Resume Writers, Career Coaches + The Great Resignation

As a resume writer, career coach, or other career practitioner, are you ready for The Great Resignation? In this infographic and supporting resources, I’ve detailed trends, facts, strategies, and resources to help you show up to meet increased job seeker demands with grace, balance, and empowerment.

In April of 2020 I forecasted a Post-COVID-19 Market Boom for career practitioners and their services, which led to the development of the Five P’s Infographic with strategies for resume writers and career coaches to prepare. However, this boom has escalated into something far larger than we could have initially imagined! So, I’ve created this new resource to help guide you:

The Great Resignation and How Career Pros Can Show Up With Clients.

Anthony Klotz, associate professor of management at Texas A&M University, first coined the phrase “The Great Resignation” after looking at trends on remote work, voluntary resignations, and employee satisfaction. The name was to catch up and become the perfect foil for what is happening today.

Understanding This Trend

I first caught wind of this trend looking at my local market. I was watching a leap frog begin to take place among the local aerospace companies as staff began giving notice and moving to other companies for quality of life issues that had never caused such an exodus in the past. Reasons being swapped between staff included better hybrid work models, Fridays off, better pay, and goals that were actually attainable. We’re seeing locally that the projected 20% resignation levels are already happening, and likely to go even higher.

You see, there were two things happening concurrently during the pandemic:

Most companies didn’t adjust their expectations or truly take steps to accommodate the changes that were taking place for workers during a pandemic. They may have created remote work options in most cases (but not all), however many simply viewed it as a temporary measure. In fact, while resources and goals have been scarce, many companies have not adjusted their goals and continue to push them higher. Staff are isolated working from home, even when on teams there is a sense of isolation; they are bogged down with work responsibilities and tapped for time thanks to the massive increase in online meetings. In fact, Microsoft’s commissioned research, The Work Trend Index, shows that online meetings have more than doubled (148%) and email delivering has increased by 40.6 B over 2020.

But while companies were looking toward the end, employees were feeling their way to a new beginning. In adjusting to pandemic work life, traditional employees were discovering a new kind of balance. Many saw that their jobs could be done remotely and on a schedule of their choosing; despite the challenges of kinds and families quarantined at home, they found a better life-balance that made them question long commutes and even car ownership, how they spend their time, if they are happy with what they do, and how fleeting life can be.

Change was in the wind.

Microsoft’s Work Trend Index survey surveyed 31,092 full-time employed or self-employed workers across 31 markets. It found:

73% want flexible remote work options.
1 in 5 believe their employer doesn’t care about their work-life balance.
54% feel overworked.
39% feel exhausted.
41% considering leaving their current employer this year.
46% say they’re likely to move because they can now work remotely.

According to the BLS, DOL, and a poll conducted by Eagle Hill Consulting called Battling employee burnout amid the COVID-19 pandemic, what these employees are saying and what we are seeing is coming to fruition:

4 million Americans quit their jobs in April, which the Labor Department says is a record high.
Extended unemployment is coming to a close in more and more areas, which is prompting the 15.4 million Americans on unemployment to restart their search.
There are more job openings than interested prospective employees, as is seen with a record 9.3 million job openings in April but only 6 million jobs filled.

Some studies say gen Z is most effected, others that it’s workers in information technology, those with long commutes, and still others that it isn’t limited to age or skill level but spans all of mid-career workers (20%+) and mid-managers (12%+).

The fact is that The Great Resignation is here, and when combined with the ongoing shut off of extended unemployment, it has begun to flood the job market with prospective employees who hold the power to decide what they will settle for as companies scramble to retain their workforce.

What This Mean for Resume Writers and Other Career Practitioners

For the last several months I’ve been listening to the majority of well-established, successful practitioners seeking resources and better time management strategy to deal with the boom they are experiencing. Some have established wait lists and are booked solid until September while others are recruiting sub-contractors. Preparing, planning, and responding to this boom have become a regular topic in CDI’s Fly Higher Tribe.

So, I’ve updated the original infographic lesson, How Resume Writers & Career Coaches Prepare for a Post-COVID-19 Market Boom to create a resource more targeted for The Great Resignation. We’ve now expanded to 7 P’s which increases Procedure, Partner, Position, Profitize, and Polish to also encompass Prioritize and Preserve. Don’t forget to check out all the CDI supporting resources that are listed below the infographic!

So, let me take this to the next level for you by going deeper here into steps you can take and adding the Ps of Prioritize and Preserve.

How Resume Writers & Career Coaches Can Prepare for The Great Resignation (Infographic)

Where to Go From Here

CDI is here for you!

In the Member Forums.
In the Facebook Group.
In the Members-Helping-Members Resource Lists.
In the Fly Higher Tribe (membership level).

CDI is expansive. I’ve mentioned the targeted resources that came to mind below. Can’t find what you need? Contact us at info@nullcareerdirectors.com.

Supporting Resources (Free to Everyone)

Master’s Video Course for Resume Writers & Career Coaches Who Want to Close 4-Figure Sales & Create a 6-Figure Income >> (includes 16+ tip videos on packaging, consultation process, sales mindset, handling pricing questions, metrics-driven testimonials, and more)

Membership Taste-Test: 8 Free Lessons >>

Resume Writers & Career Coaches: Help Job Seekers Find, Know & Trust You (Infographic) >>

Job Seekers: How to Avoid Resume Writing & Career Coaching Scams (Shareable Educational Infographic) >>

How Resume Writers & Career Coaches Can Thrive Despite Coronavirus >>

Find a Career Pro CDI Member Database >>

CDI’s Facebook Group >>

COVID-19 Support Resources for Resume Writers and Career Coaches >>

Supporting Resources (Free for Members)

Email Templates to Enhance Communications & Save Time (Best Practice Tip) >>

Client Waiting Lists – How and Why (Audio Lesson) >>

Your Career Business Website: Getting Started (Best Practice Tip) >>

Increase Your Business with Professional Referrals (Best Practice Tip) >>

Subcontracting from Both Sides of the Contract (Best Practice Tip) >>

Survival Jobs for Job Seekers (Best Practice Tip) >>

Find Other Job Seeker Tip Sheets Here >>

6-Figure Blueprint for Consulting, Sales, Packaging & Closing >>

This is where you will find:

Done-For-You Consultation Script & Sales Strategy for Resume Writing & Career Services (Core Lesson)
Bust the DIY Resume Writing Myth to Close More & Higher Sales (Video Tip)
Sales Consultation Perception: Size DOES Matter (Core Lesson)
Get Targeted Testimonials to Easily Close Sales & Boost Your Business (Core Lesson)
Does Your Website Have a Sexy IFO? (Core Lesson)

Client Information Control and Boundary Setting (Best Practice Tips) >>

Resume Data Mining: Client Information Gathering & Control (Audio) >>

Setting Boundaries with Clients (Best Practice Tip) >>

Train Your Clients Not to Dog On Your Business – Boundaries (Core Lesson) >>

Setting Boundaries with Clients So You Can Pay the Bills (Audio Lesson) >>

How to Take a Vacation and Not Lose Business (Best Practice Tips) >>

10 Steps to a Competitive Edge in Your Life (1 of 10) >>

Coaching + Strategies in Resiliency, Mindset & Business Positioning During COVID-19 >>

Freebie Add-Ons to Increase Sales and Package Value (Best Practice Tip) >>

Disaster-Proof Your Business (Core Lesson) >>

Attracting New Clients with Free Promotional Webinars and Teleclasses (Best Practice Tip) >>

Documents & Services Job Seekers Need You to Sell Them (Tip Sheet) >>