Job-hunting During A Recession
With the continuing uncertainty with regards to COVID-19 and its impact on our lives, it’s a real worry that we are heading towards a familiar territory for many, and a dreaded word for all - recession.
Those who weathered the financial and professional struggles of 2008 vividly remember the difficult economic times we endured, especially workers who were looking for new job opportunities. The working world changed dramatically in rather a short period of time, and candidates were forced to reassess their job hunting tactics and career plans.
As we brace for a similar reality in a post-COVID-19 world, here are some suggestions on how to try and keep your career plans moving in the right direction:
Keep Researching
Even in times like these, there will always be industries, services, and companies who are still looking to hire. You may find that smaller or local businesses that don’t normally appear on large job search engines are also hiring, so make sure to thoroughly research your geographical area.
Most companies also offer email alerts when new listings are posted, so take advantage of this feature and stay up-to-date with what is happening on the market. As a start, click here to discover a list of those businesses currently hiring in the US this month.
Keep Your Ear To The Ground
With more than 22 million Americans filing for unemployment and job-hunting, it’s a good time to be aware of who is hiring and how they are recruiting, interviewing, and employing new talent. Shifts to video conferencing, recruitment and placement agencies, and remote assignments are among the changes companies are likely to implement as they adhere to social distancing guidelines. See our blog post about the evolving hiring process here for more information.
Continue to monitor which companies are hiring with these changes in mind (such as tech and communications companies and food and supermarket services), and you’ll likely find a new role more quickly than if you utilize traditional methods, which typically include only targeting larger companies and restricting the job titles you are searching for. Keep up with these industries to get a good overall picture of who is still actively hiring.
Keep Momentum
At a time when opportunities are limited, make sure you are sending follow-ups or more personalized messages to hiring managers for job listings. This ensures that you are at the forefront of their minds when it comes to them shortlisting applicants for interviews.
In a recession, it is common for people to lay low and ‘wait out the storm’, so it’s up to you to remind them that you are still available and very much interested in their open vacancy.
Keep An Open Mind
It’s no question that this is a challenging time, so keeping an open mind regarding your next move will really help. Your expectations around your desired level, title, and salary may need to be temporarily adjusted to ensure quicker job success throughout a turbulent period.
Now may also be a good time to consider an alternative route into a different working pattern. Could this be the time to try freelancing? Or a consulting role related to your industry? A recession can often be a positive experience, as a shake-up in the job market may well land you with a role you have been putting off exploring.
Keep Going
Despite your efforts to pragmatically job hunt in this environment and actively plan your next career move, you will likely experience some strong emotions while dealing with the recession and its impacts on you and the people you know.
Try and keep in mind that, although recessions are difficult, they do pass. Companies will recover, roles will be reopened, and opportunities will present themselves again. Keeping a positive attitude at these times can really help with the success of your job hunt and train your focus on your future.
After a storm, there can be rainbows.
Take time to review your plans and your motivations, and look into the future to see how you could make some positive changes that may benefit your career in the long run.
Whether you take a role you’ve always wondered about, change the way you work entirely, or make a move to a completely different industry, now could be the perfect time to begin a brand new chapter in your professional story.