Job Hunt Tips During Difficult Hiring Times

If you are looking for a job, you would definitely need a few job hunt tips in this current year of a pandemic. The current Covid-19 pandemic has triggered many new narratives that could potentially affect working professionals. While some of them are true, there are also false narratives that could hinder your job-search this year.

For instance:

• 2020 has been the year of the 3 C’s, COVID, crisis, and confusion – this is a fact.
• The economy is coming back but will never be full throttle again until this virus runs its course, or we have a vaccine in place.
• It is impossible to get a job during this tough time – well, not really!

Despite the challenges caused by the current health crisis, there are many employers still looking for people to support their business. This remains consistent even during tumultuous times. However, we may need a minor overhaul on the way we approach a job-hunting exercise, in order to win a coveted position.

Here are 5 straightforward tips to help you find the right job during this difficult hiring time.

1. Treat your job hunt like a career re-launch

Almost every industry apart from healthcare has been “forced” into an unexpected break this year. And as American states hesitantly restart their economies, not every business is ready to open its doors to the general public. And when they do eventually restart, there are likely to be profound changes.

If you work in a profession that may remain closed for business for the foreseeable future, and you cannot afford to continue in this way, consider finding a job in another industry. This would be like a career re-launch after a gap year, except that the switch need not be permanent.

Here, 3 key questions can help you kick-start your search.

1. What industries are hiring during this time?
2. Which ones would suit you for the time being?
3. What basic skills do you need, to get started today?

This can help you transform the current crisis into an exciting opportunity, to discover new professional possibilities, upgrade your skills, or even relook at past career decisions from a fresh viewpoint.

2. Keep your resume crisp, relevant and unique

Once you narrow down your industry, use the following tips to prepare a winning resume.

1. Clarity and brevity – No hiring manager want to read a resume that is over 2 pages long, especially during the present crisis. This holds true even if you have several decades worth of professional experience to share in your resume.
2. Relevance – The more purposeful your resume seems in the current crisis, the higher its chances of being picked by a hiring manager. For instance, a big majority of America’s workforce are working digitally due to state-imposed lockdowns. If you have experience working with virtual teams, now is a good time to highlight it in your resume.
3. Exclusivity – This is undoubtedly an employer’s market, where there are more people waiting to be hired than the ones hiring them. For this reason, ensure that you explicitly highlight the unique features that you bring to the table in order to stand out from the crowd. If done right, this tip can help you recognize a potent strength that is handy in a crisis, as you are forced to dig deep into your bag of professional tricks.

Finally, do not forget to keep your resume free from spelling and grammar mistakes. During these times, it is the small things that can go a long way in turning the tide.

3. Embrace all things digital

This is one of the best Job hunt tips. Almost all industries have digitized themselves at various levels as a side effect of the current crisis. In fact, experts believe that this will continue even after the crisis is resolved, as digitization provides several long-term benefits.

If you have not done so, embrace the digital world too:

1. Build a professional network online. LinkedIn and Facebook forums are stellar places to market your professional self in the virtual world. You can even start connecting with hiring managers in your choice of the industry as you share your resume with a purposeful covering letter. Take time to consciously build your professional brand
2. Engage in virtual discussions related to your industry. Hiring managers may not be as active posting “help wanted” ads online, but they are still looking for people with extraordinary skills and expertise, potentially useful to their industry. In fact, online discussions through blogs, social media groups, etc. are often used by them to find “hidden talent” through the digital world.
3. Get ready for a virtual office. This may need you to install specialized software on your laptop (like videoconferencing software), prepare a space in your home where you can work uninterrupted, etc.

4.  Address any time gaps in a productive way

There are several industries that encourage people to take “gap years” away from work, provided this is utilized in a productive way. So, treat this time as your special gap year to invest in upgrading yourself. There are online classes you can take to enhance your skills, virtual internship opportunities for developing knowledge and expertise in new areas, etc.

5. Take time to reflect on your post-Corona life

Lockdowns have given many a working professional space and time to reflect. This crisis too shall pass. Use this time to consciously redesign every aspect of your life – personal, professional, educational, social, etc. so you are prepared to go after it once life returns to the new normal.

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