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Overcoming career plateaus: 5 strategies for breaking through and moving forward

Overcoming multiple career plateaus to move forward

Have you ever felt like you have reached a dead end in your career? Do you feel bored, frustrated, or unfulfilled with your current job? If so, you might be experiencing a career plateau.

A career plateau is a situation in which an employee has reached a point in their career where they feel they are unable to progress. Career plateaus can negatively affect your motivation, performance, and well-being. They can also limit your potential for personal and professional growth.

However, career plateaus are not inevitable or permanent. There are strategies that you can use to break through and move forward from a career plateau. In this blog post, we will discuss how to identify if you are in a career plateau, what causes career plateaus, and how to overcome them using five effective strategies.

Identifying signs of a career plateau

How do you know if you are in a career plateau? Some common signs can indicate that you have reached a point where you are no longer progressing in your career. Some of these signs are:

  • Feeling stagnant and lacking motivation: You feel like you are doing the same thing every day without any excitement or challenge. You have lost interest and passion for your work and don’t see any purpose or value in your work.
  • Consistently performing at the same level without growth: You have mastered your current role but have no opportunities to learn new skills, take on new responsibilities, or advance to a higher position. You feel like you have hit a ceiling in your career, and there is no room for improvement or development.
  • Limited opportunities for advancement or skill development: You face external barriers that prevent you from moving up or moving on in your career. These barriers can include organizational changes, lack of support from your manager or peers, or a competitive or saturated job market.

If you experience any of these signs, you might be in a career plateau. However, don’t despair. There are ways to overcome a career plateau and get back on track with your career goals. But first, let’s have a look at the causes.

Understanding the causes of career plateaus

What causes career plateaus? There are different factors that can contribute to a career plateau, depending on your individual situation and circumstances. Some of these factors are:

  • Job dissatisfaction and burnout: You are unhappy with your current job, either because of the work itself, the work environment, the compensation, or the recognition. You feel stressed, exhausted, or overwhelmed by your work and have no energy or enthusiasm for it.
  • Lack of new challenges and learning opportunities: You are bored with your current job, because it is too easy, routine, or repetitive. You don’t have any opportunities to learn new things, solve new problems, or take on new projects. You feel like you are not growing or developing as a professional.
  • Limited professional network and mentorship: You are isolated or disconnected from your colleagues, peers, or mentors. You don’t have any support, guidance, or feedback from others who can help you develop your career. You also don’t have any exposure or access to new opportunities or information that can benefit your career.
  • Failure to adapt to changing industry trends: You are out of touch or out of date with your industry’s latest trends, technologies, or best practices. You don’t keep up with the changes and innovations in your field. You risk becoming obsolete or irrelevant in your profession.

These are some of the common causes of career plateaus, but they are not the only ones. You might have other reasons for experiencing a career plateau, such as personal issues, health problems, family responsibilities, or life transitions. Whatever the cause, it is important to understand and address it to overcome it.

Strategies to overcome a career plateau

Strategy 1: self-reflection and goal setting

The first strategy for overcoming a career plateau is to do some self-reflection and goal-setting. This strategy can help you assess your current situation and career goals, identify your strengths, weaknesses, and areas for improvement, and set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals.

Self-reflection and goal setting can help you answer some important questions, such as:

  • What are you currently doing in your job and how do you feel about it?
  • What are your short-term and long-term career goals and aspirations?
  • What are your core values, interests, and passions?
  • What are your strengths and skills that you can leverage in your career?
  • What weaknesses and gaps do you need to work on in your career?
  • What are the opportunities and threats that you face in your career?
  • What are the specific actions and steps that you need to take to achieve your career goals?

Answering these questions can give you more clarity, direction, and focus for your career development. You can also create a realistic and actionable plan for achieving your career goals. You can use tools like SWOT analysis, career mapping, or SMART goal setting to help you with this strategy.

SMART goals

Strategy 2: skills enhancement and professional development

The second strategy for overcoming a career plateau is to enhance your skills and pursue professional development. This strategy can help you identify relevant skills and knowledge gaps, pursue further education, certifications, or training programs, and seek opportunities for cross-training and diversifying your skill set.

Skill enhancement and professional development can help you increase your value, competence, and confidence in your career. They can also help you keep up with the changing industry trends, technologies, and best practices. They can also open up new possibilities and opportunities for your career advancement.

Some of the ways that you can enhance your skills and pursue professional development are:

  • Identify the skills and knowledge in demand or relevant for your current or desired role or industry. You can use tools such as job descriptions, industry reports, or online platforms to help you with this.
  • Pursue further education, certifications, or training programs to help you acquire or update the necessary skills and knowledge. You can choose from various options, such as online courses, webinars, workshops, seminars, or degree programs.
  • Seek opportunities for cross-training and diversifying your skillset within your current organization. You can ask your manager or peers for opportunities to learn new skills, take on new projects, or join cross-functional teams. You can also volunteer for tasks or roles that are outside of your comfort zone or expertise.

By enhancing your skills and pursuing professional development, you can boost your career potential and performance. You can also demonstrate your initiative, commitment, and adaptability to your current or future employers.

