5 Tips For The Unemployed In The Coronavirus Era

If you are unemployed, your current position is hunting for a job. And no matter what your friends might say about you collecting your padded unemployment checks, this is work. And if you don't treat it as such, you won't find your next opportunity during this pandemic. You'll be sitting on the sidelines indefinitely and harm your emotional state.

I have five tips to keep you motivated and running in the right direction.

1. Limit your search. It is natural when you are not finding the right opportunity to open your search criteria farther and farther. All of a sudden you are applying for a position in a city you don't want to live. Or entertaining a job you've never performed. Opening yourself to these alternative options won't benefit you in this economic climate. We are in an employer's job market. And the right background, living in the open opportunity is available to those hiring right now. You must be aware of what this means to you and the effort you expend on your applications. By applying for positions you are not a good fit for, you are expelling energy away from landing your next role. By increasing your rejection, it will not help your mental state needed to maintain your daily motivation.
2. Develop a hit list. Do not put yourself in a position where you are ready and willing to take any offer that comes your way. You need to be researching companies and opportunities you would be jumping at in any economic climate. This list of companies should be a running hit list that grows and expands daily as you find new opportunities you may not have been aware of prior to researching your field of interest. You will find yourself doing a more exhaustive job search compared to when you've changed positions in the past. This is a positive consequence of searching for an opportunity right now.
3. Have a work schedule. It doesn't matter that you are unemployed. You still need work hours. I would suggest a minimum of four dedicated hours per day Monday - Friday for purely hunting new opportunities, researching companies and lining up phone calls with your network. You can choose the morning or the afternoon and leave the alternate for networking calls and interviews. If you do not have calls on your schedule for the day, expand the hours you are applying for positions and prospecting for networking calls.
4. Have one phone call every day. This is the best advice I can give you. Most likely, your job is not going to come from submitting a random application through a company website, LinkedIn or Indeed. You need your resume to be sent direct to the recruiter or hiring manager as an internal referral. And the only way to create this situation is by talking to your network and getting your trusted contacts involved in your search. You must find someone working at a company on your hit list to refer you in. This provides your best chance for landing a position now.
5. Stay positive. As corny as it sounds, this is vital to you finding your next position. Believe in yourself. And enjoy your search! The coronavirus era has given you an opportunity to research and seek out positions you may have never been aware of under normal circumstances. You are seeking a role where your job satisfaction can and will be at an all time high. Not only will you be grateful to return to the workforce. But by following these tips and methodology to obtaining your next role, you will find your dream position in these nightmare circumstances.

There's never a more important time to keep your professional skills sharp as when you are job hunting. Make sure you are carving out time for your own professional development as well too. This is how you impress when you get the coveted interview you are seeking. If you are looking for a position in sales or leadership, you can purchase a copy from my series with the link above. And remember, you are standing on the greenest grass of the block. You just need to wake up and water it every day! #GrassIsBrowner