Job Hunting During the Pandemic: Challenges and Takeaways

By: Andrea Okafor, Associate Consultant

I have been at Veeva as an Associate Consultant in their Consultant Development Program (CDP) for about three months. With all the things that 2020 has thrown my way, I must say this is the best thing that has happened to me. However, getting to this point was not an easy journey.

So, let us rewind to the beginning of how I got to where I am.

June — August

I graduated from Politecnico di Milano at the end of July with an M.Sc in Biomedical Engineering — Cells, tissues, and biotechnologies. After graduating, a lot was on my mind, but I knew with the current state our world was in that it was okay to take it one step at a time.

Every fresh graduate probably had the same few questions.

What am I going to do next?

What should I be looking for?

Is this situation going to end?

Well, don’t worry, you were not alone.

My job search began in June — I was finishing up the remainder of my courses. I remember spending days in front of my laptop tailoring each resume and cover letter for every job position. My best friends and I were on all possible job search portals.

Applying for jobs was like asking to go on a blind date, not knowing what to expect or knowing if they will ever get back to you. Then, you get a response.

The first few lines of the email read:

“After careful consideration, we regret to inform you…”

What a perfect way to keep you motivated!

Since we were in the midst of summer, I decided to take advantage of this break to enjoy a few trips. However, the thought of looking for jobs and what the future held for me remained on my shoulders.

September — October

Then September arrived — some of my friends had reached out to me saying they found a job. I remember being so happy and enthusiastic for them, but I have to admit that I was a little envious. Not in a bad way, but I felt like I deserved it just as much.

That was my turning point. I realized that I had to stick to the goals that I set for myself, and that was to start a new experience abroad by the end of 2021. I knew that the current pandemic made any plan risky. I’m a strong believer that if you put your time and energy into something you will eventually reap the reward.

So, for weeks I gave it my all and did what I needed to achieve my goal. At the end of September, Veeva contacted me to start my interview process.

I have to say, throughout the interview process, I was a bit nervous. I already knew that this was a position that I liked, based on my background and personality. With patience and confidence, everything worked out. I got hired by the end of October. I was going to be joining Veeva as an Associate Consultant on their R&D team in Barcelona.

Key takeaways

My job search only lasted four months, which in this particular situation was a short one. My biggest suggestion is to stay motivated — continue to send those resumes and cover letters.

Trust me — I get it. It can be overwhelming at times. You begin to feel like regardless of all that you do, no progress is made. But that isn’t true. Now, this might sound cliché, but there is a light at the end of every tunnel. It just might take some longer to get there but know it is there.

This past year has been scary and unpredictable, but keep your head up and do all you can.

Another thing is patience — I used to consider myself a patient person, but I had to reevaluate what patience meant. It would be nice to think that everything should organically happen when and how you want them to, but that is an unrealistic thought.

I want to end my story with a piece of good luck to everybody currently in their job search, or wherever you are in your career journey. Remember to stay positive because you never know your new experience may be closer than you thought.

The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Veeva.