Strategy 3: networking and mentorship

The third strategy for overcoming a career plateau is to build your professional network and seek mentorship. This strategy can help you build a robust professional network, engage with industry communities, attend events, and seek mentorship from experienced professionals.

Networking and mentorship can help you expand your horizons, gain new insights, and access new opportunities and information for your career development. They can also help you get support, guidance, and feedback from others who can help you with your career challenges and goals.

Some of the ways that you can build your professional network and seek mentorship are:

  • Build a strong professional network by connecting with people who share your interests, values, or goals. You can use tools such as LinkedIn, Twitter, or other online platforms to help you with this. You can also reach out to your existing contacts, such as colleagues, peers, alumni, or friends.
  • Engage with industry communities and attend events that are relevant to your career. You can join online groups, forums, or communities related to your industry or profession. You can also participate in events, such as webinars, conferences, or meetups, where you can meet and interact with other professionals.
  • Seek mentorship from experienced professionals who can offer you advice, guidance, or feedback for your career development. You can find mentors within or outside your current organization, such as managers, senior colleagues, industry experts, or coaches. You can also use tools such as MentorCruise or MentorCloud to help you find mentors.

You can enrich your career experience and learn by networking and seeking mentorship. You can also leverage the power of relationships and connections to advance your career.

Mentoring

Strategy 4: Seeking new challenges and responsibilities

The fourth strategy for overcoming a career plateau is to seek new challenges and responsibilities. This strategy can help you take on additional projects or responsibilities within your current role, seek opportunities for lateral moves or promotions, and explore new job opportunities outside your current organization.

Seeking new challenges and responsibilities can help you break out of your comfort zone, stimulate your creativity and curiosity, and showcase your potential and value. They can also help you gain new perspectives, experiences, and skills that benefit your career development.

Some of the ways that you can seek new challenges and responsibilities are:

  • Take on additional projects or responsibilities in your current role that can challenge, interest you, or add value to your work. You can ask your manager or peers for opportunities to take on new tasks, projects, or roles aligned with your goals and skills. You can also propose new ideas or initiatives to improve your work or organization.
  • Seek opportunities for lateral moves or promotions within your current organization that can offer you more variety, responsibility, or authority. You can express your interest and readiness for new roles or positions that are available or suitable for you. You can also demonstrate your achievements and contributions that qualify you for such roles or positions.
  • Explore new job opportunities outside your current organization that can offer you more challenge, growth, or satisfaction. You can conduct a job search using tools such as Indeed, Glassdoor, or other online platforms. You can also update your resume, portfolio, or online profile to highlight your skills and accomplishments.

By seeking new challenges and responsibilities, you can revitalize your career, increase your engagement and performance, and achieve your career goals.

Strategy 5: embracing a growth mindset and continuous learning

The fifth and final strategy for overcoming a career plateau is to embrace a growth mindset and continuous learning. This strategy can help you cultivate a positive attitude towards change and learning, embrace challenges and seek feedback, and adopt a lifelong learning mindset.

Embracing a growth mindset and continuous learning can help you overcome the mental and emotional barriers hindering your career development. They can also help you enhance your resilience, adaptability, and curiosity in your career. They can also help you discover new opportunities and possibilities for your career growth.

Some of the ways that you can embrace a growth mindset and continuous learning are:

  • Cultivate a positive attitude towards change and learning by viewing them as opportunities rather than threats. You can acknowledge and accept the reality of change and learning in your career, and see them as sources of growth and improvement. You can also celebrate your progress and achievements, no matter how small or big they are.
  • Embrace challenges and seek feedback by viewing them as sources of learning and feedback. You can welcome and face challenges that can stretch you, test you, or teach you something new. You can also seek and accept feedback that can help you improve your performance, skills, or behavior.
  • Adopt a lifelong learning mindset by viewing learning as an ongoing and never-ending process. You can commit to learning something new every day, whether it is related to your work or not. You can also explore new topics, fields, or domains that interest you or inspire you.

By embracing a growth mindset and continuous learning, you can transform your career, increase your potential and satisfaction, and achieve your career aspirations.

Conclusion

Career plateaus are common and challenging situations that many professionals face at some point in their careers. They can make you feel stuck, bored, and unhappy with your work. However, they can also be opportunities for growth and change.

In this blog post, we have discussed five strategies that can help you break through and move forward from a career plateau. By implementing these strategies, you can revitalize your career, increase your value, and achieve your goals. You can also find more meaning, satisfaction, and fulfillment in your work.

Don’t let a career plateau stop you from reaching your full potential. Take action today and start creating the career you want and deserve.

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Career change costs you should consider before taking the plunge

career change

Deciding to change your career can be daunting—not only do you have to consider the financial implications of leaving a steady job and starting anew, but also the emotional toll of such an unpredictable endeavor. Therefore, before taking this monumental step, carefully weigh all potential costs associated with a career switch. Then, to save yourself from unnecessary worry or any potential setbacks further down the line, in this blog post, we’ll discuss some key factors to remember as you assess how much-changing careers might cost you.

How to estimate your career change costs before a change

Assess your career goals

Before changing your career, you may want to know what change you want. I am not even talking about your new job, but before that: why do you want to change? What is it in your current situation that you want to modify? And how is it going to make you better off?

