As the year winds down, you may be thinking about your current career path or starting a new one. Regardless of your field, the bay area market is competitive for any role, which is why we wanted to share some insight. Let’s look at how to remove any roadblocks that exist between you and your ideal career path in the bay area.

Selecting a Career Path

The best way to think about your career is as a pipeline of experience, training, and your personal and professional networks. Be diligent in your research of popular topics that interest you and remember to always keep building your pipeline. If you want to select a career path that aligns with your individual circumstances, you’ll need to consider the following:

• Which career path are you most interested in?
• Which skills and experience do you have?
• Which skills and experience do you want to gain in your next position?
• If you want to switch career paths, what experience do you need to get qualified?

Finding the right company

Whether you have work experience or you’re just starting out, your next goal is to find a company that will give you the skills that you need to progress in your particular profession. In some cases, you can use job boards or forums to inquire about potential openings. For those that want to take initiative, start by finding your ideal job and work with a staffing agency to start getting experience as quickly as possible. Staffing agencies have the unique ability to qualify companies and curate talent. Candidates that work with recruiting firms also have the advantage of being considered for multiple, consecutive projects if you are able to demonstrate value. Questions to ask yourself:

• Which industry is most interesting to you?
• Do you have an existing professional network?
• What can you do to build industry connections?
• Could a staffing company help you reach your professional goals faster?

Ongoing training

It’s common for most professions to have required ongoing training. For career paths that do not necessarily require certification, it’s important to take your own education into your own hands. Volunteering is another valuable way to build up your portfolio to continue your self-education. Ongoing training is effective in the workplace, though it matters most during the interview process. Consider the following questions when considering your career path:

• What are you committed to learning about?
• Which topics have kept your intense interest over time?
• What skills and training do the top professionals have?
• How can you plan your career path starting today?

Resources

Conferences, meetups, and career fairs are effective ways to ask potential employers about hiring opportunities. Of course, you can always send us a message if you have any questions. The best way to invest your own professional development is to start having conversations that will increase your career pipeline. If you’re in need of assistance in getting the career satisfaction you’re looking for, consider some of the following questions:

• Are you adequately qualified for a new career path?
• Do you have the resources you need to apply?
• Is there anyone in your network that can help you move forward?
• Who can you use as a career mentor?

Starting your career path can be overwhelming if you don’t have a professional network established in your desired field. With the support of our staffing specialists, we look forward to helping you gain a footing in some of the fastest growing and most innovative companies in the world.