Are you trying to find a new job? Does your job search seem different than other times?
Hunting for a job in the midst of a worldwide pandemic and in life after it has changed significantly. In this article, we’ll help you understand what’s changed, what’s new, and what has stayed the same for job seekers.
Job Seeking During the Pandemic and Afterward
No one expected the arrival of this pandemic. For some, it meant the absolute collapse of their start-up or established business. For others, it meant job cuts and reduction in pay as businesses struggled to keep operating.
Due to social distancing restrictions looking for a job has changed quite a bit also.
For a lot of young people who tried to find their first part-time jobs, it meant disappointment, since the task appeared to be almost impossible. Especially with restaurants and other businesses closed or offering reduced services.
For those of us with established careers, the job-hunting landscape has changed quite a bit also.
Granted, finding a job during a pandemic is not an easy task, and many people are hesitant to try new approaches.
How Job Hunting has Changed due to the Pandemic
Job hunting has become much more virtual rather than in-person. And it looks like this is going to continue for the foreseeable future. But that doesn’t mean that there are fewer jobs.
According to a CNN article about the global worker shortage: more than 45% of U.S. and European companies received fewer applications for their vacancies since the spread of the coronavirus.
Fortunately, today there are a huge number of jobs where you can work remotely, without having to leave your home and put your health at risk.
21 Tips to Help You Find A Great Job Now
In this article, we provide solid advice on the topic of finding a job during a pandemic. We’ve collected 20 helpful tips from the people at Jooble and several best-selling books to help you get started to find a job that is perfect for you.
1. Seek a Job that Requires your Core Competencies and Experience
This is the starting point when searching for any job, regardless of the pandemic or other crises. You should objectively evaluate your experience, skillset, and preferences, to formulate a strategy for your job-seeking endeavors.
Try not to overestimate OR underestimate your capabilities. This will ensure that you “look the part” and have enough self-confidence to get the job that you are targeting.
Employers are looking for people who can confidently perform their jobs.
2. Job Hunting Sites for Working From Home
After the outbreak of the pandemic, many people all over the planet switched to working remotely.
In fact, even before the start of the pandemic, there were many jobs where you could work from home. But since then, their number has multiplied several times over, as many companies closed or restricted office activities and switched to telecommuting.
Recently there were listings for thousands of remote, telework, and telecommuting jobs on these websites:
- Jooble: 760,000+ remote work jobs
- Indeed: 313,000+ remote work job titles
- Monster.com had thousands of remote work jobs
- FlexJobs.com had 23,000+ remote work jobs
If you’re planning on working from home, make sure you have the following:
- Reliable Internet connection
- Dedicated workspace with privacy from outside noise and family activities
- A good desk and chair
- A Reliable computer
- A good quality webcam
Most of these office furnishings can be purchased used from CraigsList, OfferUp, and Facebook Marketplace.
Some employers will actually provide many of the necessities for working from home.
3. Finding the Right Job – Create 4 Lists
- Companies – write down any employers that are interesting to you. Use your local convention and visitors bureau website for a list of larger companies in your area. The Business Journal in your city also publishes an annual Book of Lists which provides the top businesses in a wide variety of market segments – most libraries have this resource available.
- Contacts that might be useful: recruiters, acquaintances, colleagues, and friends who can introduce you to the employer, directly or through their acquaintances. The theory of “Six Degrees of Separation” is very true in the job-hunting realm. Remember that 80 percent of people find jobs through referrals.
- Jobs that you find in open sources (company websites, employment platforms, job boards, information from colleagues).
- Relocation Options – If you still haven’t found a suitable opportunity according to your strategy and preferences, try to be open to others.
You may need to broaden your search more than usual. Try looking at other cities, or other types of businesses.
Keep an open mind about opportunities in other countries as well. Even if there are current restrictions on travel to a particular country, the situation can change rapidly.
5. Preparing Online Recruitment and Remote Work
Whether you are applying for a job abroad or in your own city, the interview can take place remotely. Most employers will use well-known free software like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Skype, so make sure that you know how to use them and test them beforehand.
Video interviews can also help you showcase your digital skills. If all goes well, the potential employer will know that you can work remotely in an efficient manner, when needed. Plus, you’ll get an idea of how a potential employer is set up to leverage technology.
