The COVID-19 pandemic has caused unemployment rates to soar as businesses make cutbacks to try and stay afloat. With so many people looking for work, it is all the more difficult to find a new job. However, there are still some businesses that are hiring and finding a job is still possible in the current climate.
If you are currently unemployed due to COVID-19 and looking for work, here are some job search tips that will help you land your next role.
Tips for finding work during coronavirus
Consistently apply for new jobs
While applying for lots of jobs may sound obvious, try to keep the momentum going by applying consistently. Try to avoid applying for a couple and then waiting to hear back. Businesses are currently going through long lists of applicants, so even if you are an excellent fit for one job, it may be awhile before you hear back. Even if you think you nailed an interview, don't stop applying for roles until you have something solid lined up.
Regularly re-evaluate your resume
It's always a good idea to re-evaluate your resume to ensure it's the best it can be. You may acquire a new skill, or you may need to update your resume's focus, depending on the roles you're applying for. Your resume is not a create it once and leave it type of task. You should always be on the lookout for ways to improve it and refine it to boost the effectiveness of your applications.
Consider part-time or gig economy work
While you are looking for jobs, you may want to consider temporary, part-time, or gig economy work until you find something permanent. You may want to focus your search on industries in demand at the moment. For example, grocery stores may need extra help, or restaurants may need more delivery drivers.
Get a new certification
If you are struggling to get into a field or a role, a new certification may help. While job hunting, it may be worth looking into online classes to bolster your knowledge and to strengthen your applications.
In June, Google announced it would fund 100,000 career certification scholarships to help people find jobs during the pandemic.
There's a wealth of online courses available to boost your knowledge and skillset — from learning to code to mastering business marketing. Ideally, look for ones with a certification, so you have something concrete to share with potential employers.
Finding opportunities in the gig economy
According to the World Economic Forum, gig economy workers have been hit hard by COVID-19. Yet, with so many people newly unemployed, many are turning to the gig economy for fast, flexible work.
While the gig economy has been affected by the pandemic, this doesn't mean that it's gone anywhere. While gig workers like taxi drivers may have lost income during COVID-19, certain gig economy jobs have grown in demand. For example, delivery drivers and couriers are needed now more than ever, with people leaving their homes less often. In fact, Amazon announced they needed to hire another 100,000 workers in the U.S. to cope with the demand of online shoppers.
Which industries are hiring?
Some businesses and whole industries have been hit hard by COVID-19 and have had to halt their recruitment. For example, the travel industry has taken a huge hit because of travel restrictions. However, other industries are not only staying afloat during the pandemic, they're also thriving. Here are some examples:
- Grocery stores— Supermarkets are looking for people to stock shelves, manage supply chains, handle public relations, and deliver goods. Earlier this year, Walmart and Instacart launched a considerable push for additional workers to join their teams.
- Pharmacies— Health is a huge priority at the moment. The number of Americans taking prescription medication has grown over the past few decades. Now, 44% of all Americans take at least one prescription medication, and 17% take three or more. With more people paying attention to their health, pharmacies are seeing an increase in demand. For example, Walgreens advertised they were hiring for thousands of new positions, including customer service workers and technicians.
- Food delivery — Many restaurants are closed or operating at reduced capacity, and because of the requirements for social distancing, the demand for takeout has soared. In fact, Dominos announced it was hiring an extra 10,000 workers in various roles to meet the new demand.
- Remote working software — The number of businesses working with remote teams has been on the rise for the past few years, but with COVID-19, there has undoubtedly been a spike. With many companies going remote, the demand for remote working software has grown. Software like Slack and Zoom have seen huge jumps in users. In response, Zoom is making a push to hire extra software engineers this summer.
The bottom line
Finding a job during COVID-19 is certainly no easy feat. However, with some tweaking of your resume and a more focused approach toward industries that are actively hiring, you will soon be on your way to finding work.
While no one knows how long the pandemic will last, you may want to consider temporary, part-time, or gig economy work to tide you over until a more permanent opportunity comes along.
