By Sarah Taylor Phillips, founder of Career Voyage

Career priorities have always shifted with age, life stage and big events. However, there have been very few events that caused such a shift as the pandemic did. People took stock. They reviewed where they work and live, leading to the Great Resignation and the Great Retirement.

Two years on, amid a cost-of-living crisis, Sarah Taylor Phillips has advice for those considering the "Great Return" or the "Great Unretirement".

Retirement isn't always all it's cracked up to be. We all need to do something. Ideally, something we look forward to when we wake up every day. What you spend your time doing each day helps shape your identity. Your career is crucial to your wellbeing.

Work or volunteering brings many essential things to our wellbeing - connection, learning, challenge, feedback, structure and perspective. When that disappears, we feel bereft. Stopping work is a life transition, and the change might come at the same time as other transitions, such as children leaving home.

Work and life are blended in the new world of work. There's no such thing as a job for life, just great jobs or projects for right now.

As an individual, you have much more control over your career, and you must know how you add value. So, let's break it down...

It all begins with you

You need to dig deep and gather some insights. Understanding what makes you tick, your superpowers, knowledge and expertise, transferable skills and values help you articulate what you bring to the party and how you gain a competitive edge.

What do you want from your next role?

Once you understand yourself and everything you bring to the work party, it's easier to decide where you are heading. Once you know where you are heading, it's much easier to get there.

Take time to explore the employment landscape. Where do you want to work or volunteer and make a difference? Where are your unique skills required? Have you had a side hustle for a while that you'd like to take full-time, or do you want to work or volunteer in a completely different field?

You might even realise that you are in the right place by tweaking your mindset. Flexible working changes everything. Now, more than ever, there are opportunities to reskill and upskill. We're no longer restricted by location or time zones. The world really is our career oyster.

Raise your profile online and offline

Creating your own personal brand and a compelling LinkedIn profile will mean opportunities come to you.

Work your network

Your network is vast, even if you think it isn't. It includes head-hunters, recruiters and ex-colleagues, but what about neighbours and people in the same clubs or communities as you?

Mindset is magic

Finally, take time to work on your mindset. Searching for your next role can feel like a full-time job on its own, so it's essential that you actively work on building your resilience and practising self-care.

It's no secret that there are challenging times ahead, but try not to get swept up in the media frenzy of doom and gloom. With ever-advancing technology and employers offering more flexibility in return for top talent, it is an exciting time to move your career forward.

Sustainability is a new function that is purposeful and meaningful. You need great comms and project management skills to work in this new area and many vacancies are available in this sector.

To find out more, join the free LinkedIn group @ BeInspiredGetHired (in a job you love), where you will see the 50day50waystogethired campaign.

If you are a client who needs help with employee retention or transition, call Sarah Taylor Phillips on 0333 123 0510 or email sarah@careervoyage.co.uk