33 tactics to get a job now (despite Covid 19)

Out of the questions I am received since the beginning of the pandemic, two are the undisputed winners in popularity.

Does it make sense to look for a job right now?
How can I stand out and get hired?

My personal purpose is to help people live their most fulfilling career, so I feel it’s my duty (and pleasure) to give a contribution in these challenging times, due to Covid 19.

Instead of working alone, this time I requested suggestions from my network via Linkedin:

“What is 1 advice that you would give to job seekers to have better chances of getting a job soon?”

I had started my post with the first 2 suggestions:

A DON’T Advice: Don’t spam every recruiter with your CV without even knowing what the company is looking for. You’ll just get rejected. Or worse ignored.
And you’ll just get disheartened.
A DO Advice: Be deliberate instead! Start by listing your strongest skills, and find companies that offer jobs that match them.

As a response to these 2 ideas, in 3 days I received 31 more ideas, divided in 8 main themes.

They are all in this article, an abundance of hacks for you to:

Getting it right if you’re in need of a new job right now, or
Prepare for a successful job hunt later on (if you are not in a hurry to move).

Theme 1 - LEARN

1 Taking the occasion to learn something new and strengthen your knowledge. Any online training would be good. Have you tried LinkedIn Training?

2 Use this time to grow, learn and upskill yourself, choose one of the many online courses available (even for free).

3 Get a certification online if you are in an industry that recognizes them.

Theme 2 - SEARCH FOR COMPANIES WHO ARE GROWING

4 Research companies who might be more financially stable in this economic situation.

5 List out industries that are still poised to grow or sustain such as online, delivery, tech related.

6 If you need a job urgently for financial reasons and you can't find something exactly like what you've done before, look for those jobs which are in demand and you’re still qualified to do.

Theme 3 - TAILOR YOUR APPROACH

7 CV hack: If you are applying for a specific role, make sure you tailor your CV to mirror the language/requirements on the advert. If you are updating your CV / sharing it with your network, start with a (short) sentence that summarizes who you are and what you look for in a new role. Finally, don’t limit your previous experience to a list of responsibilities, but clearly outline what you have achieved (number and percentages help) and what has been your impact.

8 Adapt your perspective (when describing your work experience) to the needs of the company you are targeting. Not everything will be equally important. You can also play with colors to appeal more to the brand of the chosen company. Watch your terminology and try to be specific.

9 Before you apply for a job, or make a connection, draft your thoughts/ideas/suggestions to prove you can be one of their top employees, then share your thoughts with those companies.

10 Make a list to the companies that you want work and apply directly in their careers web page. a lot of them don't show in portals like Linkedin or Glassdoor.

Theme 4 - CLARIFY YOUR WHY, GOALS AND SKILLS

11 Be really clear about your "what" and "why". Clarify what you really want to do in your life, the vision, and why you want to do that, the compelling reason that will motivate you towards. Once these are clear, selectively look for a career that matches them. Just randomly applying for any kind of job doesn't bring any good.

12 It’s important to reflect on what skills/experience/knowledge you will need to reach your long-term goal. All career paths are not straight - as long as you keep learning you are on the right track.

13 Assess your skills and aspiration, try to network (even virtually) with people that work already in that business, be flexible! A dream job is a journey so do not expect to have everything from day 1.

Make it stand out

Whatever it is, the way you tell your story online can make all the difference.

14 Refine and market in-demand skills. 1) Resilience and Grit will be more and more important This uncertainty might last long, and people who get discouraged easily might find it challenging to keep up. 2) Tech expertise in general - so much more important, to use tech tools to access work, and keep up with the global trends.

15 If you lost your job, why you think that this happened? Think deeply than normal. If you need a change? You may need to change first your mindset maybe that is the change that you need. How can i get better chances in your job? Being proactive, moving out of your comfort zone, improving processes, establishing good communication, etc.

Theme 5 - MAKE NETWORKING SUCCESSFUL

16 Before contacting recruiters or professionals at the very least a) first look into their career page to see what are the available opportunities and b) check if you have the minimum skills. Don’t waste time and energy in conversations that are not a match.

17 Mostly reach out not to recruiters but people in your industry, key leaders. It's most powerful and helpful.

18 Identify experts and leaders in the company you have targeted. Connect directly and even drop comments in their posts. Of course make sure your thoughts are of high quality.

19 Contact your previous colleagues or friends to understand the opportunities available in your network

20 I recommend to use LinkedIn, start by polishing your profile.

21 Write more on LinkedIn. About your expertise, your ideas for example

Theme 6 - OFFER SERVICES FIRST, OR FREELANCE

22 Suggest yourself to work as a freelancer. If in sales suggest working upon commissions until you prove yourself first.

23 If you're not in urgency to get money, suggest your free help to some great projects, NGOs, companies - you might get skills, networking and recommendations!

Theme 7 - PREPARE FOR INTERVIEWS

24 Show your personality: how your personal values match the ones of the company. Demonstrating your true commitment to improve and grow every day. Explain how your skills and talents can benefit the company.

25 Demonstrate to the recruiter or the team that you’ve made research about the company.

26 Reflect before hand - identify a problem that the company might have, and propose solutions based on your skills. Show that you care.

Theme 8 - LONG TERM TIPS

27 It's a pretty unique and unexpected situation but not the only global crisis we'll need to handle in our lifetime so if you find yourself regretting not doing something prior to COVID19 (like being up to speed with the latest software/skill or having emergency savings), learn from it.

28 Lead with curiosity and look at every conversation as a learning experience, not a time to sell yourself and pitch your CV. That time will come with the right connection

29 This situation might be a reminder that you should manage your finances properly during good times. If you did not, then you are bound to be under more pressure that means you might not be looking to wait, or learn during this period.

30 A period of crisis also means we need to rethink the old way of doing things. It's the perfect time to find new opportunities in a changing world and highlight how your skillset can contribute to the future society

Closing thoughts

Yes many companies are reducing hiring. Yes there are layoffs already, so an increasing number of people are looking for a job.

At the same time there are sectors that are still growing. Some other companies are seeing a positive turnaround already. So there will be positions open.

Let's not fall into the fear trap. Don’t discouraged along the way.

Focus your energy on the opportunities and what can work.

And if looking for a job is taking too long? TIP # 31 - Start something by yourself.

Like what?

Publish a book online
Open a store on Amazon
Sell your art & craft
Search online for other passive income ideas.

Which one of the 33 tips are you going to use?