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I think we all canÌýagreeÌýCOVID-19ÌýcompletelyÌýthrewÌýus for a loopÌýin 2020. Thousands lost jobs and the economy suffered significantly.ÌýNow,ÌýasÌýthe economyÌýrebuilds, manyÌýjobÌýseekersÌýareÌýtrying to figure outÌýwhat has changed in the hiring processÌýand how to effectively job search.ÌýIf you are in the market for a new job,Ìýcheck out theseÌýfiveÌýways to navigateÌýaÌýjob searchÌýpost-pandemic.

ResearchÌýJobÌýMarket TrendsÌý

Researching the job marketÌýin your fieldÌýwillÌýgive you:ÌýÌý

• AÌýgood ideaÌýofÌýwhich job roles are suitable for you.ÌýÌý
• AÌýgood idea ofÌýwhichÌýindustry sectors you shouldÌýtarget.Ìý
• An idea of what industries areÌýthrivingÌýand which are shrinking.Ìý
• AÌýcompetitive edge when going on interviewsÌýbecauseÌýit shows initiative.Ìý

Effectively PrepareÌýforÌýVirtual InterviewsÌýÌý

Social distancingÌýhas made virtual interviews more common than ever before.ÌýAlthough many willÌýinterviewÌývirtually for the first time,ÌýhiringÌýmanagers andÌýrecruiters areÌýstillÌýseeking the same interviewÌýetiquetteÌývirtually,Ìýwhich can be successfully done by:ÌýÌý

• °ä´Ç²Ô»å³Ü³¦³ÙÌý±¹¾±»å±ð´ÇÌý²¹²Ô»åÌý²¹³Ü»å¾±´ÇÌý³¦³ó±ð³¦°ì²õÌý²¹³ÙÌý±ô±ð²¹²õ³ÙÌý15 minutesÌýbefore the interview.Ìý
• ConductÌýlighting and background checksÌýto ensureÌýyou can be seen and thatÌýthereÌýareÌýno distractions.Ìý
• DressÌýas if you are interviewing inÌýpersonÌýbecause appearance still matters.Ìý
• EnsureÌýyourÌýresumeÌýis up to date andÌýhighlightsÌýyourÌýskillsÌýandÌýeducation concisely.ÌýÌý

Expand Your Network

Networking helpsÌýover 80ÌýpercentÌýof job seekers get their foot in the door.ÌýÌýThisÌýalone speaks volumes to the power of connecting with other professionals.ÌýÌýAccording toÌý,Ìýit wasÌýalsoÌýfound that:Ìý

• 70ÌýpercentÌýof people found a job through connectionsÌýaÌýcompany.Ìý
• 80ÌýpercentÌýof professionals believe that career success can be elevated through professional networking.ÌýÌý

ÌýWays to Network

• JoinÌýclubs or organizations at your current or former institutions/employers.ÌýÌý
• JoinÌýprofessional associations and attendÌýconferences, workshops,ÌýandÌýnetworking events.Ìý
• Join relevant LinkedIn groups for your alma mater or career field. Consider joining theÌýÌýtoday to network with over 15,000 ÐÒ¸£±¦µ¼º½ alumni.ÌýÌý

Remember:ÌýWhen networking,Ìýit’sÌýimportant to develop a strategy to effectivelyÌýdevelop relationshipsÌýand overall to grow as a professional.ÌýAre you interestedÌýin learning more about networking?

Utilize and Maximize LinkedInÌý
LinkedIn has become the hotspot for all things professional development and networking. Did you know over 700 million users and 20 million jobs are on LinkedIn?ÌýThis professional networking siteÌýis a great place to seekÌýout professionals in the field, apply forÌýsuitable jobs at a variety of employers,Ìýand establishÌýa professional online presence,Ìýwhich willÌýopenÌýthe door to endlessÌýpossibilitiesÌýforÌýfuture employment.ÌýIf you are interested in learning more about how you canÌýutilizeÌýthe power of LinkedIn, check outÌýour recent article onÌýFour Ways To Leverage Your LinkedIn Profile.

Attend Virtual Career Fairs and Hiring Events.

As we are still determining what the new normal will look like, companies and organizations are predominately hosting career fairs and hiring events virtually. ItÌýisÌýpopular forÌýcompanies to host intimate hiring events for specific roles,Ìýwhich is a great way to network with people who have the same positions of interest in mind. You can find virtual career fairs and events by doing a simpleÌýonlineÌýsearch orÌýbyÌýchecking out websites likeÌýEventbrite!ÌýÌýfor the upcoming UMGC Virtual Recruiter Session on June 25.ÌýÌý

Job searching can be challenging, tiring, and time consuming, butÌýwith consistency, determination, and an effective job searchÌýstrategy, youÌýwill beÌýon your way toÌýyourÌýnext careerÌýopportunity!ÌýAs always, keep in mind that UMGC Career Services is here to help you plan and achieve career success.ÌýÌýwith a CareerÌýAdvisorÌýtoday.ÌýÌý

Alyssa K. Cole is a career advising specialist with UMGC Career Services. She holds a Master of Arts in Education from Louisiana State University, a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore, and is the CEO of AKC Career Consulting, which is a writing and career consulting agency that provides affordable assistance to college students, recent graduates, and entry-level working professionals.