For instance, if your reasons for seeking a career change are a better salary, this is an easy fix, as you need to find the same job somewhere else, but better paid. If you dislike some colleagues or your employer, that is the same. If you want to pursue a new passion or apply new skills you learned, maybe you can do it as a hobby or a side business while keeping your current job.

And if you want to change your profession or field of expertise, the costs of career change will be much higher.

In any case, the clearer you are about your reasons for switching careers, the more your career change costs will be reduced. The good news is that you don’t necessarily need to pay a fortune to figure this out. However, a career coach can help you a lot in that case, generally for a fee of at least $100 per hour of consultation. But there are also countless resources on the Internet, like those listed here. You can also take a moment to think about everything you love and hate to determine the reason for your desire for change.j

Search for information online

Once you know what you like and dislike, finding something that matches your values and skills is more accessible.

The easiest way to do that is with the Jinn Career Encyclopedia. This tool is extremely simple to use: you type in the search bar what you are looking for, and that’s it. Next, it will suggest different articles related to your search, including occupations, skills, and knowledge. From there, you can click links to navigate from talent or expertise to work and vice-versa. Eventually, you can find a job whose description fits your requirements.

I like this method because we usually search for things we know, and never for stuff we don’t. Just like when you go to a big supermarket just to buy salt and pepper, and you end up coming back with just one spice you have never tried before, both hot and salty. Your dream job may already exist, but you have never heard about it.

Network

This is another item that doesn’t cost a lot nowadays. A good network can unlock many doors you don’t even know existed. But the problem is that not everybody has such a good network.

It would be foolish not to take advantage of one if you do have one. However, if you don’t, your alternative is to build your network from scratch. This is quite big in terms of career change costs; it will not cost you a lot of money. But it will cost you a lot of time to connect with the right people, engage in activities to promote yourself, and maybe attend conferences… But once again, the return can be very high if you manage to build a good network.

Acquire new skills

You know your current position, and you know your desired goal. Now you need to define the path that will connect both. You especially need to focus on the skills you do not have yet, or that you do not know enough about.

But before rushing to any lesson, think again. Some jobs may ask you for specific certificates to showcase your expertise, while for others, you don’t need to. For example, it is entirely possible to learn web technologies such as HTML, CSS, or PHP on your own via online courses. You just need to build fantastic websites to show your mastery. However, it is undoubtedly another story if you want to become a doctor, lawyer, real estate agent, or any regulated profession. In that case, you must follow the country’s requirements where you want to work.

Career change costs to consider after a change

Your new salary

Career change costs are reduced if career plan is done in advance

You will consider your potential new salary before changing your career. But since this is felt mainly after the change, hence the title.

Most of the time, there is no change cost when you keep the same role but with a different employer since the move is due mainly to a better salary offered by your new employer. But in the case of a more radical career change, you could be in a situation where your salary is less than what you had before. It can even be that you have no compensation for some time, especially if you change your career to become an entrepreneur.

This is why your career change costs will always be the highest in that area, and therefore you should spend most of your career planning there. A simple way to do so is by:

  • Reviewing your monthly budget: you could find some expenditure items that can be removed because they are unimportant
  • Setting a monthly budget corresponding to what you think you could have in your new career.
  • Trying to live within this budget for 2 to 4 months. Or even better, trying to live with less than this budget.

This is not the kind of activity that can be improvised, and you will need to prepare it well in advance.

Once you have a better idea about your expenses, ensure you have enough savings to keep the lifestyle you want for a long time – from 6 months to a year. The idea is that you can pay the everyday expenses and still have some coverage in case of a hard blow like a broken car, an accident, or sickness.

Lastly, make sure you have a backup plan after your career change. This is not the kind of thing we like to hear, but the more significant the career change, the more likely you are to fail. Which is normal if you decide to go into an area you don’t know as well as the one you were before. Having an idea of a more regular job to do in case of failure – a 9-to-5 job – can help you start your new adventure, knowing that you have something to fall back on.

Your new commuting time

Your new commuting time may look less significant compared to everything we discussed. But if you think longer, you might want to look closer at this. Indeed, you will probably have other career changes, more or less significant. We saw that career change costs can be pretty high if you do not plan financially and in terms of time spent preparing for your career move. So, what would you do with this time saved if you could reduce your commuting time?  Spending more time on your career could be an answer. But you could also choose to spend more time with your loved ones.

Wrap-up

Changing a career cannot be improvised. Career change costs are so high that poor planning can hinder career progression. In general, it is always better to request the opinion of many people before deciding. Do not hesitate to use Jinn’s resources to research before changing your career; it is free!

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How can you best explain why you left your previous job in an interview?

How to explain why you left your previous jobs in interviews

If you’re job hunting, there’s a good chance you’ll be asked to explain why you left your previous jobs during an interview. It may be tricky to answer this question without sounding negative, but don’t worry – we’ve got you covered. Read on for our top tips on explaining why you left your last job in a way that will impress potential employers.

Why are employers interested in why you left your previous jobs?

Employers are interested in why applicants left their previous jobs for a few reasons.

