As we come out the other side of the Coronavirus pandemic, lots of people who have been out of work will be searching for jobs once more.
Competition will be tough but with these 4 new & ingenious, and tried & tested ways, you’ll manage to get back on that job ladder and secure a great position.
Get Comfortable Networking Online
Using online networking sites like LinkedIn is the new newspaper jobs page.
You’re guaranteed to find countless job ads on online job boards as you can access jobs from all across the globe. The pandemic has allowed a lot of jobs to go completely remote so, depending on your industry, you could potentially apply for roles anywhere.
Knowing how to network is a powerful skill which can help you to connect with employers, recruiters, and other experts and industry leaders in your field.
LinkedIn allows you to search for individual people, job titles, and company names. You can connect with literally anyone.
Another great place to network is within professional groups on sites like Facebook. There are loads of groups set up on the social networking site that collate professionals on one page. Facebook is full of self-help and advice groups, jobs boards and training groups for a huge variety of industries.
When growing your network in aid of your job search, make sure you make yourself visible. It’s all well and good connecting with people and joining relevant groups. To really get noticed, you’ve got to speak up!
Join conversations, post about yourself, your skills and experiences, and share other interesting things going on in your industry. Being active on the sites your networking on is going to help you engage with others.
You never know, one casual conversation about some industry news could turn into a job offer!
Stay In Touch
Whether you’ve enquired about a post, or submitted that job application make sure you generate a regular, familiar rapport.
Don’t let recruiters or employers forget your name or CV – even something as small as sending a thank you email after a telephone conversation will go a long way with helping you stand out.
You want to be polite (but not over the top) with your messaging. Ask for updates, submit any extra documents, or chat about other opportunities they’ve advertised.
If it turns out you don’t get the job, make sure you send thanks anyway. Ask for feedback from an interview and ensure you let the employer know you’d like to be considered for any future roles that may come up.
Demonstrate the kind of stellar employee you would be by being attentive, communicative and kind. Make yourself almost indispensable!
Gather Intel
If you want to work for a specific company, or you’ve bagged yourself an interview with one, ensure you’ve done your research.
Researching a company prior to applying or interviewing for a position is really key to knowing who exactly you could be working for.
Here are some poignant questions regarding COVID-19 to consider answering:
- How did COVID affect the company?
- Are employees working from home?
- Did the company have to downsize?
- Are employees still on furlough?
- How has the company treated it employees during the COVD-19 pandemic?
You can find a lot of this information through social media sites like LinkedIn. A company’s website might also have a blog which could give insights into the general running of the business over the last year. Check out the company’s Instagram page, too.
If you manage to get an interview with the company you’ve researched, you can demonstrate your understanding of what they have specifically been through during COVID-19.
Mentioning your research into the company can help you drive home how committed you are the business. You can more easily demonstrate how your understanding could help the company grow, rebuild and achieve its goals if you were hired.
Boost Your Skills
Job hunting can take a while. There’s no guarantee you could be hired within a week or beginning your search.
Layoffs thanks to COVID-19 has meant that a lot more people than usual are gunning for the same role. It’s now even more important to make sure your CV meets all the job requirements and has some special extras to make it stand out.
So take the time out of work as an opportunity. Using your time to learn a new skill can really boost your CV and help you get noticed by employers.
Top tip: look at the job descriptions of roles you would like to apply for. Consider what skills they list that you don’t have, or need to brush up on.
For example, if you want to go into social media marketing look to get certified on Google Analytics or Hootsuite.
There are tons of free or cheap online courses you can sign up for, if money has been a little tight during COVID-19. Try out Microsoft training tutorials, Google online courses and the Open University.
The Coronavirus pandemic has thrown a spanner in the works for a lot of people. Job hunting can be hard but remaining committed and determined will ultimately aid you in landing a role. It might take longer than usual, but don’t be hard on yourself! You’re doing great.