How the Coronavirus is Impacting Job Seekers

COVID-19 continues to tear the world apart, as the global healthcare system struggles to fight it. Economies are in shambles, thousands of people have died, and thousands more will if the virus isn't effectively contained. The need to flatten the curve is more important than ever.

Many organizations are making difficult decisions in these trying times to save themselves from debilitating financial crises. This has led to disastrous consequences for people who were about to join the job market or have done so very recently.

The following are some ways in which COVID-19 is expected to influence job search and career opportunities for novice job seekers:

Video Interviews

All your life, you've prepared for in-person interviews. You've trained yourself to sit correctly, coached yourself on how to greet the interview panel, and how you're going to impress them with your body language and charisma.

But suddenly, that's no longer happening. Your prospective employer is now conducting a video interview to stop the spread of the pandemic.

As a job seeker, you need to be prepared to deal with this situation. Get comfortable with video calls; learn how to diffuse awkwardness, and impress your prospective employers by channeling your charisma virtually.

Halted or Delayed Hiring

There is a chance that your prospective employer might put you on hold because they've halted all hiring to respond to the virus and devise a contingency plan.

While we don't know how long the virus is going to last, most companies are pausing their hiring processes temporarily to understand the situation better. In such cases, you have no choice but to wait it out.

It is alright for you to send occasional follow-ups, but don’t overwhelm your potential employer with emails.

Employers Need To Communicate

Regardless of the route that companies decide to take, hiring managers need to be transparent and prompt with their decisions when it comes to new employees. It is only fair to not keep them waiting if they don't plan to hire or pause their hiring processes. This will give prospective candidates enough room to look for other opportunities.

If you're a job seeker looking for new career opportunities, you can create a candidate profile on Jobslog. It’s a professional job posting website that works with leading companies from across the US to host 50,000+ active jobs. An online job portal is exactly what you need amidst the pandemic. Visit their website to learn more about their services!

Sources:

https://www.cnbc.com/2020/03/20/how-coronavirus-is-impacting-job-seekers.html

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0047272720302139