How To Search For Lucrative Jobs in a Post-Covid-19 Workspace?

If you’re a student or employee, you probably found yourself studying or working from home at some point in 2020 (if you’re attending an online college, then not much felt different). It could be the case that you’re still working or attending class from home. The COVID-19 pandemic ushered in a new era of remote working, which is a trend that will likely continue. Knowing how to successfully search for jobs in a changing work world is going to take some updated tips and tricks. 

Let’s take a look at these tips for job hunting that can help you along the way. 

Preparing For Your Job Search 

Finding a job can happen in different ways. From using social media platforms to networking in person, you can get prepared for your job search at any point in time because you never know when the opportunity will strike. 

To be ready, consider the following (we’ve added extra tidbits about how the COVID-19 pandemic impacts each point):

• Tailor your resume and communication: Have the skeleton of your resume or CV ready to go (i.e., the basics of your experience, education, and skills). Then, when you come across a job posting that piques your interest, tailor it to meet the job description by incorporating keywords. 

Since the pandemic has moved many people to remote working, employers are prioritizing specific skills and traits. Without having their workforce in the office physically, employers need to trust that their employees are going to get the job done. As such, skills like communication and technical understanding will be increasingly important. You can demonstrate your communication skills in the way you construct your resume, cover letter, and any type of outreach that you do to get in touch with the hiring manager. Be sure to follow up after the interview. This small act goes a long way to show the interviewer that you are persistent and responsible in finishing what you start. 

• Network: Use your existing network to find job opportunities. This may be friends, families, mentors, or social media groups. In a world where many in-person events have been canceled or postponed, you’ll likely be relying on digital networks more. For example, make sure that your LinkedIn profile is updated. Add a heading under your name with the keyword of your job title. If you’re actively looking for a job, you can put that in the top of your LinkedIn profile. This will help recruiters and hiring managers to immediately know that you are in the market for a job, which could open the door to your dream opportunity. 
• Practice interviewing: If you have a job interview scheduled, be sure to practice in advance. You’ll likely be interviewing online via Zoom, for example. If this is the case, there are a few things you want to do in advance, along with practicing answers to common interview questions. Try to Zoom with a friend or family member to check if your internet connection is strong. Make sure that you keep your computer or device plugged in during the call so that it doesn’t accidentally die mid-interview — that would make your first impression as weak as your device’s battery life!

Source: Unsplash

How to Search for Jobs 

Knowing where to search for jobs is one of the first steps in performing a job search successfully. These job search secrets can offer you what you need to find the position of your dreams. 

List Dream Companies 

You may care more about where you work than the specific job title. Some people have their eyes set on a specific company, or a type of company (like a startup environment over a corporate office). You can compile your list of dream companies on a spreadsheet, and then navigate directly to their websites to search for job listings. Most companies will have a tab in their navigation menu called “Careers” or “Jobs” with listings. You can also go on LinkedIn to the company profile to see if they are actively hiring from recent posts. 

Use of keywords 

You can use job searching websites or even Google to find job listings. But, to find a job that’s relevant to what you want, you need to get specific. Firstly, consider your career goals. Then, think about what position you are likely qualified for, given your current level of experience and education. 

For example, if you want to work in marketing and have just graduated, you won’t be looking for “Marketing Manager” jobs. Instead, you’ll focus on a keyword like “Marketing Assistant” or “Marketing Coordinator.” If you’re unsure of the different levels in your industry, you can get a good sense of where you’re at by searching job listing sites like Monster.com or Indeed.com with a more general keyword like “Marketing” to begin understanding the hierarchy/experience required.

Job Fairs 

If you are still in college, take advantage of going to job fairs when they are happening. This way, you can meet with recruiters and companies who are currently hiring. Remember to bring some copies of your resume to the job fair to leave with the people at the booths. 

Job Search Tips: Post COVID-19 Workspaces 

Many people left their jobs after the COVID-19 shutdowns because they had some time to reflect on their priorities. For some, they weren’t being paid enough or valued enough. For others, new remote opportunities opened up that provided them with the added benefit of flexible work schedules. 

While the process on how to search for a job hasn’t necessarily changed too much, job search tips have been updated to reflect current needs and changing work situations. Before your next job search, be sure to consider: 

Assessing Salary and Benefits 

One of the most important aspects of any job search comes down to the salary and benefits that your prospective employer will offer. When job searching, have your salary requirements in mind, as you can likely narrow down your search based on this parameter. If you come across a job that you really want, but the salary requirements aren’t quite meeting your needs, see if you can negotiate for a better salary should you be granted an interview. 

Prioritizing Your Digital Brand 

Digitalization is occurring across industries, which refers to the shift of moving things online and digitally instead of in-person or on paper. The same should be true of your own personal brand. It’s optimal to host your resume online on a personal website. At the same time, carefully curate what you allow to be publicly viewed across your social media networks, as employers will often look over your accounts to get a better sense of who you are. 

Setting Up Alerts 

On most job search websites, you can set up automated alerts to be notified when jobs become available within your desired industry or title. For example, you can conduct a regular job search using keywords and tailoring it to your desires. Then, you can save the job search and set up alerts so that you don’t always have to look actively. Instead, you’ll receive an email notification when more similar jobs become available.

Source: Unsplash 

The Bottom Line

Even though COVID-19 shut down many businesses in both the short-term and permanently, many lucrative job opportunities are available. They just might look a little different than before as many jobs have become remote or are working on hybrid schedules (with some time in an office and some time being spent working from home). 

Knowing how to search for jobs looks a lot like it did before the pandemic happened. But now, it’s more likely that employers will prioritize prospective employees’ knowledge of technology and work ethic as they may have to work with less oversight.