Finding a job can seem difficult even during “normal” circumstances. During the coronavirus pandemic, it can seem even more challenging. Companies are changing the way they do business and the way they hire. Many companies have gone virtual with their hiring process and their day to day employment. Oftentimes, because of the risk of coronavirus, companies do not even get the chance to meet their new hires before hiring them or even while they are on board. Here are a few key tips as to how to navigate a job search during COVID-19.
Be Focused
Remember, there is even more competition out there than before. The sheer volume of applicants can make the hiring process take longer than it did before COVID-19 since hiring managers have to look through even more job applications. Find your focus. What are you looking for?
Search websites like LinkedIn, Indeed, Glassdoor and Google for job listings that interest you. Look carefully at the job descriptions to identify the most commonly listed qualifications and requirements for the job. Reword your resume accordingly, using keywords that match. Update your online profile and upload a portfolio of your work online for easy access. If you find there are skills you don’t have that are important for the job, learn them. Take up hobbies to show you are well rounded and to showcase your interests. Be willing to take on temp jobs or contract jobs that are related to your career interests.
Keep Track to Stay Motivated
Applying to a large volume of jobs may help, but focus matters, which is why it is so important to match the job’s qualifications with your resume.
Keep a spreadsheet of the jobs to which you have applied. Include the date applied, job title, company name, and location. Keep track of results, such as whether you were called, declined, or interviewed. Tracking the results of your efforts can prevent discouragement in that it will help you see and fine tune which of your efforts work or don’t work and what rate of response you can expect.
Enhance Your Efforts
Once you have applied to a job, don’t reapply or call the company. This will only serve as a distraction to them. You have done your part. Allow them to review your application. If they are interested they will call you. Instead, do the following:
- “Follow” the company on LinkedIn and read your feed on a daily basis. Going forward, as you see posts from the company, you will learn more about them and be more prepared should you get an interview.
- Try to connect with the hiring manager or recruiter on LinkedIn and Google search. Learn as much as you can about this person.
- Google the company and learn as much as you can about it. Read the About section. Read the blog. Study the products and services. Study the competition. How large is the company? Where are they located? How long have they been in business? What is the story of how they came to be?
- Join industry groups in LinkedIn and elsewhere and groups that the hiring manager is a part of. This is another way to find new jobs you may not have been aware of and people with whom to network. Contribute content to the groups and read the group’s posts.
- Maintain a social media presence. Comment on, like, and reshare posts of the hiring manager, company, and groups you have joined. This will show your point of view and your interest in relevant topics, industries, and companies and make you more visible for possible jobs.
Prepare for the Interview
Prepare an elevator pitch. Write it out and practice it so it comes across as natural as possible. Really think about a brief story you can tell that includes your past experiences, present standing, and future goals and most importantly, how your skills and background fit in to the qualifications and mindset for the specific job.
During COVID-19 you can expect that the interview process will most likely be 100% virtual (by phone and/or video). Download the Zoom or Microsoft Teams app and practice a videoconference, keeping the laptop camera at eye level, optimizing lighting, dressing professionally, using a nice background, and using a quiet room.
The job market may seem challenging during this time, but your talents are still there and your value to the working world still exists. With focus, effort, fine tuning of your efforts, a daily social media presence, and preparation for the interview, you will eventually get the job you seek.