Making a career change in Hawaii requires careful planning and a strategic approach. This blog provides a step-by-step guide to help you navigate the transition smoothly. From assessing your skills and interests to researching new industries, we cover essential steps to ensure a successful career shift.  Our expert recruiters can provide personalized guidance, connect you with opportunities that align with your new career goals, and help you tailor your resume and interview techniques to appeal to Hawaii’s unique job market.

Living in Hawaii has so many perks: the perfect weather, the fresh seafood, the beautiful environment, the strong, beloved culture. But when you’re frustrated with your job or feel like you need to make a career change, it can be a little trickier on the islands than it is in other places.

With a population of 1.4 million people across the Hawaiian islands, it might feel like the smallest state in the country (it’s not — it’s ranked 11th least populous according to the latest census data), which might also make it feel like changing jobs is a difficult prospect with few opportunities available.

Like with anything else worth doing, you can find a new job and make a change in your career, it just takes a little time and preparation. And thankfully, you don’t have to do it alone! Bishop & Company can help you find just the right opportunity right here in Hawaii.

Here’s how to make a big change to benefit your future.

Think about what inspires you.

What do you like about your current job, or what have you enjoyed about it in the past? Do you like flexing your creative muscles? Or maybe you prefer a steady routine, something that allows you to have a set list of goals and expectations for the day or week where you can leave with a sense of accomplishment when it’s time to go home. Knowing what you want to do, and what makes you feel happy or content at work, is an important factor when considering a career change, almost as much as knowing what you don’t want to do and what you haven’t liked about previous jobs.

What skills do you have compared to the kind of work you’d like to do?

If you’ve been in your current position for a few years, it’s possible you haven’t assessed your skills in a while. What kinds of skills do you use in your current job? Have you noticed there are newer employees who can do things you don’t know how to do? Is there something you’d like to learn but your company hasn’t offered you the ability to take a training course? Here’s another way in which Bishop & Company can help you: We can tell you what our client companies are looking for in the positions they’re working to fill. This way, you’ll know what to prioritize and what can wait until you’re established in your new job.

It’s time to freshen up the resume and cover letter.

When you’ve found some new career paths to explore, it’s time to make yourself sound like the best candidate possible. The advice is true: It’s best to have a resume tailored to each position you’re considering to utilize the best and most effective keywords. This will help your resume stand out from other applicants while also matching terms with what the company has prioritized in the job description. Our staffing experts at Bishop can help you here, too! We know what our clients are looking for and can help you craft a resume and cover letter that makes you look tailor-made for your position, company culture, and vision of the future.

Prepare for interviews.

This isn’t getting ahead of yourself: Practice makes perfect. With every interview, there are some questions you can anticipate and prepare for ahead of time. Why are you looking to change jobs? What about this position appealed to you? What are your career goals? What do you bring to this position that other candidates might not? It’s also smart to do some homework and learn about both the job and the company, as this will show you’ve taken the initiative to take time out of your busy schedule to have an interest in the place where you want to work. If there’s a project the company has talked about on social media lately or features prominently on its website, make a point to ask about it. If the company has won awards for something, find an attribute that you feel is impressive and talk about it. It’s also important to prepare questions in advance — you can almost guarantee you’ll be asked if you have any — and the more specific questions you have ready, the less frazzled you’ll feel. At Bishop & Company, our experts have deep relationships with our clients, and we can help coach you to be prepared to dazzle your interviewers when the time comes!

Don’t forget to make a great first impression.

Arrive early for the interview, confident in your abilities, and dress neatly but comfortably. Shake the person’s hand and thank them for the time they’re taking out of their busy day to meet you, both at the beginning of the interview and at the end. Send a thank you note the next day with some detailed items that stood out to you about the opportunity. If you’re really interested in the job, or if something came up in conversation that you’d like to build on, this is a good opportunity to do so; just be sure not to spend too much time on any one point.

Find a Great Job in Hawaii Today!

There’s a great new career out there for you, just waiting to be found. In a state famous for stunning rainbows, trust that your career pot of gold is out there and that you’ll find it — with a little help from Bishop & Company! Take a look at our job board to see what positions are available, then give us a call. Our experts will work with you every step of the way until we find a position that’s just what you’re looking for. Let us support you on this journey!