Short Guide on How to Navigate the Job Search During COVID-19
With this short guide, I want to propose a smart, new way to approach the current situation without falling into a pattern of anxiety, panic and unfounded assumptions.
Let’s face it: the fact that covid19 has turned our lives upside down on every conceivable front is undeniable.
In the past few weeks, each of us has committed ourselves to adjusting to the new circumstances, restrictions and constant changes in every aspect of our lives.
Some adaptations have turned out to be simpler perhaps, others decidedly less so.
One of the most prominent and difficult adjustments has certainly been the one that has affected companies and the world of work.
The pandemic and everything that has come with it has led to a disruption of our economic systems and our habits as workers, but above all as consumers and users.
The world is now faced with a new global challenge to rethink the way we produce, operate and consume.
For this reason, everything we’ve known about the way in which companies work, and how recruitment and professional development operates has become irrelevant. The cornerstones on which we based our approach to the professional world have turned, leaving us completely confused and.
If navigating the world of work and job searching before covid19 was already extremely complicated, with the coming of this pandemic we might get the feeling that it is now beyond complicated, to the point of : almost paradoxically illogical.
With this short guide, I want to propose a smart, new way to approach the current situation without falling into a pattern of anxiety, panic and unfounded assumptions.
Let’s put it this way: spending time complaining and panicking about the situation will not help us get out of it faster. Continuing to base our job hunting strategy on assumptions and feelings will not lead us to a clear and lucid picture of the situation. Suspending the job search now and halting our ambitions will not only have a negative impact on us, but also on the world of work and the general economy.
So let’s explore together some ways you can approach the work during covid19 through smart and data-driven strategies.
1. UNDERSTANDING WHAT IS CHANGING AND WHAT IS NOT CHANGING
Is corona disrupting the entire job and economic market? Yes
Does this mean ALL the companies and businesses have stopped functioning and hiring? No.
A GLOBAL ADJUSTMENT PROCESS…
Many companies are going through a massive adjustment process.
Just like individuals, organizations are also facing unprecedented circumstances that are forcing them to rethink the way they function, produce and… make money.
Many companies have had to move to a whole new remote setup, to learn how to run virtual meetings, digitalize operational processes and work on new softwares and tools.
Their main priority right now is figuring out how to make sure that their businesses will survive the pandemic not only considering the financial aspect but also the organizational one: they are creating a completely new system through which their employees can function. They aretrying to adapt to new working methods and priorities, as well as employees’ needs.
…DOESN’T MEAN THE ECONOMY HAS STOPPED
What is NOT changing is… the economy hasn’t stopped, it has only mutated.
Yes, the economic systems might have consistently slowed down and gotten into a way lower profile than before. People (who are also the crucial players in this economic stage) may be more reluctant to buy things and invest money in services of non-primary importance, they may also be spending their time prioritizing their needs and expenses by making sure they can prepare for even more unprecedented scenarios.
However, none of this means that people have stopped buying and consuming. Nor does this mean that companies havestopped their businesses.
Some businesses are actually experiencing a reverse trend of growth thanks to new market dynamics arising from the circumstances and thanks to a fast and smart response to new needs.
Companies cannot afford to stop their businesses and cannot afford to stop their creative processes. NOW is the time for them to look for new solutions, smart brains, creative people and open up to ideas that could help them navigate new trends and demands.
So yes, some companies have stopped hiring, but not ALL companies have stopped their businesses. And if business doesn’t stop, well… the need for new talent hasn’t stopped either
2. MOVE AWAY FROM ASSUMPTIONS AND BUILD YOUR OWN INFORMED-RESEARCH
STOP ASSUMING THAT COMPANIES HAVE STOPPED HIRING
This is a perception and a guess stemming from the legitimate question “who the hell would be hiring right now?”.
Taking into account the legitimacy of the question, the assumption is still only an assumption.
If you want to validate it or invalidate it, you need to start making your own research and working on your own strategy.
We cannot base our mindset on mere guesses. We need to work on direct experiences and data. So, go online and do research and build your own informed opinion about the job market trends in your field of expertise in the current situation.
It’s crucial that you dedicate time to smart research in order to identify the current gaps and trends and to understand how you can bridge this critical moment with the need for innovative solutions.
STOP ASSUMING THAT NOBODY NEEDS YOUR SKILLS OR COMPANIES WILL NOT BE WILLING TO WORK WITH YOU
You are your worst enemy. Stop self-sabotaging yourself and start showing up, right now.
