A COVID-19 job search? Who would have believed it?

We are living in an unprecedented period that feels like a scene from a Steven King or apocalyptic movie – the beginning of a recession fueled by a global pandemic, the COVID-19 outbreak. You may be frantic about the security of your current job, the potential of being laid off, or even a deep reduction in wages/stocks. The news is reporting a 3-month shutdown in the U.S. economy and a rapid spike in layoffs.

I lived through the 2008 recession with a failed legal market and learned painful lessons along the way that required me to reinvent myself. I discuss my firsthand experience of it in this Thrive Global article. While the fear of the unknown may be completely overwhelming due to the uncertainty and unpredictability of the job search market, now is a great time to re-focus, re-energize, and start plowing forward.

A Free Job Search Strategy Guide for You

I’ve put together this comprehensive job search strategy guide to assist you through your job search during the COVID-19 outbreak. The information below includes strategies for creating your job search materials (resume and LinkedIn profile) networking strategies, obtaining remote work, acing job interviews and salary negotiations, as well as other motivational tips. There are links to various articles I’ve published  and have been featured in. This is a one-stop shop for all job seekers and career professionals.

Update Your Resume and LinkedIn Profile

Most people don’t think to update their resume or LinkedIn profile until they are consciously ready to job search or placed in a forced job search situation. Right now, your focus should be on updating both items. Why? If you get laid off today and need to get out there and job search tomorrow, are you prepared? If a recruiter asks for your resume today, is it ready to go? Most importantly, are your resume and LinkedIn profile optimized for a job search?

Remember, there is a higher level of panic associated when needing to job search in a pressure-cooker situation such as a layoff. Preparation is key. Both should always be updated, especially in an unpredictable economy.

Here are specific articles I’ve written that can directly assist you in updating your resume and LinkedIn profile:

5 Words to Describe Yourself When Building Your Personal Brand – Thrive Global

5 Ways to Amplify Your Resume and Job Search in 2020 – Thrive Global

How to Get Your Resume Into the “Yes” Pile for Interviews – Thrive Global

20 Ways to Power Your LinkedIn Profile for a Job Search – Thrive Global

3 Key Tools to Build Your Personal Brand – HuffPost

Here are some relevant articles where I’ve been featured as an expert on the topic of resume writing and LinkedIn profiles:

How to Land a New Job   – CNN

The Best Way to Add Keywords to Your Resume – Glassdoor

7 Tricks to Transform Your Personal Brand After Unemployment – Glassdoor

Focus on Driving Relationships in Your Network

If you’ve been stagnant on LinkedIn, now is the time to ramp up your networking skills, build visibility, and engage on content of others in your network while also posting your own content. Your increased visibility will drive more traffic and views to your LinkedIn profile, but first make sure your profile is robust and optimized with proper keywords.

4 Simple Steps to Becoming a Better Networker – Thrive Global

How to Land Your Dream Job Through the Power of Networking – Thrive Global

Why a Powerful Resume and LinkedIn Profile are Not Enough in the Digital Age – HuffPost

Consider Remote Work & Freelance Opportunities

Remote work opportunities are in abundance during the COVID-19 job search. Look at freelance jobs via Upwork and flex work options via FlexJobs.

If you’re in the hospitality, tourism, or travel industries, work is going to be difficult to find due to mass closures. However, you have key transferrable skills (relationship building, customer service, business development, etc.) that you can parlay into other industries.

A recent Fast Company article provided extensive details on industries that are currently hiring. Those industries include shipping and delivery companies, online learning companies, grocery stores, delivery services, remote meeting, and remote communication companies.

Additionally, consider setting up informational meetings with companies such as Collage.com that has 100% fully remote work and knows the key approaches to make remote work successful. They can provide you with tips and resources on how to ascertain your own remote work opportunity.

Take Online Courses and Get New Certifications

Skills are going to be in higher demand with the impending recession, thus making jobs even more competitive. One sure way to stay ahead of the curve and at the epicenter of hiring is to look into online courses, distance learning, and industry certifications.  Keep in mind that because distance learning is on the rise during this time, there is a demand for instructors and facilitators. This is another avenue of COVID-19 job search opportunities.

Here is a key article I’ve written that can assist you in navigating the ramping up of your skills:

Why Digital Skills are Necessary for Today’s Job Market (and How You Can Obtain Them) – HuffPost

Here are a few articles where I’ve been featured as an expert on the topic of skills:

14 Must-Have Skills for Entry-Level Workers – Glassdoor

11 Skills, Traits, and Qualities That Are Great to Have on Your Resume – Glassdoor

Video and Phone Interviews in a COVID-19 Job Search

Video and phone interviews are on the rise as a result of business shutdowns and lack of in-person meetings in a job search recession like the COVID-19 one. Prepare yourself as if you were going in-person to the interview. Dress professionally, have notes in front of you, and begin to familiarize yourself with video teleconferencing tools like Zoom and Skype.

Here are key articles I’ve written that can assist you in navigating the interview and salary negotiation process:

Ways to Hack Your Next Interview – Thrive Global

How to Ace Your Next Phone Interview – The Writing Guru Blog

How to Negotiate the Salary You Deserve – HuffPost

Motivational Tips

In this time of uncertainty, one thing is for sure: you need to stay optimistic, positive, and focused. If that means limiting social media, the news, or other negative arenas, do it.

How to Be Resilient in Your Job Search and Career Obstacles – Thrive Global

4 Ways to Build a Successful Career You Love – HuffPost

How to Approach Your Job Search with a Michael Phelps Mindset – HuffPost

Have additional questions or need additional free job search resources? Please reach out to me directly at: wendi@writingguru.net