The most common reason is that employers want to avoid hiring someone who frequently changes jobs or has a complicated work history. In addition, hiring someone is often a significant investment for a company, so by learning about an applicant’s reasons for leaving, employers can better understand whether or not they will be a good fit – and a good investment – for the company.

Additionally, employers may be interested in why an applicant left their previous job to assess their qualifications for the position they are applying for. For instance, if an applicant left their last job because they were dissatisfied with their career progression, this could indicate that they are ambitious and looking for new challenges.

Ultimately, employers are interested in why an applicant left their previous job to get a better sense of their character and work ethic.

job interview

What are some good reasons for leaving a job?

There are many reasons why someone might choose to leave a job. However, some good reasons for leaving a job include:

  • Looking for new challenges: If you’re looking for a new challenge, be sure to emphasize your excitement about the role you’re applying for and what qualifications you have that make you a good fit.
  • Career progression: If you’re looking to further your career, again, emphasize your qualifications and highlight how the role you’re applying for will help you meet your goals.
  • Work/life balance: If you’re looking for a better work/life balance, explain what kind of schedule or working conditions you’re looking for and why they weren’t possible at your previous job.
  • Company culture: If you’re looking for a better company culture, explain what kind of environment you’re looking for and why it wasn’t present at your previous job.
  • Better offer from another company
  • Factors beyond an individual’s control, such as company restructuring or downsizing or family relocation

What are some wrong reasons for leaving a job?

There are also many reasons why someone might leave a job that wouldn’t reflect well on them during an interview. Some wrong reasons for leaving a job include:

  • Frequent job changes: If you’ve changed jobs frequently, this could give the impression that you’re not committed or have difficulty working with others. Be sure to explain why you’ve changed jobs so often if you’re asked about it in an interview.
  • Poor performance: If you left a job because of poor performance, this could give the impression that you’re not a competent worker. Again, be sure to explain why your performance was lacking if you’re asked about it in an interview.
  • Personal conflict: If you left a job because of personal conflict with a co-worker or superior, this could give the impression that you’re difficult to work with. Be prepared to explain how you would handle a similar situation in the future if you’re asked about it in an interview.

How to best answer the question?

Tell the truth

Many job seekers are tempted to lie when asked why they left their previous jobs. They may feel that they need to give a stronger answer than the truth, or they may simply be trying to avoid an uncomfortable conversation. However, there are several good reasons why people should tell the truth when they are asked about their previous employment.

For one thing, being dishonest on a job application can lead to severe consequences. If an employer finds out that an applicant has lied, they may decide not to hire that person. In addition, being honest about reasons for leaving a previous job shows that the applicant is willing to be open and honest about their work history. Finally, telling the truth demonstrates respect for the interviewer and the hiring process. Although it can be challenging to talk about why you left a previous job, honesty is always the best policy.

Be positive

Even if the reasons for leaving a previous job are not entirely positive, it’s important to frame them in a positive light. For example, if you left a previous job because of poor performance, you might say that you’re looking for a role where you can use your strengths more effectively. If you left a previous job because of personal conflict, you might say you’re looking for a more collegial work environment. In each case, the goal is to emphasize your desire for growth and improvement rather than dwelling on past negative experiences.

No matter the reason someone has for leaving their previous job, it is always best to remain positive when asked about it during a future job interview. Negativity reflects poorly on both the individual and their former employer, and it can make it difficult for the person to be hired for their desired position. Of course, there are many reasons someone might choose to leave their previous job, such as wanting to further their career or earn a higher salary.

Whatever the case may be, it is crucial to focus on the future and present oneself in a positive light. Doing so will increase the chances of being hired for the desired position and help to create a better impression overall.

Keep it brief

When discussing the reasons for leaving a previous job, it’s essential to keep the answer brief. The interviewer is not looking for a long-winded explanation, and providing too much detail can make the person seem unprofessional or difficult to work with. Instead, the goal should be to provide a brief, positive answer that gives the interviewer the necessary information without going into excessive detail.

The best way to do this is to focus on what you are looking for in your next role. For example, you might say something like, “I was looking for a new challenge” or “I wanted to work for a company that values employee development.” By providing a brief, positive answer that focuses on what you are looking for in your next role, you’ll increase the chances of being hired for the desired position and help to create a better impression overall.

Practice your explanation

If you’re worried about how to best answer the question, it can be helpful to practice your explanation in advance. This will help you feel more comfortable discussing the reasons for leaving your previous job, and it will also allow you to refine your answer to be clear and concise. In addition, practicing your explanation will allow you to anticipate any follow-up questions the interviewer might ask.

Show that you are looking ahead

When asked about leaving a previous job, it is vital to show that you are thinking ahead and have a plan for your future. This demonstrates that you are not simply looking for a new opportunity because you were unhappy in your old role, but rather that you have considered your options and decided that a change is the best way to further your career.

Additionally, discussing your future plans shows that you are motivated and have a clear vision for your professional goals. Hiring managers want to see that you are driven and ambitious, and discussing your plans for the future is one way to demonstrate this.

Finally, by focusing on the future instead of the past, you can avoid coming across as bitter or negative about your previous job, which is never a good impression to make.

