Should I Even Bother Looking for a Job Right Now?

YES! Emphatically YES! And being prepared for what’s out there will increase your hiring chances.

As we all face the uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 Pandemic, while health is the primary focus, economic stability is a close second. The shift in the job landscape was swift and dramatic and has rattled our everyday lives. Many workers have already started to feel the effects of layoffs or job suspensions – it’s real and it’s frightening. While Coronavirus relief assistance that is set to become available may help in the interim, people are still planning for future employment and often times a very real sense of discouragement sets in. However, even with recent reports indicating record unemployment applications, judging from job postings that are appearing even through this morning, DON’T STOP LOOKING! Jobs are being posted and there could be something out there for you.

As of this blog writing on March 27, there were 191,479 jobs posted on Indeed.com in the state of Florida alone. Of that number, 4,172 jobs were posted from the day before. While many positions may be specialized and require certain training or some of the original posts may be dated, it is evidence (and hope) that there still may be opportunities, even though it feels like we are at a standstill.

Here are some things to consider as you plan your job search:

• Spring Clean Your Online Persona. Take the moment to update your resume, your LinkedIn profile and all your social media platforms. Update your personal email address to reflect a professional handle. Upload resumes to searchable databases. Remember, as 70% of employers check out a candidate’s social media profile during hiring, what you post can affect your chances positively, or negatively. Especially during a time of crisis, where many individuals have very strong opinions about current circumstances, take a moment before publishing and consider the ramifications. This also holds true for the profiles or accounts you use to share commentary on news articles. You know how people “love” reading articles just for the comments? In today’s today and age of online sleuthing, it is not difficult to find the users who posted comments. In the work world, not everything we say is protected from being fired or, not hired.
• Ask for Professional Assistance. Contact a local recruiter for leads. Recruiters will have insight into the jobs in your area and may offer options that you may not have discovered.
• Network. Search for networking groups on all platforms and even some you may not have considered. In many communities, there are NextDoor neighborhood apps popping up with thousands of users. Many times, those same users post the need for help or are looking for people with certain expertise. Reach out. Neighborly support is high.
• Look for Local Support. Contact local businesses – as business models and operations change rapidly, especially with the closing of stores but the uptick in-home deliveries, they may need drivers, inventory help, etc. to support new operations.
• Stay up to date with job reports. There are some big companies hiring for the very same reason – business models are changing. It may not be what you are trained for, but it may be something to support you in the meantime or open the door to different opportunities within those larger organizations down the road.

Most importantly, while there is a reprieve in our normal, fast-moving lifestyles, especially as we continue with social distancing guidelines, take a moment to reflect and set goals. It may sound trite, but the slow-down in our daily schedules gives us pause to re-evaluate our career paths and identify new avenues we may want to explore but have put off doing so before.