Finding a Job in the Times of Corona and Beyond

Ideas, action plans, strategies, and insights to help in your job hunt

“If the wind will not serve, take to the oars.”

–Latin Proverb

The thoughts shared in this article are a result of hours of research, ideation, brainstorming, my experiences, collective perspectives of the internet community, and the things I learned from other people’s experiences. While these may not be relevant to all types of jobs or scenarios, I hope you can get something useful out of this, that you can incorporate into your life by the end of the read.

This article will be more relevant to Indians, but I believe everyone from across the world will have some key takeaways. I’ll try to be as concise and to the point as possible. I have divided the article into several sections for easy reading. With that being said, let’s get started!

(Also, note the date this article was published. News articles shared are in relevance to the same. Some stats and facts may change with time)

How bad is the job market right now?

• It's pretty bad. Just check these news headlines-

US job losses reach Great Depression levels; unemployment rate soars to 14.7%

McKinsey predicts near doubling of unemployment in Europe

India's unemployment rate rises to 27.11% amid COVID-19 crisis: CMIE

The great COVID job crisis: 122 million went out of work in April in India, says data

• Millions are losing their jobs. Many other startups and businesses are suffering heavy losses. Things are definitely not the way anyone would want them to be.

What industries got affected the most?

• Travel & Tourism- Most countries have closed down their borders. It will take a while before things go back to normalcy.
• All associated industries like the restaurant chains, small-scale vendors near tourist spots, etc. are affected.
• The automobile and retail industries are hit too.
• The real estate and hospitality industries are seeing no traction either.
• Almost all sports events stay canceled or postponed, including the Olympics.

Refer to this graph for more details. What is the health of the industry you are a part of?

Image Source: Statista

What industries are doing okay or better?

• Online education or remote learning platforms and services.
• The video gaming industry
• Digital entertainment products and services. (Eg- Netflix)
• Essential services (Grocery shops, Deliveries, etc)
• Products/Services that empower remote work
• Telecommunications and Internet service providers
• Pharmacy companies (sort of)

Basically, anything that the world requires right now to sustain itself and continue humanity's progress is doing fine. We need them. So the trend is apparent.

Make a note of these industries. These are the places where you can find your next job.

What should you do if you had been laid off?

The last couple of months has certainly been worse. Countless employees in the affected industries have been laid off. Read the articles below for a full picture, and it is far from pretty.

• The coronavirus outbreak has triggered unprecedented mass layoffs and furloughs. Here are the major companies that have announced they are downsizing their workforces.

Coronavirus-triggered layoffs in U.S. hit nearly 39 million

Here are some quick reminders

• Stay alert. Not anxious.
• Focus on the immediate future that you can actually influence.
• Save as much as you can. Cut down all unnecessary expenses.
• And get ready for your next opportunity.
• Together, let us think about what we can do, by the end of this article.

What Could You Pursue? Where Are All The Jobs?

Here, I describe different situations you could be in and what you can consider trying out. I will go all-in with the strategies I present, but you can just follow parts of them that feel relevant and manageable to you.

Scenario 1

You are a student in the final year of study. Your job offer has been rescinded due to Covid-19 or you are unable to find your first job as hiring is not happening in your industry or is heavily reduced.

Here is a list of portals where you should set up your account, and the platforms that will help in your job hunt-

• LinkedIn
• Angel List
• Hackerearth (For hiring challenges)
• Indeed
• Amcat
• Techgig
• Instahyre

And the list goes on (Monster Jobs, Naukri.com, Shine.com, etc), but these are a few sites I recommend keeping a close look on. In fact, the first two on the list, for tech-related jobs.

And above all, there is another interesting way to keep a track of the job openings near you — https://www.google.com/search?q=jobs+near+me

Google search has an interesting job search tool integrated with it. Visit the above URL to see it for yourself. In that job dashboard, you will see an option for “100+ Jobs”. Clicking on it will take you to a tool where you can apply various filters to find the right job. At the left corner of the screen, you’ll also notice an option to turn on the email alert for your search. That’s right! You directly get the list of jobs you may be interested, in your email.

And next- search, search, search. Spend time on these platforms, not just to look for opportunities but to understand what kind of roles companies are hiring for, who is hiring, and what is the volume of open jobs in each category. These insights are important for you to target the right job. Observe as you search.

Also, remember that there are profession-specific job portals too. For example, if you are a graphic designer, you may want to be active on platforms like-

• Dribble
• Behance

Likewise, if you are a Software Engineer, you may want to be active on coding platforms like CodeChef, Hackerrank, and forums like StackOverflow. Find such specific platforms related to your profile.

You can either connect the dots backward or forward to find your target jobs.

