The global health crisis impacted not just our personal lives but also the way we do work. Further, the economic state not just of our country but of the whole world has slowed down due to lockdown measures, business shutdowns, and unstable employment to name a few.
With this, a lot of professionals and organizations are now realizing the drastic changes brought about by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Even if remote work has been here for a long time, it seems like this setup is becoming a huge consideration for long-term implementation.
Likewise, job hunting has also changed its landscape for the past year. While virtual career fairs and online job search aren’t really new practices, there are new guidelines that you need to be aware of.
Now, if you’re aiming to get back in the game and thrive in your job search during pandemic, you need to step up your strategy. Fret not! In this guide, we outline the top 10 ways on how you can avoid struggling to find a job during COVID-19.
Start with your mindset.
In building a worthwhile career, having an open mind is what can help set you apart from others.
With the global health crisis, you must accept that job search and working will be more challenging as the world adapts to the major changes. However, you must also be proactive and see what you can do to fool-proof or improve your strategy in landing a job.
As much as possible, look beyond your comfort zone and check the industries or sectors that are more in-demand as of the moment. Take advantage of this and be strategic about how you will go about your job search in fields such as life sciences, IT, e-commerce, and digital marketing.
Work on your confidence.
For many, it is hard to find a job in this time of pandemic. Aside from not everyone has the privilege to adapt to such drastic changes, there is a huge transitional gap for those who have been accustomed to the conventional work setup pre-pandemic.
With this, they lack the confidence to get back out there and face the new challenges that come with job hunting during these trying times.
Look back at your achievements and other career highlights while also assessing all the hurdles you’ve overcome in your career. You may create a list of them to further evaluate how far you’ve gone, and how resilient you’ve become as a career person. Then, refer to this list to guide you in repeating positive affirmations to yourself that can help you boost your confidence.
Conduct intentional career planning.
This is one of the most overlooked tips in changing one’s job search strategy. A lot of career people tend to skip this part due to vague expectations both for themselves and their chosen paths.
However, this might be the perfect time for you to sit down and draft or revisit your comprehensive career plan that outlines your top career goals and action plans. This way, you can prepare and align your job search to the career path you envision to have.
Build and improve your skill set.
While there are still organizations prioritizing a candidate’s work background, more and more employers start to be critical in filtering applicants through their skills and attitude. That said, you need to work on your skill set and traits that will help you thrive in an organization.
Note the top soft skills employers look for, which are considered transferable across industries. Likewise, give emphasis to your hard skills and acknowledge the areas where you excel at. These are the ones you need to pursue the career you want or the path you intend to build.
After all, one way to boost your competitive edge over other candidates is to have a clear view and confidence about what you can offer through your competencies.
Revamp your job search tools.
Research on what recruiters look for so that you can also incorporate these guidelines while you’re writing your job search documents such as your resume or CV, cover letter, and job application emails.
Take the time to establish your personal brand.
Again, it’s important for you to reiterate how you are different from other job candidates. Since job postings are now more accessible online, anyone who has access to the Internet can apply and vie for the role you’re also targeting.
Equip yourself for remote interviews.
Since more and more organizations are now adapting to remote hiring, the use of digital tools to make this happen is now more prevalent. Aside from the fact that this is encouraged to help maintain safety protocols, remote interviews also offer advantages for both employers and applicants.
To ace your interviews and land your target job in no time, check out these video interview dos and don’ts to further guide you.
Set up your work area.
Another way to boost job search motivation is to have a dedicated work area! Your physical environment affects your productivity and overall mood while you’re preparing for your job search, so it’s best for you to invest in quality work from home tech. Fret not though, because you only have to start with the essentials!
You may also browse through these home office tips on how you can make your workspace more conducive.
Reach out and ask for help!
Ask your colleagues, friends, and those you look up to for advice. Since we’re stuck at home most of the time, we tend to feel lonely and discontent with our own capabilities. However, you shouldn’t burden yourself with the thought of being helpless! Reach out to those whom you trust and ask for feedback regarding your job search tools so that they can provide insights on how you can improve them. Further, it’s also a good practice to build your network and ask for referrals on where you can apply.
Look out for your well-being.
Working from home, although it has many advantages, can also lead to stress and breakdown. Trying to balance work and life becomes more challenging when you can’t even set your personal boundaries. Make sure you take breaks in between so that you can retain the energy you need while you are job hunting.
Think you’re ready to apply these tips and kickstart your job search? Let Bossjob help you with that! Browse through our available job openings and create your own job seeker profile to get started!
