There’s an interesting trend that I’ve seen happening during the pandemic in Australia that I haven’t seen many people writing or talking about – career trajectories are being redefined in unpredictable ways.

I’m sure everyone can think of a friend who moved to the country for the tree or sea change. But from a talent perspective, something bigger is happening.

With whole industries redefining themselves (at best) and imploding (at worst) talent (and the people attached to that talent) are taking their skills to weird and wonderful places. There are senior managers who have become farmers, the overworked and underpaid are heading to self-employment in droves and those remaining in traditional employment are split in to two camps: fiercely loyal to the employers who were loyal to them in the worst of times or itching to move from employers who weren’t.

People are peeling back the layers of their life that have been shaken up by this pandemic and they’re emerging search for purpose.

Seek is reporting that job ads are at an all time high and recruiters are reporting that great candidates are getting 2 – 3 offers each.

So what does that mean for you? Jump on the bandwagon and take time to reassess your values, your priorities and how you want to design your life. If you’re thinking about making a move that is a great market to do it in.

If you’re a leader who needs great talent (and let’s face it, who doesn’t), you’re not competing with your ‘competitors’ anymore. You’re up against moving interstate to be close to family, heading to somewhere warmer, taking some time out to avoid burnout or your employee might have their eye on a career path you hadn’t ever imagined (beekeeper, textile designer, social media influencer?).

You have to up your game to hold on to talent right now and the solution is simple and complex – care about your people. Tell them and show them that they are valuable and that their work is meaningful.

And if you’re not sure how to do that, that’s your number one business problem to solve right now.