So when asked about why you left your last job, remember to keep your answer focused on the future!

Conclusion

Leaving a job can be difficult, but staying positive and focusing on the future when discussing the reasons for doing so is essential. To increase your chances of being hired for your desired position, it is best to provide a brief, positive answer that focuses on what you are looking for in your next role.

Practicing your explanation ahead of time will help you feel more comfortable discussing the reasons for leaving your previous job. It will also allow you to refine your answer so that it is clear and concise. By showing that you are motivated and have a clear vision for your professional goals, you’ll impress hiring managers and increase your chances of being hired for the desired position.

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Start an online business with no skills: here’s how (and a few examples)

how to start an online business

We have already discussed the advantages of entrepreneurship. It is no secret that at Jinn, we are strong proponents of all startups.

Of course, one could argue that not everybody can start an online business and take such risks for themselves or their families. However, the main reason many don’t want to do it is that they consider they are not fit for that or have nothing worth selling.

This statement is probably far from the truth, whatever you have done in the past. It is what you should understand after reading this article.

Online business figures

We all know that the Internet is vast, and there are numerous opportunities to do business. But it is always better to have actual numbers to get an idea of the potential. So let’s start with some figures.

World RegionsPopulation
(2021 Est.)		Population
% of the world		Internet UsersPenetration rate
% pop		Growth
2000 – 2021		Internet
World %
Africa1,373,486,51417.4%590,296,16343.0%12,975 %11.7%
Asia4,327,333,82154.9%2,707,088,12162.6%2,268 %53.6%
Europe835,817,91710.6%728,321,91987.1%593 %14.4%
Latin America / Carribean659,743,5228.4%477,869,13872.4%2,544 %9.4%
Middle East265,587,6613.4%188,132,19870.8%5,627 %3.7%
North America370,322,3934.7%332,919,49589.9%208%6.6%
Oceania / Australia43,473,7560.6%29,284,68867.4%284%0.6%
WORLD TOTAL7,875,765,584100%5,053,911,722100%1300%100%
Internet Use in the World – Source: Internet World Stats

Despite this online presence, even in a country such as the United States, only 46% of small businesses have a website!

55% of people will search online for reviews and recommendations before making a purchase, with 47% visiting the company website, 26% checking out the physical store, and 23% talking with friends and family.

What you need to start an online business with no skills

Assess your strengths and weaknesses

First of all, it is doubtful that you can’t do anything. Instead, you probably have some skills and knowledge that you may not think about or consider useless.

Let’s take an example: if you are a housewife, you are probably not paid as in a traditional job. Therefore, you may think that you do not have any skills that may help you find a job. But there are multiple skills you already have. So if you don’t believe me, check here.

Individually, these skills don’t look significant. But put together, they give a candidate much value. Now imagine if you have other special skills such as cooking specific food

It is essential that you know what you can achieve the best. To do so, you can ask people around you how they see you. Or you can enter your job title in a job encyclopedia and look at the suggestions to determine your strengths.

Of course, that alone will not tell you what kind of an online business to start. But it will at least first help you pick your niche and then tell you the best way to achieve your idea and what kind of profile you should partner with to maximize your chances of success.

Learn, learn, learn

When you start an online business, you have to consider a wide range of areas not necessary within your scope of competence: product development, marketing, finance, sales, accountability, legal, etc.

An easy way to deal with these new things would be to recruit experts in every domain. Believe me; most entrepreneurs would do it if they could. But of course, they cannot, as it is way too expensive.

So that means you will have to get your hands dirty to start your business, including by doing things you are not necessarily an expert at. This is not so bad: after all, we are talking about how to start an online business with no skills. You can already assume that you are far from the only one who doesn’t have all the skills needed. Every startup goes through it. And let’s face it: even with no skill at all, you will have to learn some if you want to start an online business.

In this situation, the Internet will be your best friend. There are numerous sites to get the information or courses you need. For example, there is Udemy, where you can learn from professionals, edX or Coursera, similar but with courses from academic institutions. However, not all the courses on these sites are free, so be careful.

Time is money

You often hear that statement so often that you ignore it. But there is a double meaning in it if you consider doing a startup.

Indeed, you probably won’t get rich just a couple of months after starting an online business. Unfortunately, it takes some time.

But you will also not succeed unless you are dedicated enough to your business. The idea of running a 9 to 5 job and a successful online business in the evenings and weekends may work. However, it also means sacrificing many activities such as after-work drinks or outings with friends.

If you quit your job, you may have to live on your resources for some time before you manage to generate enough revenue from your online. The longer you take to reach that point, the closer you will be from not having enough resources to support your lifestyle, and therefore going back to being an employee for someone else.

Furthermore, the money you invest initially can make the difference between success and failure: you should invest enough; otherwise, you can’t create enough value. But you should not invest too much, or you will burn all your resources prematurely. So be sure to find the right balance between both options.

Examples of online businesses

If you are wondering where to start an online business when you do not have many skills, here are a few suggestions. Once again, you will need to provide a minimum of effort to succeed for each of these suggestions, especially if you do not master the relevant skillset.

