#JobSearch : Flexibility: The Must have Trait for the 2020 Job Search. A Must REad!
Whether you started the year in an active job search or were recently laid off due to the COVID 19 crisis, the path to your next role will be different. The major challenge for those impacted is how to move forward in a job market filled with uncertainty.
The clear message is that you must embrace flexibility. Things are changing on a daily basis and you will have to bend and realize you may experience unanticipated setbacks. Unemployment was at an all-time low at the beginning of the year, and you are now faced with a flooded job market and limited openings.
The new normal includes:
- Recruiters actively working on searches find out the job is placed on hold just before they make an offer.
- The manager or team you interviewed with may be impacted by a layoff personally, and you have to start the process over from the beginning.
- Jobs posted on social media may not be active or reflective of the current market.
- Your network is focused on their own career challenges or finding new business.
- Opportunities to connect in person are limited.
- Offers may be rescinded.
- Many companies have salary freezes and compensation discussions will be different.
So how do you move forward? It’s understandable to take a day or two to mourn the loss of your position. However, you have to take directional steps to manage your personal needs and find your next role. A few quick action steps to get you started:
Step 1: Take care of the basics
– Many employers are offering outplacement, EAP services and extended health coverage options. If these options are available, use them. Your mental and physical health are critical.
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Step 2: Understand your current financial situation
– Severance and unemployment are options for many impacted employees. You will need to educate yourself on what’s available from your company and how the benefits may intertwine with state and federal unemployment.
Step 3: Evaluate where you are and be open to new opportunities
– Your timeline and next steps will depend on your personal situation, and you will have to take individual steps to move forward. If severance and unemployment are options, you can take more time to find the exact right opportunity. If you must have a paycheck immediately, you will need to embrace flexibility right away. What does that mean? You can look for short term assignments or temporary work.
You can take a role outside your field while you look for the right next step. Examples include: Embracing your Do-It-Yourself (DIY) home improvement hobby and apply at Home Depot; Apply for virtual assignments to teach English to children in Asia; or help a neighbor with yard work or childcare. You may want to explore not traditional methods of professional networking such as the NextDoor app or a neighborhood Facebook groups. Many furloughed Gen Z displaced workers have already taken this path during the national shutdown.
Step 4: Start networking
– There is an amazing trend occurring on LinkedIn right now. If you do not know what LinkedIn is, you should research the social networking platform immediately. People are actively posting that they have been impacted by COVID and letting their network know they are open to new opportunities. The stigma of announcing publicly to your network that you are looking for a new role is gone, or at least on pause. In addition, others are openly offering assistance or recommendations to their networks.
Step 5: Learn about and practice virtual networking and interviewing skills
– You should be familiar and comfortable with Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Google Meet and other platforms. There are many online tutorials on the platforms and tips on how to interview virtually. Think about buying a ring light for your next online interview.
Step 6: Embrace flexibility
– This may be hard for some, but will be essential in the next several months. There may be an unexpected spike of COVID in the Fall and business models will continue to change. Employers will understand why you have a professional gap, short term assignments or more than one role within a year. You could be impacted by more than one layoff this year. The important thing is to be open to adjusting to a new normal and understand if there is a stall in the interviewing process, a job is placed on hold or if you need to think outside the box for your next role.
The good news is that things will get better, and you have an opportunity to evaluate what you want in your career. You are not alone in the job search challenge, and your network will help you. If you do not have one, start one. You may learn about a role that is not right for you but a great opportunity for a former colleague. There will be ebbs and flows in your search. Most likely, you will hit a stall, and this is the new normal. Embracing flexibility gives you options and allows you to take actionable steps.
FSC Career Blog Author: Jennifer O’Keefe is a Human Capital Consultant and Global Senior Human Resources Executive with deep experience in human resources, talent management, and business partnership. Her previous roles include serving as the Chief People Officer of a publicly traded organization. In addition, she provides content and publication review for human capital communications.
FSC Career Blog | June 9, 2020