Navigating The Job Market In These Uncertain Times
Want a Pay Raise? Do these 4 Things
August 16, 2020Navigating The Job Market In These Uncertain Times
From the global pandemic to wild fires and worldwide protests, 2020 has taken a turn that no forecaster could have predicted. These activities have had a significant effect on countries’ economies, and by extension, the labor market. From layoffs to furloughs, lots of people have lost their jobs and most are not sure whether they will get either that one back or secure another job. Between January and August 2020, unemployment rose from its years long average of between 4 and 6% to 14% and has dropped to about 10% which is still uncomfortably high.
New entrants into the labor market are perhaps the most confused as everything seems to be changing in the face of people with jobs not sure of how things would go. How are you supposed to navigate this uncharted terrain? There are people who are making the best of this situation, landing new jobs, changing to better jobs, and getting promoted.
What are they doing and how can you adapt this into your own job search? These suggestions will show you how:
- Stick with the basics: No matter how much the world changes, there are parts of the recruitment process that are not going away in the long term. For example, resumes will still remain an important way to highlight your educational and professional history. Another part of the process is job interviews. Either remote or in-person, job interviews still remain the best way to assess a potential candidate. No matter the changes that occur, ensuring that you have these 2 down pat will always give you a foot in the door and one or more steps ahead of others. If you would like to learn the best tips for acing job interviews, click here right now.
- Leverage on your network:
You might have read about the red and blue ocean strategies which are basically about seeking out less crowded markets in which to compete. This is perfectly applicable in your job search as well. The Blue Ocean strategy is randomly applying for jobs. Everyone else is doing that and it reduces the chances of success to average. Using the contacts you already have is a far better approach. Many job openings are filled without any adverts and these are based on recommendations and referrals.
Don’t feel bad to let the people around you know that you are job hunting. They just might have a link to someone who works in an organization that needs your skills. LinkedIn also works perfectly for this sort of networking. Reach out to Human Resource experts and other professionals in your target industry and see if you can get introduced to an opening.
- Signup with Job Companies: There are organizations that exist solely to take the burden of searching for a job off you. They are often online platforms that bring job seekers in contact with organizations that are willing to hire. All you have to do is sign up and get connected to organizations that need you. If you’re ready to try this out, click here to get started with Flexible Staffing.
- Don’t be idle: Employers dislike seeing stretches of time on your resume that cannot be accounted for. You could take up learning something to improve an existing skill or learn a totally new skill. Another option is to get involved in some community work, or even volunteer to work for free somewhere. And guess what? Most times when you volunteer for free, you eventually get paid in exchange, but more importantly, you have gained experience that can be tendered. This also signals that you are someone who takes initiative and employers definitely want that kind of energy in their organization.
- Don’t lose hope: Truth be told, it can get pretty depressing to wake up every morning refreshing your mail only to get rejection mails or even no responses at all. But it’s okay to keep pushing and stay hopeful. Moments like this have come and gone in history- the great depression of 1929, the global economic crunch of 2008, or even the two world wars and the world somehow pulled through. We’ll all get through this, and you’ll definitely get that amazing job. Don’t stop trying!