Online content creator

Content marketing

WordPress, YouTube, Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, Instagram, Spotify… You have plenty of choices for the platform to use, depending on your target audience. However, defining your digital marketing strategy is better before creating your content. For that, you must first ask yourself who are your potential customers.

Once it is done, keep in mind that a critical factor in social media success is consistently publishing quality content. Indeed, trending topics on social media change very quickly. Therefore, the moment you post something, you must immediately start working on your following content, or else you will be drowned in the stream of activities of other users.

A few more figures:

Tutoring and teaching

Why not start an online business in your area of expertise? That would make a much smoother departure for your entrepreneurial journey, right? Creating an online course and selling it is an excellent way to start.

The difference between teaching and tutoring is that with the former, your course is available to many students, just like in a traditional classroom. While with the latter, you are in a 1-1 session via Skype or Zoom.

Udemy is a big name if you want to sell your knowledge massively. But for individual courses, you will need to promote yourself and your services to get students, either with your website or via classified ads platforms or social media.

Digital marketing specialist

digital marketing

The few figures I mentioned in this article have not escaped the interest of many companies, which are already long-established on the Internet. And because the competition is stiff to rank first on Google or get thousands or more followers, many outsource activities such as SEO or growth hacking to specialists.

Neil Patel, a famous online marketing expert, started to learn digital marketing at 16 while still in college. Today, he is one of the biggest names in his industry. So that shows that it is possible!

Many people who start an online business struggle with digital marketing at first. Even if numerous experts are better than you, don’t give up! Consider that these experts will charge their services a lot, so you can still get your first customers. With billions of Internet users worldwide, you don’t need to worry too much about whether there are customers for you.

Dropshipping

Dropshipping consists in selling goods without having a warehouse to store these goods. The advantage is that you don’t need to bother with logistics or hold an inventory. Instead, you purchase your customer’s goods directly to your supplier and have them shipped directly to them.

Dropshipping is an easy way to start an online business: little investment required, as you purchase the goods only once your customers order them, you can sell anything from anywhere (depending on the location of your suppliers, of course), you can test different business ideas with few risk, you don’t need to hire many people to run your business.

But it also has some drawbacks.

With so little upfront investment, you can expect the competition is very tough, and the margins are skinny. You are also dependent on the stock of your suppliers, meaning you must know the status at all times, even though it is changing every day. You can work with different suppliers to mitigate the risk, but that often involves extra shipping costs you need to consider. Add the lack of customization for the items you sell and your reputation that can be hurt in case of error from your supplier.

It is still worth considering dropshipping if you want to start an online business with no skills. However, if possible, pick a profitable niche related to your own experience or knowledge.

Conclusion

Even with no skills, there are still multiple ways to start an online business and make a profit. The common factor between the different methods is your time and commitment to your project. So, now that you have some keys to start, what will your choice be?

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Supporting you amid the Great Resignation

Great Resignation illustration

A large proportion of the world has been subjected to the Covid-19 pandemic for two years (and counting), with minimal hope of it approaching an end. Though this is not the first time the world has to experience a pandemic, the present generation struggles to keep up with and adapt to the circumstances, which may become the new norm (we will tell more about this in the following article).

A drastic influence of this pandemic is the increase in the number of people who lost their jobs and the people who gave up theirs willingly. This phenomenon is nicknamed “the Great Resignation.” As a result, companies began re-evaluating the employees they had hired to work in their facility. In hiring new, better employees, others faced the loss of jobs and income. In other instances, people left their jobs mainly due to the pressure of having to work online and how their salary was cut back. As a result, workers (especially the young ones) quit their jobs to get a better one.

Potential reasons behind the Great Resignation

A good consequence for this step taken by millions around the globe was that individuals grew a yearning for more enjoyable moments in their everyday life. In modern days, most of our lives are spent at work, leaving a tiny portion for pleasure and fun. Therefore, workers, mainly from generation Z and the millennials, do not view this pandemic as just a tiresome and cruel phase of their life that has brought everything to a halt. Instead, they see it as an opportunity to step out of their bubble and do something unique.

However, dissatisfaction with online work and less salary is not the most popular reason for the Great Resignation. A recent survey has shown that more than half the people who took part were leaning towards quitting their jobs. The main objective of these people was to make use of this pandemic and explore a work environment that they find more satisfying, attractive, and comfortable in. In addition, they hope to achieve growth in a new career path when the lockdown interferes with their progress at their current job.

 It was observed that after spending some time in a pandemic, people have gotten more creative and motivated to try new things in the pandemic. Some even took a step towards getting something out of it and succeeded in portraying a unique yet appealing set of skills. As a result, many individuals started their online businesses, including home-based food services, hand-crafted jewelry, creating and selling art pieces to show off talent, or starting a blog about their interests.

Most of these people are young adults for whom job security for their family isn’t the highest priority. Therefore, they find it easier to take this step since they are less at stake than the middle-aged group. Their professions do not always pay well, but personal satisfaction is worth it when you love what you do and have fun doing it. 

Concrete examples

From a different perspective, for some of us, the reason behind being unhappy with the working position we are currently at is that we took the wrong approach at some point in our life. Or we were in a situation where any other decision would’ve been problematic, which is what brought us to the point where you’re right now. For example, young adults join their fathers’ businesses in some cultures and put their effort there. Indeed, it is considered a tradition, and one of the actions of support for their aging parents, even though their interests are far from it.

