How to deal with these 3 career challenges during COVID-19

We live in very uncertain times… Many people lost their jobs, many are homeschooling their kids while working or looking for a job and many of us are working hard to keep our business running.

From talking to friends and clients, it seems the below are the main challenges, so I wanted to offer some tips which will hopefully help you deal with them!

1) Staying positive

It can be hard to keep our spirits up with so much uncertainty. Nobody knows when the virus will end and how badly the economy is going to be affected.

I find it’s a lot easier to stay positive when you look after yourself well - that means getting enough sleep, eating healthily, drinking water and exercising. I felt really down the other day; then went for a long run and my mood immediately shifted.

Also, while we want to stay informed, I’d encourage anyone who is anxious to limit your exposure to negative news or people. The more you absorb the news, the more anxious and negative you’ll become and now it’s the time to try to keep as positive as we can.

Also, what are the positives we can find in this situation? Maybe it’s the fact you’ve finally had a chance to do a big house declutter or have more time to spend with your family or are spending a lot less since you’re not going out!

2) Getting hired

While it’s true that many companies have let staff go or have put hiring plans on hold, many companies are still recruiting. Every day when I log in to LinkedIn, I see notifications of people in my network starting new jobs and companies advertising new jobs. One of my friends just started a new contract job last week - and yes, she got the job during Covid-19!

Of course, financial pressure is on for most of us and there aren’t easy answers to these challenges. Not everyone (including myself) is eligible for any kind of government help, but this crisis is also a good opportunity to become really mindful of what it costs for us and our families to live each month and what we can do to reduce costs or find another source of income or both.

In terms of job search, if you need to find a new job now, keep looking, as the job market is not dead! Yes, it’s a lot slower and of course it also depends on your location and specific area of expertise. But do keep networking, as people are really willing to help at present. We’re all in this together (although some obviously are a lot worse off than others) and this situation will pass.

Personal brand is more important than ever, so you need to get clear on what your skills and strengths are and how you can add value. If you need help with that, I’ll be offering my interview coaching sessions with a big discount during Covid-19, so feel free to email me on [email protected] if you’d like to discuss. During coronavirus, I am also offering a FREE 20-min coaching session to anyone purchasing my “Get the job you want” online course which is also discounted from ￡97 to ￡39 at present with OFFER39 coupon code.

Most importantly, stay positive and don’t give up!

3) Staying productive

Not everyone has a home office set up that makes it easy to concentrate and if you have children at home, it might be pretty much impossible to get any work done during the day.

Don’t expect to be as productive as normally - this is a massive change we’re all going through and you’ll most likely need to change your routine.

Also, not everyone is used to online meetings but the more you practice, the more confident you will be. Plus staying connected with friends and colleagues through video conferencing systems helps us feel less alone and more connected during this crisis.

Do your best to set up some kind of structure during your day so you can focus on the most important priorities.

Finally, if you’re leading the team, make sure you’re visible and available to them - even if you don’t have all the answers. Now is the time when people need your leadership more than ever before.

If you’re facing some of these challenges, remember you’re not alone. Together, we’ll get through this. Wishing you best of luck over the coming weeks!