COVID-19 has many people concerned, scared, upset, angry, and confused. The news cycle seems to be never ending and constantly evolving—and it’s common for both the unemployed and employed alike to feel uncertain about the future.
Here at Grammar Chic, we work with job seekers every day—and it is with this experience in mind that we understand that embarking upon or trying to manage a job search in normal times is stressful and scary enough. Facing it in the middle of a pandemic is something that none of us have ever faced in our lives.
However, at the end of the day, there is an unavoidable truth here. Layoffs—potentially mass layoffs—are going to happen. People are going to lose their jobs and it’s also quite possible that some may face extended periods of time without employment. Please know, we hope this doesn’t happen. We hope that implementing and following procedures such as social distancing and self-quarantining will work. We hope we all pass through this time of ambiguity sooner rather than later—for the sake of all of our mental, physical, emotional, and financial health.
In the meantime, though, our team aims to be a resource to you. We have compiled a brief guide of tips and actions to consider right now as we all face our new reality with COVID-19.
You Can Still Position Yourself for Success
First off, it can seem like the news is all bad—and yes, we understand that stress levels rise when you tune in to the Talking Head du Jour. However, just because we are all trying to navigate this new territory doesn’t mean that opportunity isn’t present. It is—you just have to know where to look for it. Believe us when we say that you can still position yourself for success—even in light of the Coronavirus.
- Evaluate and reevaluate your job search. Keep an open mind and continually assess the types of jobs you are applying to. Also, don’t be afraid to try your hand at applying for a position that you think you aren’t completely qualified for. You might actually be surprised! After all, challenging and unprecedented times in history have always needed people to rise above what they believe they are capable of—to think creatively or employ an out-of-the-box approach. Maybe that means it’s the right time for you to stretch your legs in a new role that you never thought possible.
- Additionally, this is also the time to work on standing out EVEN MORE to potential employers. We are big believers in customizing cover letters to align with positions—we cannot stress this enough now. This is a time where you must show why you are special. Address individual points covered in the job posting. Tell the reader why and how you are a fit. Show them that you took the time to read and comprehend their posting.
- Remain persistent. We cannot stress this enough. Now is not the time to throw in the towel and give up. It is not a moment when you take your foot off the accelerator and succumb to the seclusion that social distancing and self-quarantining provides. Why you may not be able to get out there in a face-to-face networking situation, you can still use tools like LinkedIn, Twitter, and other social platforms strategically.
- Allow yourself time to breathe. We know that many people are feeling especially panicked right now. How long is this going to go on? Are we in a recession? Will I have to put all my plans on hold forever? We get it. We have asked ourselves those same questions. And we wish we had the answers for you. But we don’t. However, instead of beating yourself up or wallowing in self-angst take this time to set small goals. For instance, say “I will apply to 10 jobs today and then I am going to Facetime a friend who might also be struggling.” Or, “I am going to network for two hours on LinkedIn and then I am going to go take an online class and learn something new.” A point of reference that might benefit you, we were recently listening to a podcast called Science Rules! It features Bill Nye and he was promoting a free one-month subscription to Great Courses. All you have to do is go to greatcourses.com/sciencerules and enter the promo code SCIENCE RULES. Sure, it’s only a month free, but you can have a whole month to learn something new that might benefit you in your job search, in a new position, or simply in your future life. Take a course that builds upon your skills or something that you are simply curious about. Take this opportunity to learn or take your mind off things. Self-care is important to your physical and mental health.
Finally, remember to keep your resume, cover letter, and LinkedIn profile up to date. And if you need help, reach out to us—we work virtually and over the phone, so no germs will be exchanged. Reference this blog post specifically and we will give you a special COVID-19 discount. It will be our pleasure to help you.
We all need to band together right now. We all need to help each other and offer support. We are all in this together—and it’s only through recognizing that we are all dependent on one another that we will get through this.
Please stay healthy. Please stay safe. Offer help to those who need it, so long as you can do it safely. Pay it forward and be a source of good karma. For more information about our services or how we can help your job search, visit www.chicresumes.com or call 803-831-7444.
