Things have changed rapidly due to the coronavirus, but it doesn’t have to shut down your entire life. If you’re in the middle of job hunting, it may be time to make adjustments to your hunt.
Right now, most people will be looking to skip a face-to-face meeting. However, with technology, job interviews can still be conducted and you can still find the right job for you. Let’s look at a few of the top tips you can use when job hunting during the coronavirus outbreak.
1. Be Camera Ready
Most likely, your job interview will be conducted online via Skype, Zoom, or another video platform. You want to be camera ready when the interview starts. Practice in a mirror as you will have to get used to looking at yourself while speaking.
Along with a potential meeting over a video you may be asked to record a video of yourself. Some companies may turn to self-interview, where they give you a list of questions to answer as you record. Then, once the video is recorded, you will send it off.
2. Portray Enthusiasm Over the Phone
Another way employers will likely conduct interviews during the coronavirus outbreak is over the phone. During a phone interview, your voice will matter. You want to convey enthusiasm and make sure to avoid the monotone voice.
Phone interviewing is all about delivery. It’s important to show off your confidence through your voice. Adopt a positive, natural and attentive tone. Smile as you answer the phone. It maybe a cliché but a smile can truly be heard and seen through the phone. If you’re not sure what does and doesn’t work, check out the show Love is Blind, a social experiment where men and women get engage without meeting in person. This show will quickly show you want others think and feel when they hear just a voice. Just don’t get sucked into it or it might derail your entire job hunt.
3. Become Comfortable with Technology
Since most interviews will be conducted over video, it’s important to become comfortable with technology. As you perform your job hunt during the coronavirus outbreak, offer to be interviewed by video. In addition, consider creating a video resume to show off your skills.
Employers will be far more comfortable with someone already willing to use the technology available. Since they know you will likely work from home, at least at first, showing off your skills with video may be the reason you land the job.
4. Use Social Media to Your Advantage
While some companies may shut down hiring during the coronavirus, others will be looking to expand. You can find plenty of potential job openings on social media as companies share the open positions they need.
By joining discussion groups and paying attention to local employers in your area, you might just score the perfect job for now and for the future. As you comment on articles in the line of work you want to perform, and you start conversations, the right person might just notice and contact you. These are some of the local employers still hiring: Amazon, Walgreens, GE Heathcare, PepsiCo, Dynomax Inc, Aetna, Graphic Packing International, and Quest Diagnostics.
5. Practice New Interview Strategies
Just as you may have practiced face-to-face interviewing through role-playing, it’s time to practice new interview strategies. Take the time to record yourself and ask a friend if they can conduct a video interview with you.
The more you practice being on camera, the easier it will be and the more comfortable you will become. Potential employers are going to be looking for the candidate that shines during a video interview. Make sure that the candidate is you.
While your job hunt during the coronavirus outbreak doesn’t have to stop, it does have to transition. Learning how to use video technology, creating a video resume, and becoming proficient in front of the camera will likely be skills you’ll need, even after we get through this trying time.