Are you an employer looking to attract great talent to your workforce? It may be tempting to pass over CVs from candidates who lack some technical skills, such as career changers, during the recruitment process. However, there is a range of benefits that career changers can bring to your business or organisation, such as experience, transferable skills and a fresh perspective. The first step is advertising career change jobs so that they target this specific audience.
In this blog, we will explore some of the main benefits of hiring career changers and share valuable tips for employers on how to optimise their job posts when advertising career change jobs.
Why Hire a Career Changer
Let’s start by looking at some of the business benefits of hiring a career changer:
A career changer has a valuable transferable skillset
When an employee leaves an organisation, they take their knowledge and skills with them. Therefore, most career changers come to your organisation with a developed set of soft skills. In turn, this skill set can be adapted and transferred to different roles and contexts. Transferable skills are highly valuable to employers because they tend to come with experience, making them difficult to train.
According to LinkedIn’s Global Talent Trends Report 2019, 92% of professionals in the talent acquisition sector value soft skills just as much as technical skills in the hiring process. This also impacts talent retention. Indeed, a lack of soft skills is one of the biggest reasons why new recruits don’t work out.
When recruiting for talent, don’t overlook a career-changer skillset. Skills such as communication, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence are valued traits that dramatically improve team dynamics and company culture.
Career changers offer a fresh perspective
Another perk of employing a career changer is the fresh perspective they can bring with them. By employing a professional who comes with experience in a different field, you open the doors for new insights. For instance, a former civil servant applying for a role as an office manager. Using their experience, they may be able to share some nuggets of wisdom on how to streamline admin processes.
Fresh eyes are always beneficial for a business. However, fresh eyes from a seasoned professional with well-honed communication skills can be the push your business needs.
Career switchers bring passion and enthusiasm
The decision to switch careers is never an easy one. Especially for older career changers. While there are many reasons why people decide to switch careers, a common reason is a lack of fulfilment. This is great news for future employers. Here’s why.
An employee who opts to change career paths in the quest for something more fulfilling is demonstrating their passion. This employee wants to be engaged. They want to work. For an employer, this means you gain a motivated and enthusiastic employee who has a desire to learn and develop. That’s priceless.
Recruiting career changers promotes a diverse workplace
Career changers come from diverse age groups and backgrounds. As such, employing career changers can promote diversity in your organisation. Research from Sage found that racially diverse teams reported a 35% increase in performance. Therefore, diverse recruiting can significantly impact business results.
Diverse workplaces come out on top time after time when it comes to not only performance but innovation and culture too. In fact, a whopping 67% of millennial and generation z jobseekers cite diversity as a key consideration. Put simply, adopting an inclusive recruiting strategy that embraces career changers can do wonders for your team.
Tips for Advertising Career Change Jobs
Now that you’re aware of the many benefits of hiring career-change candidates, it’s time to delve into how best to attract them to your organisation. Here are our top tips on advertising career change jobs:
1. Understand the motivations of career changers
As we mentioned above, career changers bring a whole new level of enthusiasm and passion to their new job. This is due to their desire for fulfilment, a need to be engaged, and to enjoy what they do once more.
As an employer, it’s crucial to acknowledge these aspirations in your job advertisements. Speak to their hearts by showing that your company is a place where career changers are not only welcomed but encouraged to apply too, regardless of previous industry experience.
2. Identify transferable skills
Now, let’s talk about transferable skills – the ace up the sleeve of any career changer. These gems are like puzzle pieces that fit snugly into new roles. They might have acquired leadership, problem-solving, or communication skills from their previous careers, and these talents can work wonders in your company too.
When writing job descriptions, remember to highlight transferable skills and how they can bridge the gap between their past and your company’s future. Who doesn’t love a candidate who can adapt and excel?
3. Craft an inclusive job description
Diversity and inclusivity are not just necessary but mandatory in the successful workplaces of today. So when you’re crafting your job description, be sure to highlight the importance that your organisation places on diversity and inclusivity. It’s not about putting up walls of industry-specific language; it’s about inclusive hiring and building bridges to welcome talent from various backgrounds.
Use friendly and inviting language that showcases your company’s commitment to diversity and inclusivity. Make your career change candidates feel like they’ve found their new home.
Not sure where to start? Get in touch with us about a professional Job Advert Inclusivity Screening.
4. Promote career development opportunities
Career changers are hungry for knowledge and career advancement, and showing them the path to success will make your job postings stand out. Don’t be afraid to flaunt your company’s career development opportunities as a badge of honour!
Offer training programmes, mentorship initiatives, and chances for internal mobility. They’ll see your company as a place to thrive and not just survive, leading to increased employee retention.
5. Leverage social media and online platforms
The digital world is bustling with career changers on the hunt for their dream jobs. So make sure you’re taking advantage of major platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to attract a broader audience. A little social media magic can work wonders in getting your job postings noticed by the right candidates.
6. Showcase success stories
Many career changers will be nervous about possibly being the oldest employee at a new job. Therefore, it helps to paint a picture of previous career changers who’ve succeeded in your company. Share their journey of growth and achievement, and inspire new candidates to take the leap with you.
When career changers see that others have thrived, they’ll be eager to join the winning team. Success stories speak louder than a thousand job descriptions!
7. Advertise on trusted career change employment sites
And finally, where should you advertise your career change jobs? We recommend advertising career change jobs on trusted platforms like Refreshing a Career. Here’s why:
- Advice and support – Our website is packed with guides for employers, including advice on attracting career changers and building a diverse work environment. Find the latest industry insights on our weekly blog.
- Attract career change talent – Get in touch to advertise your roles on our dedicated career change job board.
- Find diverse talent – Our job advert inclusivity screening tests your ad against our “Inclusive Language Checklist” to remove potentially discriminatory language.
- Advertise your business – Our talented team of writers works with you to create a company profile that documents your efforts as a top employer of professionals who want to make a career change.
For more information, email us at info@refreshingacareer.com or give us a call at 0345 872 4501. We’d be more than happy to offer guidance on advertising career change jobs with us.
