Job Searching through a Pandemic - what you need to know
JOB SEARCHING THROUGH A PANDEMIC - WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW
Job searching can be scary in and of itself, without having to also take in to account a global pandemic. Below are some tips:
Be Strategic. Now might be the perfect time to look outside your industry if yours is being negatively impacted. For example, if you have spent the last decade as an operations manager in the tourism industry or have experience being an accounting manager for a retail chain, you might consider looking in to another industry. I have seen so many of my clients pigeonhole themselves (changed the sentence) to working in the financial service sector and not being open to other industries. Being able to pivot in a time of uncertainty is what will set you apart. You have applicable experience, so leverage it!
Have a plan. Looking for a job while you have one, is less stressful than trying to find (and land) a job when you don’t have a pay check coming in. You are more likely to make a smart choice when you know you have a few paychecks coming. You will interview better and you will be less stressed during the interview process. Trust me, most hiring teams will pick up on your nervousness. You want to be the person who is calm and collected during the interview.
Be smart, be honorable, but as Rachel Hollis would say, “don’t be dumb.” If you are already in a situation where you do not have an income, you still need to have a plan. For both instances, we can help you create one.Get your resume together. I remember when the housing bubble burst in 2008 and the impact it had for job seekers and hiring teams years later. Since then, it has changed the way recruiters review resumes. If your resume is littered with misspellings but in your summary you say you have an attention to detail, that is an issue. If your resume has outdated information and looks like it hasn’t been update since 1995, that is an issue. When companies post positions, you want your resume to stand out in a way that will separate you from the rest, in a manner that is impactful.
Flex your network. Make a list of those you have worked with in the past, include managers who you enjoyed working with before, previous co-workers who moved on to different opportunities, and reach out to recruiters on LinkedIn. Make your profile searchable on LinkedIn so when a recruiter is searching for your skillset, you will appear on their job search.
Practice interviewing. Interviewing is a skill and just like any other skill, if you don’t use it, you can lose it. I can tell you horror stories of candidates who have walked in to an interview with nothing prepared and bombing their interview on an epic scale. If you are working with a recruiter, they should prep you for the interview. If they don’t offer, ask them to set aside some time to go over some practice questions. A good recruiter will prep you for your interview. If they don’t, reach out and we can help. Role play some questions and have questions prepared to ask your interviewers.
Interview Technology- With COVID-19 sweeping the globe, many organization are moving towards phone interviews or online interviews. If you are doing an online interview, make sure you have downloaded the tools at least 2 days before your scheduled appointment to ensure the tools work. If it doesn’t, this will give you enough time to come up with a plan b. When you are on the phone interview or a conference call- stand up if you can, this will naturally put you in a better posture. And yes, dress professionally for the online interview- I have a client who only wore professional attire from the waist up only to learn that there was a reflection and the manager could see she was wearing neon shorts. Don’t be dumb.
While we are encouraging our clients to practice social distancing, some of them just can’t do that (Healthcare, for example). If you are asked to come onsite to interview during this pandemic- please ensure you are washing your hands, not touching your face and you are monitoring yourself for symptoms up to your interview and after your interview so you can limit your exposure. If you are showing signs of symptoms, please reschedule your interviews and follow CDC (www.cdc.gov) and WHO (www.who.int) guidelines.
Please let Liberty Partners HR know how we can help you. The strategy just has to change, it doesn’t mean the game is over.
Christine Coriaggio-Carter is the Managing Principal of Liberty Partners HR- a women own HR Consultant Company and Search Firm. She enjoys kayaking with her husband, all things HR and spending time with her dog, Liberty.