Epidemic makes Poles think about changing their professions

Poles have been functioning in new professional conditions for three months. Coronavirus has changed our perception of work. 4 out of 10 respondents Pracuj.pl is afraid of losing their employment. In addition, 3 in 4 think it is harder to find an employer than before. HR experts interviewed by Pracuj.pl emphasize, however, that coronavirus can also be an impulse for a positive professional change.

"Before the pandemic, it was fashionable to talk about leaving the comfort zone. Now we have redefined what we call the comfort zone, because we were even thrown out of it," said Monika Sońta, lecturer from the Department of Network Society Management at the Kozminski University.

Speaking of retraining, one should not forget about the psychological aspects of the difficult situation of seeking work in new market circumstances. Fears of dismissal are expressed by 4 in 10 Pracuj.pl respondents, while 77% declare their willingness to accept a new job offer.

The desire to enter new professional roles is, however, only the first step to change. As Urszula Zając-Pałdyna, the owner of the Let’s HR consulting agency and author of the blog "HR on high heels", notes, the retraining process should be approached systematically. The expert emphasizes that people entering the new industry must be particularly professionally prepared for recruitment, especially when competing for a job with other, more experienced candidates in a given field.

"It is worth choosing new knowledge acquisition forms suited to our personality and character. Paradoxically, it is easier to acquire knowledge today than before, because many courses and trainings are cheaper today, industry events have moved to the network, and there is a revival of companies in organizing webinars," Konstancja Zyzik, Talent Acquisition & Capabilities Development Manager in Grupa Pracuj, adds.

The growing offer of opportunities for remote professional development is confirmed by the data of the Polish Chamber of Training Companies from the end of May 2020, according to which as much as 81% of course providers have moved with them to the network.

(WBJ)