Navigating Employment Opportunities & Reflecting On Your Career, During Covid-19

This is an unprecedented time for us all right now. Our world around us is more like a movie than real life. I for one, have been waking each morning and taking a moment to remind myself that I’ve not just woken from a nightmare, that this is reality!

And when it comes to employment and careers, it is an especially hard time for those who have lost jobs or their income due to the coronavirus, and those who were job searching even before the situation began.

We have put together this blog to help anyone who may feel lost and confused during this time.

Your Rights & Your Income

If you are a resident of the UK, the government have put together a package of support to help those in need right now. This is an ongoing changing set of support measures, and we are all still awaiting full clarification on what support there is and how people can access it. So do keep a close eye on gov.uk.

Obviously, if you are not self-employed, your first port of call for any clarity and advice is with your own employer.

For Those Needing Employment RIGHT NOW!

This may not be the time to find and enter into your ‘ideal’ life long career, but in these desperate times, short term work can be found. There are many companies who are needing increased staffing due to the pandemic.

Try:

- Supermarket chains / ‘essential’ retail outfits.

- Warehousing / Delivery companies (such as ‘Amazon’)

- Healthcare Organisations

- Food Production / Distribution (including fruit / vegetable pickers)

- Online opportunities

Search LinkedIn and Indeed for jobs with ‘urgently hiring’ in the job title to find what is available near you. Also look at the gov.uk ‘job vacancies’ section, and general social media. Not to mention, looking at individual company websites / their social media, for information about any vacancies they may have.

You can even consider approaching these organisations ‘speculatively’ to see if they have vacancies right now and how they would like you to apply if so (see further on in this article for more help on this).

For those who have left a profession in the last few years in some of the now ‘key working’ positions, there may be opportunities to re-join that profession (i.e./ the NHS and the Police Force).

Many companies are still hiring for roles that were posted before the coronavirus broke out. Most have simply taken the process online, at least for the short-term. And because many people have put their job searches on hold, competition is actually lower right now. So, it’s well worth a try!

Get Your CV and LinkedIn Profile Up To Date & Ready To Go!

If you’re actively job searching, you need a professional and focused CV to support your search. Even if you’re not actively searching RIGHT NOW, this could be an ideal opportunity to get it ready for when you do (now that you have the time and space to do it)….And get help if needed! A CV could make or break your chances!

And keep in mind, recruiters are still active right now on LinkedIn, so make sure your profile communicates your readiness for the types of positions you are interested in.

Tailoring Your Application / Cover Letter To The Current Climate

To stand out from the crowd, consider mentioning in your application / covering letter how the current situation may be affecting the business you’re applying to - and what you can bring to their organisation to help overcome some of the problems and difficulties they may be facing.

Consider: Have you navigated tough situations in the past? Do you have experience of working in under-resourced environments? Do you have experience using the skills most in need at this company today? Can you give examples of when you have had to work flexibly and adaptive in the past? Are you someone who goes above and beyond to help and support the company you work for and the team?

Any or all of the above will help communicate to your target organisation that you are someone they want on board right now.

Prepare For ‘Virtual’ Interviewing

Be prepared for either a telephone or a video-based interview during this time, due to social distancing. Preparing for and practicing beforehand is just as important as ever, and give some thought as to what they may ask you - thinking of good examples of your previous skills and experiences; as well as considering your body language / clothing, if the interview is via video link.

If successful, you may even need to conduct your training via video link too.

‘Longer Term’ Planning

Even if you are not currently job searching, now could be a meaningful time to prepare yourself for what comes next. Make the most of all this extra time that most of us now have. Use it to take stock of your life and prepare for your future (once this pandemic is all over with).

- Put together / re-focus your professional and focused CV.

- Take stock of your career to date / skills that you have / gaps in your skills / knowledge / your interests / wants and needs in your life and for your future.

Reach out to potential employers / organisations that you would like to work for in the future. There is absolutely nothing to stop you contacting, with sensitivity - and writing a speculative letter to a company / organisation and attaching your CV.