• Shortlist a domain in which you want a job. Remember, you can only work in the fields that are necessary now. Choose accordingly and as per your skill set.
• Have a dream company in your mind. See if they are hiring. If not, the next in line and so on.
• Choose a specific kind of job you are really interested in and trace your path from the top till you find an opportunity accessible to you. (I would recommend this if you have enough time to experiment and spend on searching for your jobs)

If you are in dire need of immediate employment, connect the dots forward.

• Target every other relevant job you come across.

Some tweaks for better searching-

• Find out who’s hiring. There is even a newsletter for the same.
• Search by hashtags like #NowHiring #Hiring #jobs (and so on…) on platforms like LinkedIn to find relevant posts. Pitch to the stakeholders and job posters about your situation and float your resume to them.
• Almost every major firm hiring right now will post about it on LinkedIn, be it through their company pages or individual HRs.
• The way you build your network on such platforms makes the jobs visible at your doorstep.
• At the same time be wary of those who may take advantage of the situation for social media growth or other questionable objectives. Cross-check if any job opening or opportunity is practical and legit.

A checklist of things to make-

• A list of job profiles you are interested in.
• A list of relevant companies hiring right now for the above job profiles.
• Search till you find at least ten solid job openings you want to target.

Scenario 2

You are a working professional in a highly skilled domain (Say, tech, or consulting) who has been laid off. If you have enough savings to sustain for the next few months, I would highly recommend you to focus on further sharpening your skills and target the right job. Be patient and vigilant. The industry is more than welcome to support you.

• Talk to your network on LinkedIn.
• Reach out to your former bosses/colleagues and catch up with them.
• You will have a better chance of finding your next job via networking and referrals.

Scenario 3

You are laid off but work in a non-tech-related industry. Essential services or something along those lines should be your bet. Adapting to the changing times is the key.

The Actual Job Hunt

Here are some tactics from my end, which you can apply after you finalize your target jobs in the previous step. I discuss a few ways you can stand out and increase your chances to get the job. I Hope, you can gain some insight from the same.

Strategy 1

Alumni to the rescue!

• Did you know that LinkedIn has an alumni tool to trace your seniors based on several search filters?
• Here’s the link- https://www.linkedin.com/edu/alumni
• Search for your alumni working in the companies you have targeted.
• Reach out to them, connect with a short pitch, explain your situation, skillset, and ask for their guidance and referral.
• You’ll have to spend some time preparing the content with which you should pitch.
• Maybe you’ll not get any leads or replies, but keep trying. Try reaching out to at least 100 alumni and if you don’t make any kind of progress in your job hunt, let me know. I will try to help you with a custom strategy exclusive to your profile.

Strategy 2

Catch the recruiters' attention with personal branding.

• I would highly recommend this for students (especially in tech).
• Build stuff. Document them online as blogs or tutorials or web apps, etc., and post about it on platforms like LinkedIn.
• Contribute to open source.
• Keep your GitHub updated. Build projects directly related to the job descriptions of the profiles you want to work in.
• If you are in a field like marketing, finance, etc. unlike software, you can do stuff like case studies, creating strategies, etc. Every field will have its own equivalent. Ultimately, it boils down to creating content on things you know, and you can do.
• You need to showcase your learnings and dedication to your work, all while being on the thin line between overconfidence, and humbly presenting your skills.
• This is for the people with the spirit of entrepreneurship in them. Find ways to convert your projects into products and a way to monetize them.
• Try creating your own job. Sell your project to someone else, or get acquired by someone and then work with them.
• To cite an example. Imagine if you are a game developer. You managed to build a unique and engaging game. Find companies/individuals who would be interested to buy it out and pitch it to them. In the meantime, you can also publish it in the app store and monetize it with ads. While it is highly likely that your game will not scale, or become viral, or hardly generate any revenue, the entire process will give you better business insights to build and market your next project better.
• There are other ways to create your brand. Make a youtube video or blog about the end to end development. It would even give you organic marketing. While I will cover super specific or unique strategies in a different article, the point here is to create things with your skills that will get you noticed.
• This strategy can be long and tiring, but if you are passionate enough and not in need of an immediate paycheck to pay your bills, it is worth a shot.
• It is not as easy as it sounds. And again, I say, if you do not have any immediate bills to worry about or take care of your livelihood (For example, say, you are right now living with your parents who support you, and have their jobs intact), this is a good option to explore.

Strategy 3

Opening new gateways via Angel list.

