As companies move to remote work to fight the coronavirus pandemic and an increasing number of workers are being laid off or furloughed, you might be wondering if you should continue to send out resumes or just assume that no one is hiring for the foreseeable future. It’s true that economists are predicting a recession, but career experts say it’s best to keep networking and applying, provided you change your approach a bit to acknowledge these are uncertain times. Never assume companies aren’t hiring! Here are some tips to help you during these difficult times.

1. Work on your CV

We may be entering a new era of work, but your CV will still be important when marketing yourself to employers. Important, too, is the need to optimise your CV. Key to this is researching keywords and ensuring your CV includes them.

2. Practise Virtual Interviewing

There’s a chance that you’ll land a job interview during the pandemic. But, of course, there won’t be an in-person interview. And, in reality, if you’re focusing on a remote job, you’ll likely have to do a video interview—pandemic or not!

3. Learn Something New!

Now is the perfect time to work on bolstering your qualifications. Analyse job descriptions by listing each required skill and experience. Then consider whether you have that exact skill, if you have the skill but haven’t used it in a few years, or if you’re lacking the skill entirely. Use that information to determine what you need to brush up on to make yourself an even better candidate when the job market picks up again.

4. Stay in Touch

Although the job market isn’t what it used to be, always stay in touch. Everyone is in this situation together. Stay in touch with the companies you are interested in to stay up to date with hiring surges. Our recruiters are here to help you keep up to date with the market.

5. Expand Your Network

Nearly everyone is stuck at home right now, so the only way people are creating new relationships is online, which presents a tremendous opportunity for someone who is job searching. Use platforms like LinkedIn and Facebook to connect with new people, these new connections may land you a new job!

6. You’re Not the Only One

Don’t beat yourself up because you have not been able to land that perfect job. This is a hard time for everyone, and you are not the only one struggling to land a job. Be positive and use this time to your advantage.

Here at Firstaff, we are always here to aid you with your job search, even through these difficult times.

To view our list of both remote and non-remote job vacancies please visit our Jobs Section.

If you are an employer who needs help filling a vacancy please post your role in our Employers Section or get in touch using our Contact Page.