In general, being subjected to the same conditions for a long time might make one lose confidence in what he or she wants to achieve. We lose touch with our authentic selves and suppress our ambitions for several reasons. At times one may think that the position he or she is currently at is the best it can get, and no further.

For example, a man takes up a job as a hospital janitor when first looking for a job because he must feed his family. Later, with his financial condition improving, he could afford to take the risk of changing his job. However, in his mindset, a janitor’s job is the only one he is good at. As a result, he underestimates his capabilities because he no longer recognizes them. You might say they have gone dormant.

If you are someone or know someone who feels like this, you are at the right place. We provide services to help people in this situation, most of them for free. Continue reading below to find out more.

Considering a resignation too? Here’s what to do

Sit tight and assess your situation

In a Netflix film, the President of the United States suggests precisely to do this upon learning that a giant planet-killer comet is heading towards Earth. Without spoiling the end, that is relevant advice when you think about what to do next in your career.

Sit tight and assess

Psychologically speaking, one might argue that a self-assessment questionnaire based solely on the recipients’ reflection is not the most reliable method of gathering data. We discuss that deeper in this article.

That is a valid concern, as self-assessment tools are prone to social desirability brought by the user himself. But these tools remain helpful because you know yourself better than anyone else. If a person, in this case, the applicant hoping to begin a new career path, is truly focused and determined in this struggle, honesty in online services should not be a problem.

Just like your resume is a very significant part of any application. Suppose you lie in your resume or lie to yourself about how capable you are, just because you are too stubborn or fearful of being honest. In that case, all you’re doing is setting yourself up for failure, which benefits no one, let alone you.

Many self-evaluating tools suggest various methods for getting to know yourself better and guiding you to the optimal conclusion. Some provide a broad portrayal of the user, while others concentrate on specific areas of your personality. However, the SWOT analysis mainly gives the outcome from the entered information regarding strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats.

Of course, no one likes having their flaws pointed out. However, these flaws can often be minimized by hard work and effort, making you a better candidate for the job and helping you grow as a person. The cheat sheet provided by our test can help you see at a glance these areas to improve and figure out quickly what you want to do.

Jinn personal SWOT diagram

Find opportunities you like

Building a solid and impressive resume is the most fundamental step in building in or pursuing a new career path. Knowing what you want to do is great, but knowing the skills or qualities you need to acquire before doing what you want is different. In the hunt for jobs suited to one’s liking, one must first find out what that liking is.

Online career advisement surveys provide an efficient and thorough assessment of this aspect, such as Jinn career advisor. These surveys assess based on one’s previous job, education, and skills. Once this information has been entered, it provides the list of suitable employment for the user, i.e., positions in which the applicant can implement his previous knowledge and experience differently than their last job, but more satisfying for themselves.

The output from these surveys is significant because the list of potential careers you could undertake helps give a sense of direction and motivates the user to continue working towards their goals. 

career-algo

Anticipate your career over the long term

Say you fill out the career quiz in hopes of finding new career paths, but you are still confused as to where these new paths will bring you in the longer term. The Jinn Career Encyclopedia, an online collaborative career encyclopedia (based on the Wikipedia model, i.e., anyone can contribute to the encyclopedia), is an excellent way to have an idea of the potential paths every job can offer, thanks to the paragraph intended for that purpose, Possible career paths.

Additionally, the encyclopedia also helps you discover job options based on the skills you already have, with a detailed list of possibilities. These tools provide analyzed information for many fields. They do not have constraints or biases for just any particular work area. So an engineer would be able to benefit from these just as much as a business person or an artist, for example. With nearly 3,000 jobs and 22,000 articles (counting), it is an easy-to-use and convenient tool for almost every individual, as long as they are fluent in basic English. 

Wrapping up: it is never too late to follow your passions

In conclusion, such measures could help minimize the effects of the Great Resignation, even after the pandemic is over. Changing a career is a giant leap, but very possible. Sometimes taking a risk is just the push you need to reach your objective. You need to gain the correct devotion and desire to put in the necessary effort while remaining unfazed because trying and failing is better than not trying.

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How can Jinn Career Encyclopedia help in a post covid-19 world

career encyclopedia concept illustration

Most of us often do not use a career encyclopedia or anything resembling a job encyclopedia. Usually, we would need it either as a student or at the beginning of our professional life or prepare for a drastic career change. In all cases, doing this kind of research is always better carried out with friends already in the same career field you want to join or with a career counselor.

Considering how most job boards operate, it is always a minimum to know what job you are searching for. And because there is no prominent career encyclopedia available online, the vast majority turn to Google Search. From there, they visit different sites to find the information they need, with relative success.

The impact of covid-19 on employment in the world

According to the International Labour Organization, the covid-19 pandemic wiped out about 255 million jobs in the world in 2020. Once again, low-income countries paid the highest price. However, richer countries have not been spared by the crises, with the impact reduced by income support measures from the governments.

