Freelance Post Covid_19 Pandemic Job Search Tips
Job Description
As companies move to remote work to fight the coronavirus pandemic and an increasing number of workers are being laid off or furloughed, you might be wondering if you should continue to send out resumes or just assume that no one is hiring for the foreseeable future. It’s true that economists are predicting a recession, but career experts say it’s best to keep networking and applying, provided you change your approach a bit to acknowledge these are uncertain times.
Companies might not be hiring today, because they’re trying to figure out how to do business virtually, but they will be hiring. Most HR departments and managers are just getting everyone up to speed on the logistics and daily routines of a fully remote workforce so it might be difficult to reach people in the first few weeks of the transition.
With all that said, you can still be actively working on your job search. These tips will help you navigate the process during the pandemic and the accompanying economic slowdown.
1. Consider How Urgent Your Search Is
If you can afford to put your job search on hold, you may want to wait it out, Landers says, because it could be challenging to get on a hiring manager’s radar right now. “If you’re currently employed, think about how to make your job more palatable. If you’re not employed, don’t think of your next job as the perfect job. It might be short term. If you’re unemployed and need a stopgap, consider looking there or wherever else you can find an opportunity that makes sense for you—and pays the rent and puts food on the table—in the meantime.
3. Stay In Touch
Maybe you recently had a promising interview and a job offer seemed to be on the horizon, but now the company has moved to remote work and you haven’t heard from the hiring manager. What should you do? Check in with the hiring manager by email, acknowledging that they might be scrambling to help their employees get used to the new setup.
For instance, your email could say: “I’m looking forward to learning more when it makes sense for your organization.” This conveys that you know this is an extraordinary circumstance and acknowledges that this isn’t easy for people
Make sure you also demonstrate a thoughtful attitude. Rather than asking them to help you, ask if there is anything you can assist them with. The idea is to connect with people on a human level.
Your email can simply say: “I wanted to reach out to see if there’s anything I can do for you. You’ve been so generous with your time, I want to return the favor if I can.” If you have a specific skill a hiring manager might be able to tap into, mention it. You might say: “Given that I’ve led virtual teams, I might have some ideas to share on how to keep your employees feeling connected when they’re not in the office.
Networking should be driven by what the company needs and how it matches up with your superpower. It’s also an opportunity to demonstrate what type of employee you would be.
And find other ways to stay top of mind in addition to email. For instance, connect with the hiring manager on LinkedIn and, if they post a status, Like it, comment on it. If the hiring manager posts a company report or press release, make a comment that illustrates you read it and have valuable insight to contribute. Pretend you’re giving them a preview of what you’d add to the team if you worked there.
4. Gather Intel
The COVID-19 crisis can provide a unique glimpse into company culture. Take note of how leadership deals with this emergency and treats its employees by following the company on social media and watching for any media coverage. Is the company allowing employees to work from home? Are they supporting workers in other creative ways? Did they lay off staff? Set up Google alerts for the companies you want to work for and listen to investor calls.
When you do have a chance to interview, you’ll be able to demonstrate that you understand the concerns leadership has and the threats the company faces from this pandemic, she says. You can mention what you read and listened to and use your specific knowledge to drive home how you could help the company achieve its goals if hired.
5. Use the Time to Reflect
Job seekers often jump at the first available opportunity or go into their search without fully considering what they want to do next. Take advantage of the slowing job market by getting clarity about where you want to work and the type of role and title you’re seeking.
Create a one-page document that lists your target industry, companies, job titles, and anything in particular you’re looking for. But beyond job openings, you can also focus on which companies you want to work for and who you can reach out to at those companies. (The company might not have an open role yet but you can use your network to help you start making connections now.)
6. Boost Your Skills
Now is the perfect time to work on bolstering your qualifications. Analyze job descriptions by listing each required skill and experience. Then consider whether you have that exact skill, if you have the skill but haven’t used it in a few years, or if you’re lacking the skill entirely. Use that information to determine what you need to brush up on to make yourself an even better candidate when the job market picks up again.
7. Polish your CV
What’s working on resumes now? First of all, you must get through the initial screen. Resumes should target keywords that are relevant to the job to be apply for. Customize the resume for the particular job now here
8. Pump up your LinkedIn Profile
Love or hate LinkedIn, it often provides a recruiter’s or hiring manager’s first impression of you. Consider these steps to make your profile stand out – and avoid gaffes.
1. Craft a compelling summary.
2. Add projects and metrics to your experience section
3 .Populate your skills section.
4. Include links to personal projects
5. Establish yourself as a thought leader.
6. Go 360 with your recommendations
Click here for CV Writing OR Linkedln Profile Tips
How to Apply
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