With the vaccines underway, the clouds are shedding away, and we see light at the end of the tunnel. For nearly a year, companies have been on slow hiring or hiring freeze and there will be a huge pent up demand in days to come. The revenue loss or the growth slowdown will have to be covered up and companies will hire more than ever.
So how can job seekers make the most of it? Here are 5 ways to expand your opportunities.
Upskill all you can
The COVID situation came with a blessing – no travelling for work. Everybody had a bit of time surplus. Recruiters are aware and are looking for candidates who went the extra mile to upskill in those hours. While waiting for the job market to open up, did you add new skill sets to your resume? The world we are moving into is going to be very different. Everybody is looking for candidates with digital skills. Have you explored new technologies? If not, this is the time. The market is going to be competitive and your fellow colleagues have already upgraded. So, you must have no excuse!
Focus on the future jobs
You need to be able to imagine the new world we are going to be in. People don’t want to touch anything. They are concerned about hygiene. They prefer to do everything digitally. What do you think the job market will look like? Jobs of the future will be about data, AI, cloud computing, face recognition and touchless technologies, just to name a few. While you have your eyes on your current job and related opportunities, you must also build a long-term horizon and develop skills you will need in the next two years.
Look for opportunities in never-before places
There is a huge focus on revival of economies. Government will come forward to subsidize wages in certain sectors. There will be incentives for some businesses. It is important that you keep abreast with these updates. Look for news on employment sector and government incentives. Be open to move across sectors and to non-traditional companies. There will be opportunities in public sector too. Sign up on different sites and set notifications.
Think beyond the 9 to 5
Companies have got used to the idea of remote work. If you have unique skill sets, offer them as a freelancer or independent contractor. It is never easy to source work, but once you set your reputation there will be opportunities galore. You also need to get out of the one life, one job mindset. You could have a day job, an evening gig, and a weekend gig. That’s the fastest way to build your resume and skillsets. You can have a parallel career, related to your passion or hobby. Flexiport is a great portal to start off your contracting career. Sign up for free and explore the many opportunities from reputed recruiters. You don’t have to pay any commission on the projects or jobs you win. The site brings you serious opportunities and great profile building tools. Manage your visibility and track your applications easily.
Market, market, market
Don’t depend on resumes to the do the trick for you. They somehow look the same, no matter how hard you try. The world is moving towards more interactive mediums and you need to think out-of-the-box. Consider making a video or a short movie to talk about yourself. Use social media to your advantage. It is free. Remember, someone somewhere is always watching you. Even when you don’t actively apply for jobs, people may see your posts and reach out to you. Be sure to market yourself (subtly) and network with potential recruiters (without really asking for a job). Networking should be for the joy of interacting with another human being. Don’t do it with a selfish goal; the other people can smell it.
The post-covid market is going to be very different from the world we live in now. The opportunities will multiply. Employers will be progressive with a very open mindset – allowing remote work, accepting remote productivity, allowing new technologies. Think about the future of work and change your ways. Build digital skillsets and forward-looking resumes to stand out from the crowd. The right opportunity is just around the corner.
