Maybe you were laid off because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Or maybe you suffered under poor treatment from your employer throughout the pandemic. Perhaps you feel burnt out by your current job after being pushed to your limit during the past year.
Millions of people whose careers were affected by the pandemic are getting ready to start job hunting as the world reopens, and if you’re one of them, you might wonder what you can to do to boost your chances of landing that perfect role.
With the right approach, you can increase your odds of securing interviews and getting hired. Here’s how to prepare to reenter the post-pandemic job market.
Polish Your Skills
You know that there is going to be lots of competition for every job opening right now. How can you make sure that you stand out? Focus on mastering new skills.
If you can learn a lucrative new skill, you’ll become more valuable to potential employers. Think about which skills would be relevant for the jobs you want to apply for. You might want to enroll in an online course or look for other free resources online to learn on your own time.
Think Outside the Box
You don’t necessarily have to continue working in the same industry. Consider your transferable skills. How could you apply your current skill set and knowledge in a different field?
Talk to your friends and relatives who work in other sectors and ask about their experiences. They might be able to help you figure out how you can get your foot in the door in a brand new field.
Start Networking
It’s not what you know, it’s who you know! Job seekers everywhere know this sentiment. Basically, being a hard-working and highly skilled individual isn’t the only thing that it takes to get a job.
It always helps to know someone at the company who can put in a good word for you. Having a referral in your favor can help your resume make it to the top of the pile. Get in touch with people in your life who work at companies that might be a good fit for you and ask about their current openings.
Update Your Resume
Take a look at your current resume. Is it up to date? If the last time you looked for a job was years before the pandemic, you probably need to add some new information.
You may also want to remove older positions that are no longer relevant. In addition, you can incorporate the new skills you’ve learned! You might even want to tweak your resume slightly for every job opening that you apply for to make sure that it’s perfectly tailored for the job.
Practice for Interviews
Your interview skills might be rusty. During this time, hiring managers will probably still conduct interviews over the phone or video chat. Call up a friend or set up a video chat meeting so that you can practice answering typical questions.
Knowing what you want to say when the hiring manager talks to you will help you avoid stumbling over your words or drawing a blank on certain questions. Think about your strengths, the impact you made at your last job, and what you hope to achieve as you move forward in your career. When the interviewer reaches out, you’ll feel totally confident in yourself!
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Are you anxious about starting your job hunt, or stressed about a lack of success from your efforts so far? Career counseling can help. Contact me today to discuss your options for scheduling your first session.