If you are a new graduate feeling uncertain about your future, you are not alone. New and soon-to-be graduates have experienced significant and unexpected disruptions to their plans due to the spread and long-term impact of COVID-19. However, there are several actions you can take to empower yourself and make informed decisions about your future. In this article, learn the best ways to prepare to successfully enter the workforce as a recent graduate.
COVID-19's impact on recent graduates
The spread of the new coronavirus has had an impact on or disrupted how graduates were preparing to graduate. While some graduates were still looking for work or waiting for responses to their applications, others may have already been offered internships, seasonal positions, or full-time jobs following graduation.
In a recent Indeed survey of over 1000 students graduating this year, 54 percent said the coronavirus' impact on the labor market has made them feel less confident in their ability to find work after graduation, while 33 percent believe they will struggle to get into the industry in which they are graduating.
Uncertainty regarding work chances and disruptions to established habits might exacerbate an already stressful job search. While some specialized students may not be affected at this time, graduates who want to work in industries such as hospitality, retail, food, or technology may face unanticipated challenges. While it may be challenging, you may take steps right now to help you manage this circumstance to the best of your ability using the information and tools available.
How to get ready for the job market during COVID-19
Following these actions will help new graduates prepare to quit school and find work during the COVID-19 outbreak:
1. Make an application for federal, state, and local disaster assistance.
Begin your graduation preparations by learning about the federal, state, and local coronavirus relief measures that are available to you. Depending on your situation, assistance may take several forms.
Support could come in the form of:
Financial assistance for individuals
Support for food and meals
Efforts at the local and grassroots levels
Rent and mortgage payments have been postponed.
Evictions and foreclosures are being put on hold.
Repayment of college loans and debts has been postponed.
Additional financial assistance may be available if you have been laid off or have had your hours decreased.
2. In the meantime, think about doing some short-term or unexpected work.
While companies respond to the spread of the coronavirus, you may need to explore short-term work or labor outside your field of expertise, depending on your financial condition. This employment may not be what you expected, but having extra money might help you negotiate the uncertainty of life after graduation with greater confidence. Customer service agents, warehouse distribution, grocery inventory, and stocking, and food delivery are just a few of the remote and in-person positions that are now hiring.
If you can shortly work during this period, you may be able to strengthen your resume and gain an advantage in the long term by adding experience to your resume. Employers may be more interested in your application if you can demonstrate that you were able to adapt to a difficult scenario.
Prioritize transferable skills and soft skills when seeking work possibilities that will help you succeed in your chosen career path. Even if a job is not in your preferred industry, it may provide opportunities to build skills that you can use in future job applications. Complex issue solving, remote software use, conflict resolution, and communication, for example, are all skills that could be added to your resume in the future.
3. Get ready for remote hiring and internet networking opportunities.
Whether or whether you're looking for work in your chosen sector, becoming familiar with remote hiring and online networking options could help you land a job. Soon, virtual interviews are anticipated to become increasingly prevalent. Meanwhile, as more professionals go online, distant networking and professional social media accounts may become more crucial.
Mock video and phone interviews with one other person, as well as in a group with other people you trust, can help you prepare for actual remote recruiting. Remote and conferencing interviews sometimes have surprising idiosyncrasies that aren't present during in-person interviews. For example, in a video call, social cues to know when you can speak without interrupting someone may differ from those in a face-to-face conversation.
While social distancing, creating a professional presence on social media and joining remote networking groups can help you locate chances and meet professionals in your chosen area. To broaden your network and strengthen your online presence, join professional interest and industry organizations online and interact with similar professional social accounts. Networking, mentorship, and informational interviews may all be done at a distance, and they can all help you prepare for your first job following graduation.
4. Expect hiring and onboarding to be slower than usual during this time.
As firms modify how they choose candidates for employment, you may want to prepare yourself for slower-than-normal hiring and onboarding. As you graduate and enter the workforce, tempering your expectations may help you and your employers adjust to this new climate.
5. Think about getting more professional training and education, but be mindful about taking on extra debt.
Instead of immediately entering the workforce, you might wish to consider extra professional training and study during this time. Some graduates believe that the opportunity cost of going to school is lower because their chosen industry may have fewer entry-level roles available at this time.
It may be beneficial to be open to various types of educational possibilities, as some may be more energy and resource-intensive than others. For recent graduates, professional development courses, online certificates, and skill-specific seminars can be beneficial and cost less than enrolling in a new degree. Alternatively, if you are unsure about your short-term plans, looking into other options that feel more solid may be beneficial.
If you decide to seek additional schooling instead of or in addition to entering the workforce, you must be mindful of incurring unneeded debt. This is especially crucial if you're concerned about your current and future financial condition. These may be critical decisions regarding your future that require time, space, and energy that you do not now have.
6. Be prepared and knowledgeable in order to maximize your earning potential in the future.
As businesses acclimatize to the new coronavirus, some recent grads may ask if leaving school in this situation will have a detrimental impact on their career wages. You may be offered a lower base wage for an entry-level position than you expected when you started your career, depending on your area of expertise. You might wish to go above and beyond to lessen the likelihood that this base income would lower your future earnings in your chosen field.
It may be beneficial to keep your alternatives open as your work experience and career progress. Increase your career mobility by looking for greater chances in your chosen field. Simple strategies to keep opportunities open include updating your job notifications, analyzing competitive salary ranges, and regular networking. Career mobility may assist offset the possibility of a reduced starting salary following graduation.
7. Be proud of yourself for overcoming obstacles that few others will ever face.
Whatever you choose to pursue, remember that as a fresh graduate entering the workforce, you are confronted with problems that few others will ever face. Above all, remember to look after yourself and those around you as we go through this circumstance together. At Recruit Hero, the system helps job seekers improve their resumes and locate more relevant employment by allowing them to create online profiles and be instantly matched and ranked with advertised opportunities, as well as determine their skills gap. Follow our social media pages on Facebook, LinkedIn, Youtube Channel, and Twitter for additional information!