Job hunting and recruitment drastically changed amidst the pandemic and we need to adapt to these changes in 2021. Job seekers must shift their approach to stand out and get the job they’re gunning for. However, this does not mean you have to forget everything you knew about job hunting, focus on what drives value, and readjust. Here are some tips to help you out throughout the entire process of job hunting from networking all the way to asking the right questions to a recruiter.
With corporate events, seminars and other business activities limited due to safety protocols, face-to-face networking is difficult nowadays. That shouldn’t stop you from building your network. Interact with people through online platforms, primarily on LinkedIn. Develop professional relationships with people. Browse through your LinkedIn feed and see connection activities. If you see posts that are connected to your industry or field of work, give them a like or better yet, write a comment. Expand your digital networking to other platforms as well including Facebook. Create opportunities and in doing so who knows, your connections might create opportunities for you as well.
Upskilling, reskilling or whatever you prefer, the point is to expand your skills and knowledge that would increase your hireability. Through digital learning, you can get all the training, seminars and resources you need to learn something new or improve an existing skill. You can also get certificates from different learning organisations and institutes. Many people who lost their jobs turned to online learning to continue making a living during the pandemic.
For example, flight attendants attended online classes for web programming and are now working as web developers. Chef and bakers attended content writing classes and they are now earning through written words. These examples are based on real life. You can learn from the top universities across the globe for free. Harvard offers great programming courses. Stanford University’s online course for media technology is receiving great reviews. Here in Australia, you can attend online courses and professional development programs. The University of Sydney offers short courses for business, architecture, social sciences, education and more.
Incorporate consistent learning in your life.
When looking for a job, most job seekers are keen on learning more about a potential employer. This is of course after they see the job ad. Next time, why not list down a list of employers you want to consider working for. Think of it as reverse-engineering the process. It is not just about looking for a job but looking for a job with value. These days, organisations are rallying behind the idea of human capital, meaning they put the needs of their employees first. This means enriching company culture and maintaining a healthy working environment wherein employees find value in their work.
Start with the list and then regularly check if there are job openings among these companies that would be perfect for you. You can apply digital networking to this. Connect with people within the company and introduce yourself.
When you managed to land an interview, preparing for it is a given. Make sure to equip yourself with information that would be relevant during the interview. Make sure to ask questions. Career mobility is an important topic to raise. Ask about the growth opportunity for the role. You are not being demanding, you are positioning yourself as a driven candidate.
Amidst the pandemic, one of the biggest fears among employees is job insecurity. Job seekers are now concerned about the stability of organisations and jobs. Knowing more about career mobility will give you the assurance that would allow you to work efficiently without the fear or losing your job. Of course, it is also up to you and your ability to perform. Again, you are not being demanding when you ask this question. We understand where you’re coming from and it is our objective as hiring managers to encourage and empower.
Job hunting is not completely different from what it was a year or two years ago. There are some key changes you need to assess and improve on. This is just part 1 of this article and we have more tips and tricks for you. In part 2, we’ll focus on the recruitment and interview stages of a job application and the role of technology in the process.
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