3 Tips to Get a Job During the Pandemic

In the age of COVID, you can expect the entire job-hunting process, including face-to-face interviews, to take place online. Unfortunately, this means hiring managers lose the chance to learn more about you in person. As a job applicant, you go from being a three-dimensional, real life person that they can shake hands with to a talking head on a tiny laptop screen. 

Given that, you can expect hiring managers to turn to places like LinkedIn to try to fill in any gaps – which can be good news for you. Unlike a traditional resume, with its page count and formatting guidelines, you can post as much about yourself as you want on LinkedIn. If you want to go into great detail about past jobs, experiences or projects you’ve been a part of, you absolutely can (and should). If you want to add information that typically wouldn’t be included on a resume, like samples of your work, professional interests and skills, by all means, do it! 

Once you have your profile built, you can begin connecting with employers directly and building a network of contacts that can come in handy as you continue your job search.

Imagine two job candidates are applying for the same job. Neither one is currently employed, and their background and qualifications are identical. Except, one of the candidates spent their time out of work taking free online courses related to their job and the other one didn’t.

Which one do you think will get called in for an interview first?

You get the idea: any little thing you can do right now to further develop your skillset or deepen your knowledge will not only help you in the long run, but it can also give you a decisive edge over other qualified candidates. Even if all you’re doing is taking a free online course, reading books or attending virtual webinars, it shows potential hiring managers that you’re a plucky go-getter.

There’s no doubt that the pandemic has upended nearly every facet of our lives and changed the way people work. This means people you communicate with through the job application process may be doing their job in less-than-ideal circumstances. Perhaps the recruiter is working from home with a finnicky internet connection, or maybe the hiring manger is working while parenting a child who is distance learning.

Whatever the situation may be, you shouldn’t be surprised or alarmed when it seems like it takes longer than normal for emails to be answered or phone calls returned. It should also be no surprise if interviews are rescheduled multiple times or happen on short notice.

Your flexibility through the process will do two things: First, it will be greatly appreciated by the folks you’re working with, potentially giving you a leg up for being easy to get along with. Second, it gives them an idea of what kind of employee you’ll be. If you can roll with the punches, adapt and adjust in the interview process, it’s quite likely you’ll be the same way once you get the job.