26 million Americans have filed for unemployment and everyone I know can’t even get into the website to apply, which means, a lot more people are actually in the job market. So the big question right now is, “how do you find a job during the coronavirus?”
Here’s How:
- Don’t Apply to Companies that are Obviously Closed or are not “Essential.” Work smarter not harder. Many companies will just keep their jobs posted online so that they can pipeline for when they might hire when things begin to open again but at that time, budgets and job priorities will change, so that role may not be open in the long run. Also, if the recruiter, or whoever runs the job boards, were furloughed, they probably didn’t take down the positions online before they left. Apply to local positions unless you are having to move for whatever reason. Employers have more candidates than ever so the need for a company to hire someone that needs to relocate, is unlikely. How do you know if a company is essential? Well, there are the obvious ones: Pharma, hospitals, and most manufacturing companies, especially ones in the food, beverage, and cleaning supply industries. But, the not so obvious ones may be tricky to know. Before spending 15-30 minutes applying online, call the company and ask their operator if they’re currently hiring and if he/she does not know, ask to speak to the talent acquisition or HR team. This is a great way to get your name to them and do a brief sale of yourself for the job when you get them on the phone. You can also find them on LinkedIn to message or see if they have posted anything recently about hiring freezes, open jobs, etc.
- When you do Apply to Jobs, Reach out to the Hiring Managers Directly. The HR and Talent Acquisition team are most likely getting flooded with candidates and emails so go directly to the source! Or, message both of them on LinkedIn – it doesn’t hurt. As a recruiter, not many people do this, but the ones who do, I make sure to review their resume at the very least because I feel obligated now. So, when you apply to a role, immediately go to LinkedIn and do your research on exactly WHO is hiring and reach out to them.
- Use Staffing Firms! I am not saying this because I work for one, I am saying this because it WILL help you find a job without having to do hardly any work. Find local staffing firms who specialize in what you do, call them, and send them an awesome resume. When you speak to recruiters at staffing firms, you need to treat it like an interview because they have a lot of candidates and they will only submit the best. Send your resume to multiple staffing agencies, big and small. If they do not have anything for you right now, they eventually will because trust me, we are all grinding to find open jobs to fill right now!
- Fix your Resume, Post it to Job Boards and Show That you’re open to Opportunities on LinkedIn! Create 1-3 versions of your resume and post them to LinkedIn, Indeed, Monster, and CareerBuilder. I explain why you would want different versions of a resume in a different article. Anyway, every single recruiter known to mankind uses two out of those four websites to find talent. Also, a lot of recruiters have stepped up and offered free resume reviews! Take advantage of this! People often charge like $100 just to review a resume and now, it’s free! Also, side tip, have multiple people review your resume and give you feedback, do not just rely on one person. Show that you’re open to job opportunities on LinkedIn. There is a button you click on LinkedIn to show that you’re open to opportunities. This allows people, like me, to message you through LinkedIn. Also, side note, do NOT do all this stuff with LinkedIn unless your LinkedIn looks good and you have a photo. It actually kind of angers me when people do not have a LinkedIn photo of themselves.
- Have a Rock Star LinkedIn Account! This is your professional social media! LinkedIn will also give you stats on how often your profile is coming up in searches and what you need to do to stand out more. You need to look inviting and approachable in your photo, I don’t want to bother with people who have photos of them looking angry with the camera two inches from their face or a picture of their cat. Give details in your work history! Treat this profile like a resume. Do not have your LinkedIn showing just your job title and company name, it looks lazy and it doesn’t tell a recruiter anything.The number one thing you should do RIGHT NOW for your LinkedIn account is to request referrals. I love a profile that has a lot of referrals. I have had many candidates get the job over others alike just because they had a lot of LinkedIn referrals – for real. Also, when you’re reaching out for those referrals, let them know that you are in the job market. Your connections are the best way to find your next gig!
- Use your Network. I am kind of running these all together, but let people know you’re looking for work. Do not be embarrassed. A lot of people are posting this on LinkedIn. By the way, when you post this information, do not speak poorly about the employer who just let you go, say how great your experience was during your time there.
- Try Contracting/ Be Open-minded. This may sound crazy to the full-time folks out there but contracting is “in” right now and it’s a great way to get your foot in the door, learn new skills, meet new people, and the biggest reason of them all, to make money.
- Stay Motivated! Do not ever get down on yourself if you are not finding a job right away. It’s tough for many people out there right now… not like that makes your situation better but hold your head high, really use these tips to help you, and I promise you’ll land a job sooner than later.
I hope these tips helped. Good luck in your job search, everyone!
Author: Kailyn Corriher, Sales Manager/Sr. Account Manager at KBex Global