Camera Position: Prepping for a Video Interview
- Set up a well-lit, uncluttered area to do the video interview.
- A distraction-free background
- A good quality webcam – – we like these top-rated Logitech cameras from Amazon
- Avoid having your camera pointed toward a window – it will backlight your face.
- Position the camera as close to Eye Level as possible – avoid having the camera too low or the interviewer will be looking up your nose.
- Dress professionally (from the waist up), and avoid busy patterns and colors that don’t flatter your face.
- You will also need a reliable internet connection.
- Try to position your video chat screen directly below or in front of your webcam. This will give the appearance of looking directly at the person conducting the interview.
6. Be Strategic in your Research
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the global job market, but there are still plenty of industries that are looking for competent employees.
Try to be strategic. Ask yourself which industries are doing better than others – these are most likely the ones that are currently hiring.
According to Forbes Magazine, many industry segments are hiring during the pandemic, these include:
- Digital Industries
- Information technology
- E-commerce
- Virtual reality
- Remote working tools and software
- Science
- Healthcare
- Medical Billing
- IT Services
- Telemedicine
- Virtual Healthcare
- Education – ELearning
- Public services
- Home Entertainment
- Contactless Technology
- The Gig Economy
Remember that industries like tourism and hospitality were hit hard by the pandemic, but they may still be looking for seasonal workers to help them recover during the high season.
7. Use your Free Time to Earn Certifications or Learn New Skills
If you lose your job, it’s best to take advantage of the free time to learn new skills or take personal development courses.
Any course and any additional certifications add strength to your resume. You will impress recruiters by showing them that you took advantage of an unpleasant situation to develop your career.
8. Demand Creates Supply
Doubtlessly, with the reality of the pandemic, our needs have changed as well. This means that many professions and skills have become more in demand, and this is certainly worth paying attention to.
According to a Dojo.tech article in industries growth.
For many professionals, this can mean more job opportunities. For example, here is what one of our regular followers has to say on the topic:
“For me, the current conditions are an ideal environment to gain new knowledge and adapt myself to a different context. Trying to change your life for the better is always a good idea.
I worked as a lawyer in a financial company – I was the head of the Litigation Department. The company cut our salaries by 50% and was going to transfer everyone to a remote location. This was one of the factors that motivated me to accept an offer from another company.
For 10 years, I have been developing strategies and supporting litigation in court. I moved to a similar position, and now I am engaged in more interesting and complex projects, plus the salary is higher here.”
9. Show Flexibility
Focus on non-technical skills like creativity, communication, and problem-solving, especially if you don’t have direct experience in a particular role.
Highlight the skills that can be carried over from previous positions, especially the ways in which you can apply them to the position you are applying for, and then stress the ones that make you stand out versus other candidates.
Remember that any experience is valuable. In these volatile times, flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to learn are especially important qualities, prized by employers.
10. Create Several Resumes
Be sure to adjust your resume for each specific job application.
Look at the requirements listed in the job listing and adjust your corresponding competencies to the top of the list in the “Experience” section.
There is no perfect template, and different situations will require you to highlight different aspects of your resume, be it education or work experience.
Some HR departments digitally scan submissions, looking for relevant keywords. Adjusting your resume to include the exact words contained in the listing will help your resume to pass this stage.
You may also want to update your LinkedIn profile to contain the skills and keywords that would appeal to potential employers.
11. Showcase Your Achievements
Highlight your achievements as a separate item. It is best to describe them in quantitative terms: reduced costs by 10%, increased profits by 30%, managed a team of 20 people, etc.
Do this for each of your past positions.
12. Perform a S.W.O.T. Analysis
SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis is a way of identifying and analyzing your strengths, weaknesses, external opportunities and threats that can shape current and future performance.
Mindtools has a S.W.O.T. Template that could be helpful in assessing yourself.
If you make a SWOT analysis of a few interviews and realize that you have chosen the wrong goal, do not persist. Define a new professional goal.
In order to do this, we recommend an exercise called the Wheel of Competence. Draw a circle and divide it into sectors. Fill each sector with the competence that must be involved in your work.
Some Examples Include customer communication, conference organization, and team management. Now distribute the desired workload for each competency, as a percentage. Throw in different roles and professions and choose the ones that seem to highlight your strengths.
