Career Development Category Archives - General Assembly Blog

As companies increasingly hire for skills, not degrees, there is more opportunity than ever to break into tech or grow your career off the traditional beaten path. Major companies like Google, Delta, Mastercard and Bank of America have shifted to skills-based hiring. However, you might be asking: what exactly are those skills companies are hiring for? 

We spoke to General Assembly instructors and tech professionals at Uber and Doordash to uncover the top skills they see hiring managers looking for in 2023, whether you want to switch careers or land that promotion. Here are the 5 skills you should learn to take your career to the next level this year.

Calling all bored accountants. 

If you’re feeling unengaged at work and ready for a change, you’re not alone. 

According to The CPA Journal, turnover rates at large firms saw a significant increase in 2019, reaching almost 19%  — which is an 18% increase from the previous year. In fact, in some cases, the journal found turnover rates as high as 30%.  

Given the changes taking place in the industry, this doesn’t come as a huge surprise. 

Like so many other industries, accounting is significantly impacted by new technology — from an increase in automation to new software entering the field — technology has changed the shape of the industry and the roles within it.

This article walks through why accountants are leaving their field, tech roles to consider, and three steps to get started on your career transition journey. 

Are you reconsidering your career path?

The thought of taking on a whole new career can be terrifying—especially when it requires that you take a few steps backward to get there. Feelings of self-doubt are normal as you go from expert to student again, working hard to learn the new skills that will help you transition to a more fulfilling career.

Doing work you are passionate about is worth the hard work it takes to get there. With mindfulness and mental health practices, you can squash the very normal feelings of fear and doubt that come along with change. 

We’ll walk you through five helpful ways to conquer the fear of career transition and provide actionable steps to help you feel confident and prepared for whatever is next in your career journey.

When it comes to the New Year, it’s well known as a time of renewal and new beginnings. Famously “out with the old and in with the new” is something we often remind ourselves of as we come closer to the end of a year. 

Amongst many other things, New Year’s Day is a celebration of having survived another 365 days, the period by which we keep a chronological record of our personal and professional lives. Your New Year’s resolutions may represent a deep need for you to exert some control over the future because we all know how dreadfully unpredictable the future may be. 

With a fresh new year, it may be time for a fresh new career. With 2023 just around the corner, you may be prompted to leave behind your old job and consider a new exciting career you will truly love. 

Keep reading to learn how you can leave your career change doubts behind in 2022 and start the New Year with a bang. 

The current landscape of the tech job market in Singapore is thriving. Despite the widespread layoffs at tech companies like Meta, Twitter, Amazon, and Shopee, Singapore’s tech talent market remains a job-seeker market. According to The Straits Times, vacancies have been on the rise since last year, noted the Ministry of Manpower, with the ratio of jobs to unemployed persons rising to 2.42 in March – the highest since 1998.

Undoubtedly, tech workers are still very much in demand as businesses of all facets work to build their digital infrastructure. However, with the rising demand for tech talent, Singapore has experienced a decline in qualified tech workers. 

Picking up essential future-proof tech skills will expand your horizons for exciting career changes like pivoting into tech and allow you to thrive professionally. Moreover, becoming familiar with technical skills can only improve the quality of life given that technology is at the core of the innovation ecosystem, encompassing 94% of Singapore’s government services.

This blog will give you more information on Singapore’s tech ecosystem, the type of tech jobs that are in demand and how to land your first tech job quickly.

As the holiday season approaches, many are taking the time to reflect on the past year. And some are even taking some much-needed time to slow down and unplug from work. Times like these are helpful in taking stock of the status quo and potentially even igniting change.

It’s a great time to ask yourself questions like: 

• Are you looking forward to ramping up again in January? Or is going back to work making your stomach turn?
• Is your job allowing you to take the vacation time you deserve? Or are boundaries between personal life and work life too blurred? 

These may lead you to consider much bigger questions like: 

• Do you want to stay in your current job? Or is switching careers a good idea? 

We spend a lot of our time at work, and feeling uninspired or bored isn’t the only consequence of sticking with a job you hate. In fact, there can be dire repercussions, including risk of illness, lack of sleep, poor mental health, and stress —  just to name a few. 

For these reasons and more, making an intentional change to your professional journey can be immensely rewarding. As you reflect on your situation and consider your options, here are eight things to keep in mind for your career change journey.