• Find funded startups or mid-level companies not impacted by Covid-19 (Yes, they do exist, and the Angel list is one of the best places to find them). You can find company names by following startup news too.
• Go through the company pages there and find out the details about their openings and the core team, the CXO level executives.
• Apply to their openings. Find these CXOs on LinkedIn and reach out to any of them you find the most relatable.
• Give the context that you have got to know of their product on Angel list and how you can add value to their team, and your current situation.
• Pitch yourself for the job profile you applied to.
• There is a good chance it will work, more so, if the person you reach out to is also the alumni of your University.
• And again, reach out to at least 25 CXOs. If you don't find any good opportunities even then, reach out to me, and we can figure out something.

Strategy 4

The brute force.

• I would recommend this only for the strong-headed who are up for a tiring challenge.
• You simply continue applying to jobs, trying to land an interview, and convert it, till you get one.
• If you apply for, say 10–15 jobs every day, you are simply increasing your probability to get work, for the time being.
• Remember that every interview you do not convert will give you more insight into the questions asked, the screening process, and your own shortcomings. It is likely that similar questions will be repeated in your next interview for which you can be better prepared.
• If you feel, you are not able to connect the dots well, or target jobs properly and convert them, you might as well try this and learn from the experience.

Strategy 5

Serial networking.

• Get to know someone who knows someone who knows the other person who can help you.
• As you might be aware, a majority of corporate jobs are filled via referrals.
• This becomes more important in times like this. Your network will get you that.
• And how do you get yourself known to people? Once again, platforms like LinkedIn and Angel List play an important role.

Strategy 6

Creating your own jobs but under other employers.

• If you feel nobody has the right job for you, or if firms have frozen their hiring, find out how you can be useful to them.
• Reach out to a stakeholder explaining what you can do, and how it will benefit them. You basically create your own job description and pitch it to a potential employer.
• For example, you now know that online learning platforms are on the rise. You can find a job in creating content and educational resources on the topics you know. How about reaching out to a popular Udemy instructor or a LinkedIn course creator (or someone like that), pitch them what you specialize in and how you can help them out with creating the upcoming courses efficiently. Explain your situation, try to strike a mutually beneficial deal. Here, your potential employer didn’t post any job opening, but you create a value of your own. Someone out there would surely be happy to give you a chance.
• Another way of approaching this is by reaching out to top freelancers out there. If their business is going well, you can pitch yourself saying you can help with certain things, thereby enabling the freelancer to take in more clients. This is a difficult bet, but most freelancers do have their own agency or network which they use to work efficiently. You can partner with them or seek their mentorship.
• These are a couple of examples. I can think of a myriad of other opportunities. If you can’t seem to find something relevant to yourself, feel free to ask for suggestions from me on LinkedIn.

Strategy 7

Go into freelancing

• Do you already have some work experience? Maybe, try doing some freelancing?
• There are a bunch of sites for the same, but remember, freelancing driven by your own personal brand can lead to a stronger business.
• Some sites where you can do freelancing include- Freelancer.com, Upwork, Fiverr, etc.
• From the context of India, Internshala is another interesting window to opportunity. While this site is primarily for student internships, you can use it even if you are looking for a full-time job or a freelance contract. Look for relevant companies posting their openings here. Find out more about them, via LinkedIn or AngelList. Identify the people behind these companies and pitch to them directly, if they have any opportunities for someone like you, and share your portfolio.
• You can also directly pitch yourself as mentioned in the previous strategy to potential clients.
• Negotiating your pay as a freelancer can be tough, especially when you set off to find clients on your own. Given the situation right now, you may have to lower your prices from the industry standard to attract clients. I would recommend you to make your pricing depending on your monthly expenses and with less focus on profit margin. Client retention, satisfaction, and growth of personal brand value are important.

Strategy 8

What if you tried all the possibilities and nothing seemed to work?

• It is time to keep your options open.
• Remember that this is temporary and whatever you do now, will give you lifelong learnings and prepare you better for your future.
• There are jobs in essential service industries. If there is nothing else to go with, you can try exploring them, even if they are not your first preference.
• Essential deliveries, supply chain, warehouse management, etc. Explore, explore, explore!
• These are trying times. If you have the yearning to help those less fortunate than you, network and work with NGOs doing the same.
• Even if you are not getting paid, the connections you build will have long-term value. Some of the people you meet there can help you out by referring to some other job later.

How to be prepared for interviews?

• Everything you need to prepare for your interviews and hiring process is already out there on the internet, most times for free.
• And your task at hand is to find them, and spend considerable time exploring and learning from these resources.
• Google search is your best mentor in this aspect, and here let me share a few resources I know from my field of study to make it easy for you.
• Geeksforgeeks and Glassdoor interview experiences can give you great insight into what you need to prepare for in software interviews.
• If you are aware of the people who are behind the hiring process of the openings you applied for, you can directly ask them about the process and what you can expect. You can also directly ask the people who have previously applied to a similar role at the same company.
• And once again, your professional network will help you out here.

