Quarantine and social distancing make normal daily activities more challenging, let alone a job search. Some have even asked us if they should continue their job search efforts during this time. The answer is yes! You can continue your search at this time, but you will need to adjust your strategy.
We have compiled some tips that we have shared with our clients to help you below:
Continue networking, just give people more time to respond. Keep in mind that many professionals are working from home with their kids or running errands for older family members. Once you write someone, give them at least five business days to respond.
Join LinkedIn groups. This is a great way to learn what’s going on in your industry, ask questions (who’s hiring?), even make new connections. During this time people are more willing to help their connections. If you see that someone in the group is really active, reach out to them privately to talk to them further.
Follow companies that you are interested in on Twitter and set up alerts. They may post information about job opportunities there. Set up job alerts for “remote work”, “flex work”, “contract work” on Indeed and LinkedIn and Glassdoor.com.
Reach out to former employers. Ask them how they are managing the current situation and ask them if there is anything you can do to help them during this time? Can you assist them with a project or help them work through a specific task to pitch in? This is a great opportunity to get your foot in the door.
Be more active on LinkedIn. Being stuck at home during a quarantine means people are more active on social media. This is a great time to start writing articles and share meaningful content to help your network.
Update your email signature so that a remote hiring manager or client can contact you in alternate ways. For example, add your cell phone number and your LinkedIn profile link.
Get a free conference phone line, such as UberConference. The phone networks are more saturated than normal, which could cause cell phone service to be a little spotty.
