Many people have experienced a reduction in hours, or total job loss due to the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks to the economic downturn caused by the pandemic, looking for a new job, or more work to replace those lost hours, is more taxing than usual. However, don’t panic. Here are five tips to find work during the pandemic — provided by career counselors.
1. Be Open and Flexible
Under the current circumstances, career experts are advising that when it comes to salary and benefits, be open-minded and flexible. The pandemic has been putting a lot of pressure on employers who have managed to remain open, to reduce wages and benefits. The experts say that now is not the time to decline a job just because it isn’t offering what you’d like it to pay you.
2. Use Online Job Search Tools
Today you MUST be sure to have your resume and cover letters digitized and easy to upload onto online job sites. Be sure to update your LinkedIn profile to network with recruiters and potential colleagues. Use job-search websites to find more positions that you might not see in your immediate geographical area.
3. Use Any and All Connections
With social distancing issues, many of the usual avenues of “networking” for a job, such as local chamber meetings etc., may be scarce. So, it is all the more important that you leverage any and all of your own personal networks and connections.
4. Skill Building
Take the time now to both build up your existing skillset, and to add new skills. Learning or improving your skills on business software such as Microsoft Excel or PowerPoint is a great idea. According to ZipRecruiter data, these are two of the most asked for technological skills on job postings. Spend some time also thinking about what you can bring to the table at a job. Those skills can be both areas you’re certified in, as well as soft skills that are transferable. Find creative ways to flaunt them and market them to different industries.
5. Never Give Up, Be Persistent, and Apply Often
The pandemic has hit every industry to some degree or another. Some were hit harder than others, but every sector is experiencing some sort of belt tightening, which means there are likely a lot more people applying for less jobs. Do not lose patience, do not give up, be persistent, keep throwing the proverbial spaghetti at the wall, and eventually something will stick.
Have you had to find work during the pandemic? How did you do it? Please reply using the comments below.