POST COVID-19. The things to consider more than ever in your job search

The job-market in 2020 following COVID-19 has been flipped on its head. Gone is the candidate driven market, where good candidates will have an abundance of options to choose from when considering a new job. The need for a high volume of new staff in a flourishing market may have sometimes affected employers’ decisions when hiring pre-coronavirus.

Following the pandemic and the economic downturn that comes with it this will no longer be the case. Candidates must market themselves to potential employers in the best way possible in order to be able to compete and secure the job they truly want. Below are a few essential points that may once have been something to think about when conducting your job search, but it has now become a necessity.

Find what drives you, what you want to do, and what you’re good at!

One of the greatest struggles that job seekers experience when searching for a job is anxiety. They’re so anxious to find another job that they get desperate and as a consequence lack focus. They feel like they can’t slow down to develop a realistic strategy and apply to as many positions as they can, as quickly as they can. Securing a new source of income becomes the number one goal.

It’s quite common for job seekers to initially be driven by fear. Fear is a normal human reaction, but it can be disastrous for a job search. ​Don’t let fear be your driving source for finding another job.​ If money’s tight, sit down and review your finances. Cut back on expenditures, talk

to friends and family if you need a little help, but slow down and put together a plan that is based on common sense, a plan that focuses on both the short-term and long-term.

Develop a plan that takes into account ​your experience​, your ​unique skills​ and ​talents​. Focus on roles that play to your strengths and help set you apart from others in your industry. Set realistic, achievable career goals, and then stick to your plan. You’ll find a new job faster by developing a plan that differentiates you as a candidate and that focuses on how you can help employers succeed, than by sending your CV to every employer in the world.

If you’re simply making a job change within the same industry, putting a good plan together and networking within industry may be straightforward.. If you’re planning on a career change, then it may take a little longer. Make sure that as part of your plan you focus on specific companies or recruiters that specialise in that specific industry.

Employers are interested in candidates that are interested in them​. It’s important to know which job you want and are qualified for, but employers are going to be more impressed with candidates that really want to work for them. Once you know which direction you’re going, make a list of all the potential employers and recruiters hiring within that industry. Then do your due diligence and learn everything there is to know about each employer. ​Develop a custom CV for each employer.​ And go out of your way to communicate to each employer why you’re the best fit for their company, and the job they’re offering.

Step outside of your comfort zone and consider company culture over base salary

Knowing what the business environment is right for you requires self-awareness. How do you feel about the corporate business environments you’ve previously worked in? Do you do best in an environment that is structured or do you thrive in an environment that is unstructured and even considered chaotic by many? Do you like working in a team, or do you perform best when left to work alone? What do you consider to be your ideal job? What is your worst job? Do you like having a boss, or do you like being your own boss? These are just a few questions you’ll want to ask as you determine which work environment is best for you.

REMEMBER- ​Getting this company culture right is key.​ You are more likely to stay for longer, be more driven, motivated, and eventually grow and succeed with the company.

The hard line “i won’t work for less than x-amount as a base salary” is not something employers would want to hear. Yes, you should know your worth, but understand that your worth to an employer has now been diluted into a market full of great candidates who would not normally be on the job market. So be flexible in your approach, and consider the company, where it’s going, the culture and if it’s the right fit for you BEFORE considering negotiating on salary.

Use your CV in the right way

There is a right way and a wrong way to use a CV. The right way will help you get an interview and your foot in the door. Your job is to develop a CV that provides just enough information to gain their interest and desire to learn more about you – nothing more, nothing less.

For a CV to be truly effective, it must be designed to address multiple audiences at once: the recruiter (who is looking for certain skills and experience), and the actual person doing the hiring (typically a hiring manager who makes the final decision).

So the “one size fits all” approach to CV writing is a thing of the past​. Serious job seekers must customize their CV for each new job opportunity. Customizing your CV is even more important during the inevitable client lead job market where competition for each position is intense and employers are looking for specific skill sets, experience and abilities.

CV’s must also be results oriented. It should scream, “I [your name] can deliver measurable, meaningful and significant results”. Anything less, just isn’t going to get you the good jobs. Instead of writing your CV as a job description – as so many job seekers do – develop it more like

a proposal. Use it to explain how you’re going to help your target employer address and/or overcome specific challenges and issues they face. Demonstrate how your experience and skills are going to help them take advantage of new opportunities. Make sure your CV helps potential employers see how you’re going to directly contribute to their bottom line.

After putting all that time and effort into your CV, it would be a shame to have it rejected on the basis of a spelling or grammatical error- or to have it get trapped in a spam filter. Get someone to check it for you, get professional help from a recruiter, this is their day job and they know what works, particularly against your competition!

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