Impact of covid 19 on jobs worldwide

With so many people unemployed and the ongoing pandemic, the road to economic recovery is still long. Therefore, it is entirely natural in these circumstances to sit down and think about your career, what you are doing good in it, and if it is time for a career change. If you are one of them, the following could interest you.

The benefits of Jinn Career Encyclopedia

The Jinn Career Encyclopedia is a database of occupations, skills, knowledge, education, and many other items relevant to your career. We filled all entries in there thanks to datasets from ESCO, an initiative from the European Commission to sort occupations, skills, and qualifications. We later added data from UNESCO to cover education. With such data, we make sure our encyclopedia is relevant to anyone worldwide, contrary to many other career databases, which remain specific to a market.

Jinn Career Encyclopedia

As of writing, it contains more than 16K articles, including 2927 articles about occupations. In comparison, Indeed has only 552 different works. So for people who recently lost their jobs or wondering if they should change careers, Jinn Career Encyclopedia can be a good place to start their research.

The other advantage is, like in every wiki, everybody can contribute, either by modifying an article or by creating a new article. It can be interesting if a subject you know well is not covered yet and makes the career database more relevant to users. We will explain later how you can edit an article.

How to use Jinn Career Encyclopedia

Browsing for occupations

The simplest way to get inspiration with Jinn Career Encyclopedia is to start browsing the occupations category. After all, a career change is most of the time synonymous with a job change. Or, if you already have an idea, you can use the search bar on top.

Every article about occupation is written according to this structure:

  • Title: the name of the occupation
  • Description: A brief description of the occupation
  • Alternative labels: other ways to name this occupation
  • Entry-level education: the minimum education requirement for the job
  • Possible evolutions: other jobs requiring similar skills, either at a similar level, or at a higher level
  • Essential and optional knowledge: The “must-have” knowledge and optional expertise you should have to fulfill your mission for a given occupation. Every knowledge links to another page where it is explained in detail
  • Essential and optional skills and competencies: For a given occupation, the “must-have” skills you should master to fulfill your mission. Note that we call knowledge the outcome of the assimilation of information through learning. At the same time, skills mean applying knowledge and using know-how to complete a task. Once again, every skill links to another page.
From an occupation article, you can directly post a job or search for a job

At the bottom, you notice two buttons: one proposing to search for a job corresponding to the article (in that case, the searched terms are already entered), and another one with which you can post a job corresponding to the article. In that case, you need to fill the category of your job ad, but it is good practice to take the same one as the one in the article (the first two digits of the article category, just before the two buttons)

Browsing for skills or knowledge

When you read an article about a skill or some knowledge, the structure is slightly different, as it is more like:

  • a description of the skill or knowledge
  • a list of alternative labels, or other ways to name the skill of knowledge
  • the type of skill, i.e., is it a skill that you acquire with experience or knowledge that you can learn in a training course
  • the list of occupations where this skill or knowledge is considered as essentially
  • the same list for optional skill or knowledge
  • and a button linking to the course catalog, where you can learn this skill if a course exists about it.

Improving Jinn Career Encyclopedia

As said previously, Jinn Career Encyclopedia is a wiki. So, it is straightforward to modify the articles or create new articles if a topic of interest for you is not covered yet.

To do so, you can click on the pencil button at the bottom of every article.

An article of Jinn Career Encyclopedia…
… And the edit page of the same article

Note also that the article category and tags are already set. You can add photos and videos to make the article easier to understand.

Jinn Career Encyclopedia use case: career change

To conclude this article, let’s make an example of using Jinn Career Encyclopedia.

We could consider we want a career change, but we are unsure what kind of change. But preferably, we want something where our previous experience is an asset. Note that I take this example only to make the demonstration simple, but this is also applicable for a more radical career change.

Light career change

Therefore, the first step is to enter the current occupation in the search bar. In this example, we will start with “truck driver.”

The first result is “moving truck driver”. When we open the page, we have an idea of what it is, other names for this job, the essential and optional skills and knowledge, and most importantly, possible evolution from this job position. There are two options: similar jobs, other jobs at an equivalent level, requiring similar skills to what a moving truck driver should know. And there are the potential promotions from this job, which is easy to understand.

Therefore, we could imagine changing the career of moving truck driver to dangerous goods driver or hoping for a promotion as desalination technician or a gas processing plant control room operator.

Of course, all these suggestions are still in development.

Significant career change: Jinn Career Advisor

The good thing with Jinn Career Encyclopedia is that it can suggest more radical career changes, although not directly. Jinn Career Encyclopedia is the basis for another excellent service, Jinn Career Advisor: an algorithm capable of providing job suggestions based on your experience, education, and preferred skills. This article explains well how to use this great tool.

Jinn Career Advisor is a great way to get career suggestions if you are a student, have a small or significant work experience, and are wondering about the next steps of your career. However, you should still not expect it will tell you what to do without a serious exercise of introspection, such as a personal SWOT analysis.

Wrap up

Jinn Career Encyclopedia in its current form can already be of interest in some circumstances. Still, we are working hard to make it better. Because it is a wiki, it can become even more relevant with your support. Combined with using other tools such as Jinn Career Advisor and self-assessment tools, it can help you find other activities more in line with your values.

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