'I thought I'd forever regret not taking the opportunity'

Joe Flynn says his new job is perfect for someone who is a vegan

Like millions of people around the world, the pandemic spurred Joe Flynn to reassess his career.

The 34-year-old from Worcestershire had spent 10 years selling mortgages, but during the lockdowns of the past 21 months he started to re-evaluate what he wanted to do with his life.

"The buy-to-let mortgage sector wasn't something I ever thought I wanted to do, but it was a good career with strong personal development," he says.

"I realised that I instead wanted a career where I felt I could make a difference about something I cared about."

Inspired by some previous volunteering work, Mr Flynn found a website called CharityJob, which lists vacancies in the sector. A role at The Vegan Society caught his eye.

Working from home made many people realise that the only thing they liked about their job was socialising with colleagues

"It was perfect, being vegan myself for eight years," he says.

Now three months into his managerial role, Mr Flynn is enthusiastic about his new employer. "Everyone is so passionate here, and wants to push the organisation forward. It's really motivating.''

However, he admits that taking a "significant pay cut" did make him question whether it was the right move. "But I thought about what my ethics are, and what I want to be doing," he says.

"I thought I'd forever regret not taking the opportunity. You can't put a value on job satisfaction when you're dealing with an organisation where the morals and ethics align with your own."

With more focus than ever on topics such as climate change, sustainability, and equality, younger generations in particular are more intent on finding a career with a positive social impact.

Throw the pandemic into the mix, and the trend towards a purpose-led career has accelerated.

Seven out of 10 people say that coronavirus has made them re-evaluate their career path, according to new report by Escape the City, an organisation that helps people leave the corporate sector.

Its study also found that 89% of respondents now "wanted a career with a strong sense of purpose". That compares with 71% in the pre Covid-19 world.

Skye Robertson, chief operating officer at Escape the City, says the pandemic has shifted people's desires for their careers.

Skye Robertson says it is possible to find a new job that has a positive impact, without taking a cut in salary

"It's been a period of reflection for people to think about their lives and work, and what matters to them," she says. "People are flocking to purposeful careers."

Ms Robertson adds that with many people having got used to working from home since March 2020, the social aspect that kept many people tied to their jobs has significantly weakened.

Habiba Islam is a career advisor at 80,000 Hours, a not-for-profit organisation that provides resources on how individuals can make the most social impact during their working life.

"For most people, their career is the biggest way they can have a positive impact," she says. "The pandemic, and the changes it made to work, prompted people to think about their career choice, and what they want to do.

"But there were other factors at play. The other aspect is facing a global catastrophe. That turns people's attention to bigger world problems, thinking that maybe they could be working on preventing the next Covid, perhaps."

Habiba Islam works for 80,000 Hours, which helps people find jobs that can help tackle society and the world's problems

Yasmina Kone, 27, was managing graduate recruitment at a law firm when Covid struck.

"The pandemic was an interesting time," she says. "There was so much time sitting behind a screen, which made me focus on who was benefiting from my work, and how I was using my skills.

"There was widespread suffering as a result of the pandemic, and I started to realise that I wanted to have a more direct impact on vulnerable communities."

So in May 2021, Ms Kone quit her job to become a manager at Beam, a social enterprise helping homeless people find jobs.

She says her new role has been motivating when the world has felt like "a dark place... now I'm changing people's lives,"

Ms Kone admits she did take a pay cut for the role. However, she says it's been worth it. "Every day I get to help people. That's mental motivation, plus there's unlimited holiday, and share options."

Yasmina Kone is now helping unemployed people find work

Ms Robertson insists that it is possible for a person to move to a more socially purposeful job without having to see his or her wages go down.

"We have heard people say that there's a 'moral tax' [when leaving a corporate job for one with purpose], with massive salary cuts or having to work to the bones at a charity but that's not the case anymore," says Ms Robertson.

She points to the growth of so-called "B Corps" businesses - firms of all sizes that have pledged to balance profit with purpose, and to consider their impact on both the wider community and the environment.

"There's now hundreds of B Corps... offering purposeful careers," says Ms Robertson.

New Economy is a new series exploring how businesses, trade, economies and working life are changing fast.

For those reassessing their careers, Ms Islam recommends exploring what societal problem you care about the most and want to work on, and what your specific skill-set is.

"For example, maybe you can work in research... to help make advancements in a certain field, or work in government or policy, or at an effective non-profit," she says.

"There's a range of different jobs from communication, to leadership, to entrepreneurship, and starting a non-profit. Look at what a fulfilling, high-impact career might mean to you. Everyone has different priorities depending on location, finances, and personal factors."

Rachel Abraham adds that "after such a turbulent year in 2020" she was "left feeling reflective on what I feel is important in life".

Rachel Abraham has swapped the world of business for working for a mental health charity

Working in marketing, the 27-year-old from Liverpool, says she "no longer wanted to generate leads for simply business sake".

Ms Abraham adds: "I wanted to put my skills to a more morally-centred cause. I knew I wanted to work for a charity that prioritises and champions positive mental wellbeing, especially in young people."

So she joined iheart, a children's mental health education charity, as marketing manager in August this year.

"Working for a charity, the people are much nicer, daily interactions are fulfilling, especially when you're getting feedback from children who are feeling much more confident," she says.

Ms Abraham adds that it's instant job satisfaction. "You're not putting pennies into an unknown person's pocket. It's more purposeful."