Article | Candidates

Job hunting during Covid

Is it still a good time to apply for a new job? We'd say yes.

Why Is Now Still A Good Time To Apply For A New Job?

Like many others, you might be thinking that right now isn’t the best time to go job hunting, but you’d be mistaken. With employees furloughed, or working from home, many are discovering they have more time to look for opportunities. There’s a good reason for this. Even if you are still working, a lot of people are worried about the impact the pandemic might have on the company they work for and their own roles. As a result, many are on the lookout for a something that can offer more job security.

But there are other reasons why now is still a good time to look for new opportunities. The pandemic has shaken things up globally across many industries and it’s not all bad news.

Crisis creates opportunity

When a world-changing crisis like Covid-19 happens, companies have to reappraise their organisational structure and how they work. Many will be scrutinising their talent management plans. While, sadly, this can lead to redundancies, it can also lead to new opportunities.

Likewise, it’s at times like this that people re-examine their own lives, particularly when it comes to their career and where they’d like to go next. So, in light of the pandemic, this is a good time to review your own prospects with fresh eyes. Take a look at how your industry is changing and decide what you’d like to do next. For instance, should you consider further training to develop your existing skills, or create new ones perhaps that are transferable? Or should you be side-stepping into a new industry sector with more scope for development? New opportunities are appearing in technology, online retail, healthcare and online learning. Perhaps it’s time to see how you can apply your skill sets in these areas.

Whatever you do, this is certainly a good time to review how the current crisis affects your existing long term career plans.

There are jobs out there – networking will help you find them

Even though people have been furloughed or laid off, new jobs are still being created - many because of the crisis. Opportunities are on the increase in specific job sectors, such as healthcare and essential services, interviews are happening and people are getting hired.

However, since business needs have become unpredictable and, indeed, change quickly, many jobs aren’t being widely advertised, so this is an ideal time to put your networking skills to use. Reach out to people, ask what’s happening at firms you’d like to work for. Use online tools such as LinkedIn to build your connections. Research the job market and look how your background might now be more attractive for certain organisations. As companies assess their human capital and talent management needs, you might strike gold before a job vacancy is even announced.

Working from home makes job hunting easier

Lockdown, quarantine rules and social distancing has made job-hunting easier than ever. If you’re working from home, you won’t be wasting time on the daily commute, which means you’ll have more time available for look for new opportunities. Best of all, there’s no one looking over your shoulder while you research or apply for jobs. You can even phone a potential employer during the workday without skipping out of the office.

And when it comes to the application and interview process, more companies than ever are doing this online, so this has become much quicker and much more convenient. Finding the time to look for work will probably never be this easy again.

Eximium is looking for talent just like you

No one could have predicted Covid-19 and we can only guess what the world of work will look like in its aftermath. But whether you’ve been laid off, are worried about your job, or simply looking for a career move, there is no time like the present.

Here, at Eximium, we know that employers are still looking for great talent. Because we’re helping them find the people to fill the new vacancies appearing due to the pandemic. Right now, those organisations with a solid talent management strategy are even looking to pick up skilled professionals that their competitors have let go.

If that sounds like you, it might be time to work on updating your CV – before uploading it at Eximium.