As I said before, companies must carry on their businesses and they cannot do it alone.
There are tasks, services and expertise that still have to be delivered.
Every area of expertise requires a huge rethinking and innovation effort right now: what you can do is shift into an aggressively proactive attitude and understand how you can position yourself as an expert and a forward-thinker in order to help companies get what they need and find new ideas to pivot their businesses.
STOP ASSUMING THAT THE ECONOMY IS STUCK
Even given how much we may wish that the economic machine had actually stopped, trust me… this is an illusion.
The economy hasn’t stopped: products and services are still being delivered, are still being produced and offered, are still being needed and requested.
Money is still circulating, people are still spending; they are probably just doing it differently.
In recent years, many industries have worked to digitize their products, their systems, to make the production system more agile and accessible without cost or time or physical/material involvement. Think about how much we can do and consume only through our smartphone or computer. Think of all the platforms that allow us to connect with restaurants, bars, galleries and museums, services, and other people. Think of the apps that support us in these moments of social distancing, such as music, books, audiobooks, art, professionals who can still support us in virtual mode.
All this means that there are industries, companies and people still engaged in the economic wheel and that the world of work is not stopped or blocked at all.
All you need to do is be smart and apply the old-but-gold best practices for the job search: deep-dive into the job market trends, make your own analysis and research and focus on where you can sneak in, offer your creativity for solutions and stand out from the rest of applicants by adding a well-informed and proactive value.
3. CHANGE THE WAY YOU APPROACH THE JOB SEARCH
The best way to approach job hunting right now is to drop the old, orthodox ways of sending in your application and instead focus on a more human, direct interaction through networking and social media engagement.
Hard times require new solutions.
Times like these, of major upheavals, , are huge opportunities to play a very active role in the way we engage in a co-creation process and how we can shape the systems and change it through our contributions.
Now is the time to shift into a more active, proactive mode and understand that you now have the possibility to pitch your ideas, suggest your solutions, show your skills and let companies see even clearer than before how you can concretely support them with your work.
CREATE A COVID-19 COMPANIES TARGET
If you look for long-term employment, be smart with targeting the companies and the industries. Ask yourself which companies and products/services are selling and still surviving in these times. Look for digital products (e.g. software for tax declarations, delivery services, ebooks, audio books, etc.) or primary needs that consumers may still need to get.
BE CREATIVE WITH YOUR PROFESSIONAL PROFILE
If your professional profile does not match the market demand for these times, be creative and try to look at your skillset to find a way to adjust it to market demand. Try to go beyond the role and tasks you have been doing so far and see if there is anything you can make out of your CV that right now meets the market expectations. Re-assessing your skills and communicating your versatility is the key.
NETWORKING IS THE NEW APPLICATION SYSTEM
Keep networking and show up in online spaces where communities and working people hang out. Make sure to stay connected on FB or LinkedIn and keep working on your networking. Don’t be afraid to reach out proactively to recruiters, managers, CEOs or other people involved in the market. Keep your online presence active and focus on personal branding strategies to attract recruiters’ attention.
STAY PROFESSIONAL
Leverage your application package, make sure to keep a high quality in your presentation and stay professional even if you go with unorthodox application ways (e.g. direct outreach, LinkedIn connections, messaging, direct email, etc.).
CONSIDER ENTREPRENEURIAL SOLUTIONS
If you are not able to find the right opportunities out there, consider creating them yourself. This is a good time for a more entrepreneurial mindset, so free your creativity and see if there is anything you can start offering to the professional community as a freelancer or solopreneur right now.
4. FOCUS ON TRAINING AND LEARNING NEW SKILLS
If you really can’t find a way to enter the labour market during this crisis, try to use this time strategically by focusing on advancing your professional knowledge and training.
Try to see this as a time for new opportunities, career change; a pause for reflection to find the courage to start something new.
Consider training in aspects of your field that you don’t know yet, keep up to date on those topics that you are not familiar with yet, try to do some research on how your field will react in the post-pandemic period.
Strengthen your professional profile to become more competitive and advance your level of seniority.
This is absolutely a perfect chance to test new pathways, get into new topics and try out sectors of your field that you haven’t had the time to explore before.
Remember: you can find endless ways and approaches to turn this situation into a unique opportunity for your working situation. Do not let the fear take over and instead give yourself the time and the tools to learn how to become an active player in these unprecedented times.
If you have any questions or wish to work together, do not hesitate to get in touch with me via hello@thisfairforce.com .
