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Covid-19 took away the job I loved. I found another, but yearn for the old times. What should I do?

Adapting to a new industry or role takes time. However, if you’re sure that things are not going to work out, move on – and be mindful not to keep living in the past

If you have just recently switched to a new sector or job, give yourself (and the role) a chance before deciding that it’s truly not for you. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

When one door closes, so the saying goes, another opens. Last year, resident unemployment in Singapore hit 4.1 per cent while layoffs surpassed 26,000. Yet even as tourism, aviation and other sectors, devastated by border closure and other pandemic restrictions, shed thousands of workers, industries like education, financial services, health and social services continued to grow.

This means that some people who've lost their jobs found a new one fairly quickly, albeit in a different industry. A host of initiatives and schemes under Workforce Singapore (WSG) such as the SGUnited Mid-Career Pathways Programme (SGUP) and the Career Conversion Programme (CCP) have no doubt helped.

Even though staying employed eases the immediate bread-and-butter worries, many miss what they used to do for a living and yearn to return to it.

Others who have remained in vulnerable sectors, such as the hospitality and events industry, are wondering if they should jump ship. If they do, can they ever go back when - indeed if - business recovers?

"I love my job in F&B but my pay is just too low and I need money," said one individual who wrote to WSG for career advice. Another asked: "Should passion be the most important criteria for a career?"

These are not easy questions with standard answers for everyone. But asking yourself a few questions may help point you to the best way forward.

Be honest with yourself whether or not you're the only one who can do your job. If you can be easily replaced, you will not be paid very well if you remain in the same role. If you want to stay in your current industry, explore other roles that require more skills or competencies that increase your value to your organisation.

If you have been forced to switch to a new sector, the transition will not be easy. If you are struggling to adapt and wish to get back into your comfort zone, ask yourself this: Is your former job likely to come back though? And if yes, when?

Don't be afraid to step out of your comfort zone and seek out growth in unfamiliar roles or career pathways - you never know what exciting opportunities it will bring. PHOTO: GETTY IMAGES

The supply of jobs, like so many other things in an economy, is decided by demand. As long as demand for your product or service remains depressed, your former job is unlikely to return.

Seizing new opportunities

Rather than pine for the past, try to make the most of the present. Give yourself time to settle in and pick up the ropes. Rome, after all, wasn't built in a day.

Mr Timothy Goh and Mr Veeragoo Suppiah Guruswamy are two Singaporeans who had to relook at their careers and learn new skills during this period.

Mr Goh, 31, was running teambuilding and leadership development programmes in the events industry when Covid-19 hit. The writing was on the wall as the pandemic dragged on, so in April last year, the father of one decided to look for a new job.

A CCP to help mid-career professionals switch to nursing caught his eye. After all, his father is a doctor and his late mother was a nurse. Mr Goh, who professes to love interacting with people and helping them, enrolled in the two-year diploma programme last October.

While he finds it challenging to juggle his studies and clinical attachments while caring for his toddler son, he is certain that he has made the right career choice. "I look forward to embarking on my nursing career with NUH and to be able to play an active role in providing support to the patients, including their family members, in their recovery process," says Mr Goh.

For Mr Veeragoo, the pandemic likewise pushed him onto an unfamiliar path - at the age of 60 no less.

The principal technician with ST Engineering was previously responsible for the maintenance and repairs for Boeing 737/757 and A320 passenger aircraft. As global passenger air traffic slowed while e-commerce boomed under the global lockdown, ST Engineering needed more maintenance personnel to support its growing passenger-to-freighter (PTF) aircraft conversion business.

Mr Veeragoo, encouraged by his supervisor, enrolled in a CCP in August last year to gain the know-how for PTF conversion as well as lean management knowledge. Learning additional skills and regulation requirements was not easy, but the CCP helped him build a foundation for continual learning and upskilling.

Next topic: Staying versatile and adaptable in an uncertain future

Do you have a story to share on how you've seized new opportunities to reinvent your career or found your way back to a job you love? Write in to WSG here.

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