You can create a free Wheel of Competency at Digital-Competence.eu
13. Research the Company and the Position
Before even applying for the vacancy, you should research the potential employer.
Visit their website. Read Google reviews on the company.
Go to LinkedIn and read the profiles of several employees and the principals of the company.
Check other sources to learn about activities, company image, and branding, the latest industry news, etc.
Prepare yourself to answer the question: “Why does our company attract you as an employee?”
Give specific things that you’ve learned when researching the company and avoid vague wording when answering.
Furthermore, make sure that you understand the role and position that you are applying for.
14. Interview Preparation
Prepare a three-minute presentation about yourself in advance. Be sure to use keywords from the potential employer’s job description.
Tell the interviewer about yourself, in a way that keeps them interested. Focus on relevant work experience in other companies. Be sure to talk about the strengths that helped you do your work, as well as about the achievements that you are proud of.
15. Be Natural – Worry Less
Try to behave naturally, using your professional way of speaking. After all, if you get the job, you’ll want to be able to behave as the same person while working as you were in the interview.
Take on the role of a researcher, answer the interviewer’s questions and then ask them a few questions of your own.
Employment is about negotiation and terms, much like any other contract. You are a part of this contract with full rights, the same as the employer.
16. Ask Questions
Feel free to ask questions about anything that you are interested in. The best strategy is to prepare a few questions in advance.
Decide what is most important for you – the team, leadership style, workplace, handover – and aim to find out as much as you can about those elements.
During interviews, candidates often lose track of their questions, and as a result, are later disappointed by the mismatch of expectations.
17. Be Patient – Job Hunting Takes Time
It might take longer than you expect to find the perfect job. Same as with any process, great results can only come after investing considerable time and resources. Be patient and do not blame yourself for the failures that will almost inevitably occur along the way.
Some experts say that you should expect to spend one-month job hunting for every $10,000 of salary you are expecting.
We have never experienced this rule. If you do your research well, your job hunt could be much shorter. If the employer is creating a new position for you, the hiring process could be longer.
18. Be Honest with the Interviewer
There is nothing worse than lying during a job interview. Be prepared for résumé details and tricky questions like “Why did you leave your last job?” Your answers must be honest. If unpleasant situations have happened in the past, then it is worth planning in advance on how to comment on them accurately and in an elegant manner.
19. Ask for Help and Show Curiosity
Never hesitate to show curiosity about a position or role. Take the initiative and try to demonstrate to the employer your desire to learn. If you happen to lack training or expertise for a certain position, but you are confident that you will be able to handle it, give it a try.
Show your genuine interest, to make the employer believe that you are truly motivated and willing to work, and they will provide you with help to mitigate your weak points.
20. Join Support Groups and Networking Groups
We survived 3 layoffs by using a budget, keeping our overhead low, and applying immediately for unemployment compensation. Involve your whole family in your financial conservation efforts.
Be sure to find support groups where you can develop leads, and get help rewriting your resume, developing your LinkedIn profile, and job hunting. Many churches have these types of groups and most Chambers of Commerce do also.
21. Always Keep Moving Forward
Last, but definitely not least, forced isolation and other anti-pandemic measures are not a reason to stop moving forward.
In between searching for vacancies, sending resumes, and doing interviews, you can master new skills and gain new knowledge.
Approach Job Hunting with the same disciplined approach that worked for you in your previous job.
They will help you build a stronger resume and aim for success in the long term.
Use all the free time that you can spare for self-development – it will surely pay off in the future!
Pandemic Job Hunting Wrap-Up & Resources
This pandemic won’t last forever. You will find work, but it may not be the same as in the past.
While you’re looking for a new job, you may need to do something else to earn income.
- Read our article on Retail Arbitrage – it’s an easy side hustle that could turn into a full-time income.
- Another important thing to do while Job Hunting is to control your spending – conserving your income. Setting up a spending plan will help you manage your money. Read this series of articles on how to set up a budget that works.
- Read Books. There are dozens of great books that have recently been written or updated to help with your job search.
Listen to this interview with Dan Miller from 48 Days to the Work and Life you Love
And this interview: The 48 Day Process During the Pandemic
If you apply the tips and insights from this article you’ll eventually find a job that fits your skills. Let us know how it goes.