech bootcamps, college degrees, or professional certifications.

Employer reimbursement programs are a popular way to provide education benefits. These programs allow employees to receive reimbursement for tuition, fees, and other education-related expenses. By offering such programs, companies demonstrate their commitment to employee development and create a culture of learning and innovation. If you have educational benefits with your current employer, you may be able to use those benefits to gain skills for your next career move.

Work-life Balance

The workday may not only come once a year, but there are many positions and careers that can provide you with work-life balance. According to Mayo Clinic, a poor work-life balance can cause job burnout and long-term negative health effects. Some impacts can include excessive stress in your personal life, fatigue, insomnia, sadness, anger, irritability, and much more. Poor work-life balance can also cause damage to your personal relationships and work performance. If you have ever found yourself regularly working long, extra hours, feeling like you have no control over work, or having trouble concentrating at work, those may be signs you’ve suffered from poor work-life balance.

Finding a company or career that aligns with your work-life expectations can help you achieve the balance you need to stay merry and bright all year long. For example, many tech positions provide a wealth of work-life balance opportunities, including:

• A wide range of shifts and flexible schedules to meet your needs

• Set work times and no “on-call” hours to maintain personal boundaries

• Remote work environments to eliminate time spent on commuting

Virginia Tech Bootcamps can help you gain the tech skills that employers are looking for and the career support you need to land jobs that are a good fit for your wishlist.