The Covid-19 pandemic is predicted to cause the highest levels of unemployment seen in the last century.
Women have been disproportionately affected by redundancies and job losses in the past three months, and in addition to bearing responsibility for the majority of unpaid work, economic prospects of women of all ages are expected to decline further.
However, with skills shortages plaguing many industries before the pandemic and with female representation sorely lacking in a variety of sectors, getting back to work for business will also present fresh opportunities for female candidates. For those who take a strategic view of their career and establish their own personal plan, there is light at the end of the tunnel.
Here’s how to get a job during difficult times.
3 Ways to Get a Job in Times of Economic or Industry Crisis
- Use the Situation to your Advantage
In these unprecedented times, organisations and business leaders will proactively look for resilient, creative and adaptable employees and will find candidates with these qualities even more impressive than in previous years. To prove your strengths in these areas, tailor your CV and cover letter to show why you are the best candidate for a business to hire in the current situation. Answer the following questions in your application:
- How have you persevered and triumphed with a seemingly impossible task?
- Have you helped businesses to diversify, strategise or cut costs during an economic recession, restructure or PR crisis?
- How have you used creativity to solve a business-critical problem?
Use your previous success in difficult circumstances to show not just your long-term value to the business you want to join, but your value to the business right now, to increase your chances of securing a job during times of low employment prospects.
- Create your Personal Brand
The average hiring manager only takes 9 seconds to scan your resume before deciding whether to pursue your application. When you create your CV and cover letter, think about what makes you unique. Were you renowned in your most recent role for solving difficult problems or coming up with boundary-pushing ideas? Do you learn new technologies quickly and have a knack for teaching them to others, or do your relationship-building abilities enable you to connect with people of all ages, backgrounds and departments? Identify your top three qualities to establish your personal brand, and emphasise these throughout your CV, cover letter, LinkedIn profiles, networking discussions and job interviews.
Grab the attention of your reader as soon as possible by tailoring your CV to every role: start with a punchy, powerful three line summary and then outline the experience/skills of yours that are most applicable to the job you are applying for at the top of the list. ‘Soft’ skills are increasingly recognised by businesses, so communication, negotiation and management competences will be prized as highly as monetary achievements if they are well positioned and explain the impact they made to your current employer.
- Partner with a Specialist Recruitment Company
Over 40,000 recruitment agencies in the UK are poised and ready to help you, whatever the state of the job market – but which of these is best for you? Leading companies (and potential employers) will work with a select few recruitment companies that specialise in their specific industry, sector and marketplace.
Registering with an industry specialist recruitment company will not only get you closer to your next job interview, but will also help you become more successful throughout the recruitment process. Specialist recruiters have often had first-hand experience working in the industry themselves, and in their current jobs will speak with hundreds of candidates and dozens of employers every day. Recruiters understand what skills and experiences businesses look for, what each role requires and what makes for a successful applicant. Their insider insight can empower you to present yourself as the best possible candidate for any role.
About the author
Sunette Van Aarde is an Aviation Recruitment Specialist at VHR Global Technical Recruitment.
