Tips for job seekers amid the COVID-19 pandemic

Everyone has experienced the pressure and frustration of the job search process at one point or another, but looking for work amidst the chaos of COVID-19 adds an extra layer of difficulty. Between the sudden hiring freezes, unexpected layoffs and a stalled economic recovery, it’s understandable that you might be feeling defeated or panicked at the thought of remaining unemployed. Pandemic has created matchless economic uncertainty which makes it obvious that there are less job opportunities within a few sectors whereas; some industries are ramping up their recruiting efforts to fill critical positions. With COVID-19 pandemic, the world has made a great shift towards digital by marking their social media presence. Right from recruiting via LinkedIn, to searching for online job opportunities, to brands making a direct shift towards digital following the online advertising and marketing tactics for boosting up their businesses; digital has uplifted every sector during this time of pandemic for survival. Networking and constantly applying for vacancies can be of huge help during this time of recession. While the world moves towards work from home culture, skills that have navigated the most during the COVID-19 crises and the accompanying economic slowdown are:

• Apply continuously for jobs, you will find an apt fit for yourself: During the time of crisis and economic downfall, many organizations are looking at cost cutting. Often, people don’t hear back from companies as employers may take time to answer back. At such situations, one should always keep the spirit high and keep applying at various companies, while up-skilling their knowledge.
• Networking Online can help you find better opportunities for yourself: Now that events are cancelled, networking strategies has been formed online keeping in mind their target audience. Right from E-learning for students to online delivery apps, every industry has developed through networking. Conversations with recruiters will help you refine this essential skill and answer some pivotal questions. Most importantly, never question the power of video interactions or interviews. Even amidst lockdown what has helped employees stay connected the most has been Zoom calls, Google Duo, Skype call discussions and other such video calling applications to plan the strategy and keep a check on everyone so that the efforts are recalibrated to suit these times. 
• Optimize your marketing assets in a way that it helps you build a strong job profile: After the economic downfall at large, one must have their resume, LinkedIn profile and related marketing assets fully optimized to help set you apart from others. By increasing your visibility on LinkedIn, you’ll improve your ability to be discovered and contacted by supply chain recruiters and employers. Even if you previously didn’t think you needed to have an online presence, you should produce content for recruiters to notice and evaluate. While, on one hand, it is easy to turn unenthusiastic in the midst of a flurry of bad news on the career front, this is the time to plan on how best to sell yourself going forward.
• Adopt an open mind, which in turn will help you look for job opportunities with a wide angle to it: Instead of thinking about the next traditional step up the career ladder for someone in your profession, consider whether a horizontal career move could actually be more beneficial for you. Keep an open mind, too, about the industries on which you concentrate your job search. Some sectors – such as technology, life sciences and e-commerce – will be hiring more than others at the moment, so be strategic about how and where you look for new roles. In addition, don’t assume that any role that you take should be a permanent one. Temporary or contract roles, for instance, can be invaluable ways to build your skill set and gain experience in different areas, and that’s before you consider that such roles can sometimes be made permanent later.

Conclusion:

Having much free time can be a blessing or a curse, if you’re not sure how best to manage it. Right now, not only do each of us have a bit more down time than we might be used to, we also have at our disposal a wide variety of ways to learn something new for free or at a reduced price. This is the perfect time to expand your skillset, whether that means enrolling in an intensive, skill building bootcamp, reading books on a topic that interests you or attending virtual events to get information about your desired career field. At the end of the day, you only get as much out of the job search process as what you put in. And if what you’re putting into it, you will find success even against these unforeseen circumstances during pandemic.