Job hunting can be tough at the best of times, but job hunting during coronavirus brings an added layer of uncertainty.
The Covid-19 pandemic has disrupted lives across the globe, and prompted governments to introduce drastic and unprecedented measures to keep people and businesses afloat.
If you’re looking for a job at the moment, you’re probably wondering how the pandemic will affect your chances.
In this article, we’ll look at how the situation has affected recruitment, and offer our advice on job hunting during coronavirus.
Are companies still hiring?
Covid-19 has undoubtedly altered recruitment processes, but the good news is that lots of companies are still hiring.
While some businesses have been forced to close, many of those providing essential goods and services are recruiting additional workers to meet increased demand.
For example, the major supermarkets are recruiting 35,000 additional workers, home care company Cera has created 10,000 new jobs and Lloyds Pharmacy is looking for 1,500 new workers.
The BBC recently published a list of companies that are looking for staff, including links to their recruitment websites.
Many of these companies will be fast-tracking their recruitment processes at the moment – but remember that these jobs are likely to involve contact with lots of people. Always consider the safety of the people in your household first, especially those who are elderly or vulnerable.
Companies taking their recruitment online
At the time of writing, the government’s latest advice is that anyone who can must work from home.
This means that many companies have taken their hiring processes online, with interviews conducted using apps like Zoom, Skype and WhatsApp.
With this in mind, it’s more important than ever to have a professional online presence. Make sure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and in good shape, and try to connect with other professionals in your sector.
Search for relevant professional groups to join on LinkedIn and Facebook, and join in the conversation. Make yourself visible by posting links to relevant articles and commenting on other people’s posts. You could also search for virtual networking events on platforms like Eventbrite.
Patience is key
This is a difficult time for everyone – and recruiters and HR departments are no exception. The transition to remote work will have caused significant disruption, and things may move slower than usual as people get used to this new situation.
Be mindful of this if you’ve recently applied for a job or had an interview. It’s OK to send a polite follow-up email, but allow longer than usual for a reply.
Online interview tips
If you’re invited to interview for a job, there’s a good chance it will be an online video interview.
As with all interviews, the more prepared you are the better. Here are our top online interview tips to help you get ready:
- Practise, practise, practise: It’s absolutely vital to practise, especially if you’ve never done a virtual interview before. Speaking into a laptop or phone can feel a little unnatural, so have a few test runs to get yourself used to it. Record yourself answering some potential interview questions and watch the video back to see how you come across. Does your tone or body language need tweaking? Next, ask a friend or family member to do a mock video interview with you and ask them for feedback. The more times you can do this the better!
- Prepare some prompts: Write out some bullet points or make a visual aid to help you remember what you want to say. Put your notes somewhere you can easily see them (but out of sight of the camera of course!) It’s OK to glance at these occasionally for a handy reminder – just make sure you don’t look at them too often. Eye contact is important in video interviews too!
- Look the part: You may not be meeting face-to-face, but that doesn’t mean you can do the interview in your pyjamas. Dress professionally, be neat and tidy and find a quiet space with a plain backdrop.
For more online interview tips, check out this blog we wrote.
Finding remote work during coronavirus
Lockdown may have slowed down hiring in some sectors, but it’s still possible to find remote and freelance work during coronavirus.
A Google search will yield plenty of remote and freelance job boards – here’s a list of some of the best to help you on your way.
If you haven’t considered remote work before, it’s definitely worth looking into – there are all types and levels of jobs available, from HR managers to Proofreading, salespeople and virtual receptionists. There’s always companies and businesses looking for the extra help where necessary – it’s worth taking advantage of that so long as it fits your skill set.
Updating your CV
As always, the key to finding a job is a great CV. If you’re job hunting during coronavirus, updating your CV is highly advised.
Now is the perfect time to give your CV a good spring clean – especially if you haven’t done it in a while.
Our blog is full of helpful articles on CV writing – here’s our comprehensive guide to writing a good CV and a blog on how to refresh your CV to get you started.
If you’d like a bit of professional help, why not try our CV writing service?
Support while you’re unemployed
If your work situation has been affected by Covid-19, you’re not alone.
The government has announced a raft of emergency measures to help those facing financial difficulties as a result of the pandemic. Read more about them here.
This article originally appeared on Purple CV.
