Helping jobseekers navigate the new normal

The far-reaching economic impact of the pandemic has created a polarising job market globally. Shifting market demands catalysed new growth opportunities for some industries and placed others on an accelerated path towards the sunset.

We understand the anxiety and stress that jobseekers face during this time.

As a recruitment specialist, we would like to share some tips and tricks to help you manage prepare yourself for your next career move. We hope that these tips would give you a little bit of guidance in navigating these tough times.

Handling the emotional aftermath

It is normal to experience a wide-ranging mix of emotions in response to unexpected circumstances and challenges. What we need to do is to learn how to handle these changes.

Some tips to help you stay on top of your emotions, regardless of their circumstances include:

• Reviewing finances – being aware of your financial standing can provide the courage and information needed to work out what the next step should be.
• Realising you are not alone – it is important to know that friends and ex-colleagues can provide help and encouragement.
• Staying healthy – maintain the energy needed to focus on your tasks, be it finding a new job or making a new connection.
• Seeking a career coach or mentor – career coaches can help take an impartial look at your resumes and to re-evaluate your career goals and options.
• Picking up a new skill – aside from gaining job experience, learning new hard skills could prove beneficial. For example, with the rapid digitalisation, learning to code could prove to be a valuable skill to add to your resume.

Preparing for your next career move by upskilling

One of the best ways for you to find employment is to tackle existing misconceptions that employers have, such as having a gap in your relevant skillsets. You can also take this opportunity to brush up on your job application skills.  

Also, as mentioned earlier, learning new skills can be very valuable for you. Beyond industrial skills, picking up other valuable skills, such as crafting an effective resume, is also recommended. There is a wealth of resources available that can help you polish up on these skills.

Being open-minded and willing to switch to a new industry if needed

With the ongoing, rapid digitalisation, some industries, such as e-commerce, technology, and healthcare, have experienced significant growth. You could consider making a career switch to these growth industries to take advantage of new career opportunities, instead of sticking to a more familiar one.

Switching to a new industry is daunting, but not impossible. There are plenty of opportunities available if you are looking to switch industries.

Furthermore, you can enrol in reskilling programmes to pick up relevant skills for different industries. Active networking is essential to pave your way into a new industry. You can establish the right connections or attend online networking events, webinars and courses.

Finding a job amid a global pandemic is tough. The main thing that you can do now is to focus on continuous learning and making use of available tools, leveraging your network, and adapting to the changing job market.

We’re here to help! Reach out to us today and we’ll help you navigate this new normal.