* * * * *

An example:

Dear [recruiter name / senior title, if name not known],

I understand that you are unlikely to be recruiting for staff right now, but I am so keen to work for your organisation, and wondered if you would consider keeping my details on file for when things for us all improve. I enclose my curriculum vitae for your perusal.

As you will see from my CV, I am a [type of work you do], with [X] years of experience. [Highlight some of your relevant experiences]. I’m keen to develop my existing skills and experiences within your organisation.

In the meantime, I would like to send my best wishes to you and your team. I know this is a challenging time and I hope you are all staying safe and well.

I look forward to hearing from you and thank you so much for your time.

Yours [sincerely / faithfully],

[your name]

* * * * *

Improve Your Skills

If you are not able to work right now, this is a golden opportunity to improve your skills and even work towards an online qualification. Especially if you’re looking to pivot into a new career path, now could be a great time to invest in building skills towards your new direction.

The Open University, LinkedIn Learning, Kajabi, and many other platforms today offer online courses, trainings, and programmes that are all worth checking out. There are many free courses that you can access online also.

Reach Out To Your Existing Network

This is a perfect time to build and strengthen your network - while simultaneously offering much-needed support and connection to members of your professional community.

• Consider sending a brief message to former colleagues letting them know you are thinking about them and wishing them well.

• Offer to write a LinkedIn recommendation for a co-worker, your manager / a former manager.

• Comment on the posts / articles you read or send a personalised note to the author - letting them know how much you value their work during this stressful time.

By taking the time to show care for others, you show people that you are the kind of colleague they want to work with. Even more importantly, you remind your community that we are all in this together!

Look After Yourself & Be Kind To Yourself!

As I said at the start of this, we are currently living in an ‘alien’ world and we are all under immense stress and anxiety. So, it is crucially important to acknowledge your feelings and be kind and loving to yourself, as we all navigate our way through these times.

Tap into what makes you calmer…what brings the most joy to your life. Whether that is connecting with loved ones (even remotely), spending more time with your children and / or your furbies 😊, watching favourite films / comedy programmes / documentaries that you enjoy, listening to music that lights you up, picking up a long lost interest or hobby (or investigating a new one) – sketching / painting, reading, knitting, needlecraft, DIY, creative writing, a musical instrument…whatever floats your boat! Even watch ‘how to’ videos on YouTube!

Use meditation / mindfulness techniques to help ground and calm you. Again, there are some amazing online resources for these. Spend some time investigating what is out there and get some recommendations from others.

Talk to others. Even if you live alone, it is so important to build social contact into your daily life – either via telephone, video link or general social media.

Journal / write all your feelings down too. This helps so much to ‘clear the decks’ as it were and offload all the tension and anxious feelings you are carrying. Even use a tape recorder or video yourself if you feel more comfortable doing this. No one else ever has to read it / hear it / see it!

Have fun investigating what works best for you!

Finally, take one day at a time! Please don’t overwhelm yourself with too much - when we are all trying our hardest to get through these crazy times the best we can.

HOW LITTLE YOLK CAN HELP YOU:

🧡 We do our best to keep abreast of all updates / changes to workplace legislation in the UK, during this pandemic.

🧡 We will help anyone who now finds themselves out of work / laid off or have reduced hours to consider all of their options.

🧡 We will continue posting useful content on our website / social media platforms to help us all through this.

🧡 We will continue to run our weekly ‘guest lives’, with helpful and relevant topics to help us all through this.

🧡 We will continue to help anyone who needs our CV / Job search / Job application / Cover letter / Interview practice services – throughout and beyond this crisis.

🧡 We will provide any individual advice to anyone who needs it and strive to find answers to questions you may have.

ABOVE ALL ELSE, LITTLE YOLK IS A CONSTANT LISTENING EAR FOR EVERYONE AND ANYONE WHO NEEDS US. 🧡🧡🧡

WE WILL WEATHER THIS STORM TOGETHER.

REMEMBER: THIS STORM SHALL PASS.

Stay safe and well.

Much love,

Little Yolk 🐣💛