Improving Your Future Career Prospects During COVID-19
Life hasn’t been easy for any of us over the last year, and many changes have taken place as a result of the global pandemic.
Some of these changes relate to employment. Millions of people have lost their jobs according to published figures, college grads have been forced to wait for employment, and those who are working are on a knife-edge, wondering whether their positions will be safe in the foreseeable future.
It’s a tough time, but do we admit defeat? No, we do what we can to improve our career prospects, even when we’re quarantined at home, as this is the best way to ensure a better life for ourselves.
So, what can you do? Here are some suggestions.
#1: Hone your professional appearance
Job interviews are still taking place, although many of them are being carried out on Skype and Zoom. But regardless of where your next interview may be, be it in your home or somebody’s office space, you need to consider your appearance. Online shopping is still possible even if social distancing makes it difficult to shop in the mall, so visit those fashion websites that specialize in professional wear, head over to https://www.eyeglasses.com/ for smart eyewear, and buy what you need to make sure you look your best during your interview.
#2: Pre-empt interview questions
There are those interview questions that you will already know to prepare for. What are your top skills? What are your blind spots, or areas to improve upon? What are you most proud of in your career thus far? You know the drill, but check out this list of questions for more.
But in this present time, you can probably expect questions related to the pandemic too.
- How did you make the most of your time during lockdown?
- What have you learned about yourself during the pandemic?
- How would you plan your day if working from home?
These are just a few examples, so add them to the mix of expected questions. Plan your answers in advance and role-play interview situations with family and friends. When you’re prepared for whatever the interviewer might throw at you, you will have greater peace of mind when you’re sat staring them in the face, be that through a screen or otherwise.
#3: Take an online class
Online classes are always useful for career progression, so find something that suits your career plans. Learning a new skill might stand you in good stead for a promotion, for example, or a qualification in a new field could help you if you’re planning on a complete change of career. Focus on those hard skills that will give you inroads into your career, and add them to your resume to increase your job chances.
#4: Showcase your employability skills
What are your employability skills? Check out these examples and consider those that relate to you. Add them to your resume to strengthen your job chances.
Then think about those skills that you have developed during the pandemic. You might have adapted to remote working, for example, perhaps with newly developed skills with technology in tandem with this. Your time management skills may have improved too, and so might your ability to conquer certain challenges. Think about it and bolster your resume with these skills, and include brief examples to explain them.
We don’t know the future at this stage, but we should always be hopeful. So, don’t be downhearted if your career plans aren’t working out right now. Instead, plan for the future, and be proactive during this time to improve your career prospects.
