2020 was a hellish year for workers and businesses. The COVID-19 pandemic had a severe impact on the labor market: some lost their jobs, others changed their profession, and some began to combine several part-time jobs at once. Meanwhile, competition among job seekers has increased in some areas, and finding a profitable job is not so easy.
In this article, you will learn how working conditions have changed during the spread of the pandemic in America and practical advice on how to find a job during covid.
Photo by magnet.me
What do the statistics say?
According to the latest employment report from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the country’s unemployment rate fell to 6.9% in October 2020, and 638,000 people got jobs. In October, significant job growth occurred in the retail, professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and construction sectors. But employment in the government declined.
These labor market improvements reflect the ongoing resumption of economic activity cut back by the COVID-19 pandemic and containment efforts.
As we can see from the statistics, the labor market is gradually bouncing back because businesses have adapted to the new conditions.
How to get a job during Covid-19
Job search during coronavirus can cause resentment or depression in some people. The competition is getting more fierce, as is the lack of self-confidence. But do not give in to general panic. Take a deep breath and exhale, and accept the fact that employment takes time and modern solutions. To help you know in which direction you should move, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with our tips on how to get a job during a pandemic.
1. Upgrade your resume
The coronavirus has not disappeared, which means that employers will reduce the number of people invited for interviews in the office. Therefore, more conclusions will be drawn from the resume.
Resumes are selected in two ways: directly by a person and using a special program.
Programs select resumes using keywords that are relevant to the job. The best way to promote your resume and beat the competition is to use the wording from the job description. For example, if you are applying for the position of SEO specialist, then the keywords will be: SEO, copywriting, SMM, link building, usability, content marketing. You also should remember that using professional jargon or synonyms can cause smart machines to skip your resume and rate it as incompetent.
Machine selection of resumes is often used when employers look for employees off job search sites, not when the application is received directly.
HR managers review resumes that job seekers submit. Even though we have gradually seen a recession in the United States’ unemployment rate, in the face of a pandemic and lockdown, the recruiters are still looking at the job application documents more carefully.
When submitting a resume, as with machine selection, pay attention to the job description’s fundamental skills. The more matches you have, the more chances you have of getting an interview invitation.
Your resume should also include your contact details, education, desired salary, skills, certifications (if any), and work experience. If you want to apply for different specialties, then create several versions of the document, and adapt each one for the desired career.
2. Prepare your cover letter
Many job seekers underestimate the power and crucial role of a cover letter. A cover letter is not an employer’s whim but an official document that reveals your motivation and potential as an employee.
Business-style cover letters should express your interest in working for the company, a short introduction to your career, and a short paragraph detailing why you are ideal for the open position. The cover letter should comply with the instructions in the employer’s job advertisement for the open position.
The cover letter does not have strict requirements about what exactly should be written. That is why many people make mistakes when writing it. The most common is the duplication of information already in the resume. This should be avoided. Take a few of your skills to explain precisely how they will help you in your work and how the company will benefit from it.
It is important to remember that a cover letter is written for each job individually, even if you send multiple applications to one company.
If you are not sure that you can write a resume and cover letter, you should visit the GetCoverLetter website to find a lot of exciting and useful information on creating professional job application documents. You can also use the online editor to create a CL. Using the service saves you a lot of time, especially if you have to write many cover letters.
3. Comb your social media
Not only do job seekers research the companies they want to work for, but recruiters evaluate potential employees based on their social networks. View your profile on LinkedIn. Can you call it professional? If not, add information about your work activity and skills, and attach a portfolio if needed.
Also, LinkedIn is an excellent platform for finding a job. Every day, hundreds of companies post positions and browse user profiles to find their ideal candidate.
4. Prepare for your online interview
To find a job during the pandemic, you need to be ready to be interviewed on Zoom, Skype, or another online platform that allows you to do online conferences. This method of interviewing provides group and individual interviews to be conducted without any health risks. You also save time and money on the road. But, online interviews have several pitfalls.
- Software. A few days before the appointment, check the availability and working status of the application. To do this, you should conduct a sound and image control check. Just call your friend and see how the interface works so that during the interview, you won’t encounter any surprises.
- Accessories. To make the sound clearer for your interlocutor to hear you well, you should use headphones. Any model with a built-in microphone will do, even from a phone.
- Place. During the interview, you should not be distracted by anything: no people, no noises. Choose a quiet location with good lighting. And make sure you don’t have a pile of clothes, ragged wallpaper, or siblings in the background.
- Clothing. Although the interview takes place at your home, do not forget that your employment depends on it. Wear a business suit or neutral outfit as if you were going to a company office.
5. Use all the ways to find a job
To get a job during covid, you need to be able to use all the available services.
- Specialized sites for job search is the most common way to find a job. You will be able to select the vacancies that you like and monitor the status of the application.
- Employment agencies. This is a good option for the time-challenged or lazy. The agency manager selects the right job for you based on your work experience, skills, education, and personal preference.
- Communities. There are now many employment communities on the Internet, as well as specialized ones. For example, “California Programmers.” In such organizations, you can find like-minded people and find a person who will become an intermediary between you and the company.
6. Change of specialization and adaptation to new conditions
Since many companies have switched to a remote form of work in the coronavirus context, employees should adapt and master new technologies. For example, if earlier you worked in an office, printed out contracts, and took them to the CEO for signature, now organizations are moving to “online offices.” Workers send all documents by mail and run meetings in Zoom. And if you did not know about the existence of Zoom before, now you will have to get to know it very closely.
Some professions have also been “hit” by COVID-19. For example, waiters, sellers of non-food products, and manicurists lost their jobs due to company closures. In this case, you should think about mastering a new specialization. For example, you can take online courses on advertising marketing in social media and start a career as an assistant to bloggers, PR manager of social media, SMM copywriter, etc. Working on the Internet helps you get back into the employment mix and save you from unnecessary contact with other people.
Final Words
The coronavirus is not a reason to stop your job search. It is an excellent opportunity to develop new skills, release new talents, and join an industry you never thought of before.
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