What skills do you really need?

• The skills that ultimately give you the job, more than often are not your academic knowledge.
• Soft skills matter too. Do not ignore them. The way you communicate, your body language, your writing skills (from how you write your emails, to how you write about things on other social media) are important.
• Read informative blogs online about the same if you feel there is a scope for improvement in this aspect.
• The way you “Think” is another aspect to consider. Being unique can give you an edge. Have original answers for HR questions. For example, if someone asks, “Where do you see yourself in 5 years?”, check if your answer is novel and has something specific to you. Think, if someone else will be saying the same answer as you. Think, if your thoughts feel generic.
• Always ask for feedback from your recruiters. Ask them about what they think of the interview, and where you can improve. This is something people can be hesitant to ask, but I think it is a good practice.

What else can you do (For those not majorly affected by the ongoing crisis)?

• Never have a single source of income. Even if you are not affected by the ongoing crisis, this is something you should think about.
• Try to create a fallback period. When things go haywire, have a strategy to slow down things in life, take a moment to relax for a while, introspect, and get back up again. Think about how you will do that. It could be saving up money to take a carefree break, spending time with family, and simply exploring your other interests.
• Help someone, if you can. Even if it is something tiny, it can create a great ripple effect.

Some perspectives on other aspects of life

• While you are busy with all things happening around you, don’t forget to get enough sleep. It can do wonders with the way you deal with life. Trust me on this. I often sacrifice my sleeping hours, but I have lately observed how productive I can be when I get enough sleep.
• Keep a track of the food you eat, your diet, and your exercise habit. Once again, I’d be a hypocrite to give such advice. I barely follow this. I am like you, and with you in this. I am trying to change these ways, and I hope I can inspire you to make this effort too. I will be blogging in the future about how I am changing my lifestyle.
• Health is important. When we are young, we seldom notice the damage we do to our bodies. Don’t panic about it though, or research online to scare yourself. Think about the little things you can change in your daily life. And slowly you’ll see your days get better.

Dealing with failures

A few things. Read them twice, if you must.

• Every failure is a successful experience. There is always something to learn in such an experience.
• I’ve failed more times than I have succeeded in my pursuits. Everyone around you would have failed at something at some point in life. The same can be said for all the people you admire in your domain. Understand that it is okay to fail.
• When I look back at my failures, I truly appreciate them, as those are what make me who I am today.
• Learn, not just from your failures, but other people’s too.
• It is not the end of the world. It is never the end of the world.
• And here’s the most cliched quote in this context, “Failure is the stepping stone to success”. And it actually is.

Some advice from the veterans

So, I asked my LinkedIn network to share their experiences from times of disaster. One of the veterans from the industry, Mr. Deb Jyoti Ghosh, who has been through multiple crises in the past came forward to share the same.

In his words-

“I passed college (NIT DGP) with a lucrative offer from GE India. Within a week from that date, GE sent a very short letter informing me that they’ll let me know my revised joining date. As a novice in business language, I thought that was a positive development. The reality started dawning in a week when my emails kept getting ignored and my friends started receiving the same letter. I did not break down. I doubled down to contact my mentors and professors. One of my mentors in Jadavpur referred me to a small company in Kolkata (RS Software). From then onwards it has been a pretty good ride. To add an anecdote — 2003/4 the job market expanded rapidly and all my batchmates were recruited. I saw the same phenomenon in 2010.”

His advice to the students:

• Network and make efforts to maintain your network. All your connections are important.
• Get referrals.
• Do not hesitate to reach out to anybody in your reach. If somebody refuses to help you, it reflects more on them than you.
• Learn and grow. When the market will open, you’ll be competing with people of 1/2 yrs experience as well.
• Don’t lose heart. There’s enough opportunity — we just need to find it.
• Consider your options well instead of running behind a brand.
• Remember the people who helped you during this period.

Thank you, Deb, for your insights!

Also, here, I am linking in a couple of graduation speeches for the batch of 2020.

Some conclusions

All of this is easy to say, and I understand that things can be different in practice. Even an honest effort may not always get you to where you want to be, but hopefully, it will get you somewhere safe. If you tried any of these, or if any point I mentioned helped you in some way, do let me know. You can text me on LinkedIn. I want to know how useful these ideas really are, and of your experiences. I am sure I will have something more to learn from them too.

Thank you for reading so far, and all the best. Don’t lose hope, and remember-

“It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.”

(P.S. Contrary to popular belief, there is no proper evidence that Darwin said this)

May the force be with you

And you will surely get out of this in flying colors!