Job Searching During A Crisis? Here Are 7 Things You Need To Know

Are you doing job searching during a crisis? Here are 7 things you need to know to get back a job. Recently millions of people around the world have lost their job or have their hours reduced across all industries.

As unemployment increases, gig workers and the self-employed are also struggling to keep their businesses moving. Funds for small businesses exhausted faster than anticipated leaving the self-employed and gig economy with little option but to join millions of the unemployed to find jobs.

C Space published data sponsored by Monster revealed that 34% (more than a third) of employees are actively seeking a job, though with low confidence as one of the 10 reasons you didn’t get the Job Offer. The process of job search will definitely prove to be difficult for college seniors, some gig workers, the unemployed, and self-employed people. Job seekers need to be adaptable, persistent and be desperate to survive mass rejections.

Job Searching During Crisis: Here Are 7 Things You Need To Know

If you are doing Job searching during a crisis here are 7 things you need to know to help job seekers become successful in their job search during this crisis.

1. Explore Alternative Possibilities:

Candidates shouldn’t turn a blind eye on the possibility of contract, temporary or gig roles. They should also be ready to accept flexible hours. Job seekers should also look for opportunities in other businesses in relevant sections where job demand is growing.”

Focusing on in-demand industries and companies such as healthcare, telecommuting software, shipping and delivery services, tech support, warehousing, and logistics and food supply chain are important ways to increase the chances of finding a job in the UK, Canada, Austalia, Hungary, and the US. among other nations.

CareerBuilder released a new data-sharing of current in-demand companies and jobs which includes:

The top businesses hiring are:
Amazon
Dollar General
Aldi
Oracle
Walgreens
Decker Truck Line
Home Depot
Lowes

While you may think “How Can I Do Online Jobs In Nigeria?” The jobs with the highest growth across the world are:

Financial analysts and advisors
Nurses
Sales (retail and insurance agents)
Customer services representatives
Labourers
Data entry and administrative support
Managers (frontline, project, etc…)
Truck drivers

There are alternative ways you can add to your experience while job searching. See Turning Transferable Skills Into Career Success. Unpaid opportunities add invaluable experience and keep skills relevant while hunting for jobs. This is why job seekers shouldn’t overlook internships, apprenticeships, volunteering or organizing virtual efforts.

2. Treat Job Hunt as a Full -time Job

In fact, ‘getting a job is a job!‘ It would be fine if you take a week or two off after losing your job, but handling the job hunt like taking a vacation will also lengthen your unemployment. Treat the search as though you are doing 9-5 job, and plan a timetable for how you’re going to spend that time. Alas, learn how to spot fake Job Advertisement.

3. Ditch Desperation, Lead With Purpose

Competition for jobs is higher than normal resulting in heightened emotional stress for both employers and employees. Common advice is to spend about eight hours daily applying for quality jobs.

Additionally, avoid getting burnout by prioritizing self-care through walks, short breaks, and anything that can help increase motivation and energy. Don’t get discouraged with the mindset that finding a job isn’t possible. It is, but it requires extra patience with determination.

4. Leverage And Cultivate An Online Network

Who you know and not what you know still holds here for job searching during a crisis as ‘7 Things You Need To Know’. Now is the best time to focus on leveraging and cultivating a network. Having a plan in place during your job search can not only keep you motivated but can increase your chances of finding the perfect job.

New jobs are never posted because they’re found or created through networking. Job seekers can maximize their social media platforms by joining groups such as Facebook, Reddit jobs thread, Twitter #jobsearch, putting out a post to their network.

Setting a job alert is helpful, words or phrases such as “hiring”, “we’re looking” or “join my team” are a few creative ways to making new connections outside of traditional job boards like Indeed or Monster. Improved skills and a strong personal brand are what will make you unique as a valued member of the company. Consider Turning Transferable Skills Into Career Success.

5. Be Proactive And Schedule A Follow Up

The Coronavirus pandemic affected many companies to the point where companies like Amazon are not able to keep up with their hiring demands.

Candidates are consequently being lost in the process and recruiters are forgetting to follow up. Candidates should prioritize doing follow up. If an interview is conducted, job seekers should always ask the interviewer when they can expect to hear back. Failing to do so is one of the 10 reasons you didn’t get the Job Offer. Set a reminder to follow up if you haven’t heard anything by that date.

6. Build A Personal Brand

When looking for work, time waits for no one. Instead of sitting by and waiting for the perfect job to come, utilize that time to work on building your personal brand.

A personal brand means “who you are, what you stand for, the values you embrace, and how you express those values.” This implies that you polish up your image on social media, get involved in online and offline professional groups, and reach out to other professionals within your field.

While you need time and commitment to building your personal brand, it’s a strategy that can help you now and in the future. Employers usually Google candidates to see what their online presence says about them so that they can avoid hiring potential liabilities and those who contradict their core values. So this goes beyond a resume and cover letter.

7. Upgrade Your Marketable Skills

Upgrade your skill-set through courses and certifications during the crisis to gain ample opportunities. Learn from our article on “Set of Skills A Nigerian Immigrant Needs To Survive In Canada“. Find Universities offering courses for free through Full scholarships and boost their qualifications.

Some in-demand skills job seekers need to target are:

Time management
Customer service
Communication (written and verbal)
Crisis management
Remote work

Monster also has a dedicated Coronavirus page where job seekers can find advice and content on in-demand jobs, working from home, managing a team remotely, conducting a video interview, and more. It never hurts for a job seeker to practice and improve upon their interviewing skills by utilizing friends and family to do feedback.

8. Optimize Your Resume

Recruiters typically receive up to 250 resumes per position and have 6 things they target in a resume at first glance as they spend 7.4 seconds reviewing each resume. This is why it’s important to focus on quality rather than quantity. See What To Avoid When Writing A Good Resume.

Job seekers should optimize their resume and tailor it for each role they apply to. To do so, they should utilize the keywords in the job description and appropriately modify their resume.

I hope I have been able to help you in this article “Job Searching During a Crisis? Here 7 Things You Need To Know”? Do all you can to stay with a job and be relevant.