Tips to navigate your career during a crisis.

Just 2-3 months back, everyone had their career growth plan ready in their mind, and they were diligently working towards it.

But with the Corona outbreak, everything has changed, a recent survey shows that 67% of workers lost their jobs during the lockdown in India. But while everything else is difficult to predict, your ability to plan for success still remains in your control. 

Here are six tips to help you navigate your career during this crisis.

1.Invest time in building your personal brand

As now as we all stay home, there is time available which your use to refine your personal brand into an online presence that presents a cohesive narrative about who you are, what you offer, your career goals, and your interests. 

Take active control of what potential employers and your network at large can see. Optimize your LinkedIn profile and connect with professional from your domain and industry. You can also create a digital portfolio of your work or build a personal website using free sites like Squarespace or Wordpress.

2. Network virtually with professionals from your domain or industry

Networking is an opportunity to grow authentic connections that result in camaraderie and trust. You can simply start by commenting and sharing your take on topics, offering insightful compliments, or facilitating introductions to others in your network.

Try to invest in genuine relationships with both potential mentors and peers who you respect and can learn from. In turn, expanding your network will help you keep a pulse on new opportunities as they arise.

3. Freelancing is the new way to work

The future of work has been shifting toward a gig economy wherein most organizations prefer to hire independent workers for short-term commitments. And now after the pandemic, most businesses are looking to tighten their budgets by hiring freelance or contract workers to make progress on shorter-term projects.

Freelance platforms like Upwork and Fiverr are great for helping professionals find work as independent contractors. Short-term paid professional assignments or internships can help analyse your skills before committing to full-time opportunities.

4. Upgrade your skills 

You can easily add a new skill or certification to your resume with e-learning platforms like LinkedIn Learning and Coursera. You will also find companies like Google and IBM offering additional free learning resources to ramp up your digital skills. Take inventory of your skills and determine what to learn next based on industry research, identifying key requirements for roles of interest at your target companies. 

Keep an open mind about your transferable skills and how they can be applied to organisations that may not specialise in your desired industry; most organisations need professionals with a range of skills, so consider broadening the places with which you seek employment.

5. Keep tracking your efforts and be persistent

If you find your motivation dwindling, know that you are not alone as we all are striving to stay focused amid these difficult circumstances. Stay positive while leveraging sites like Naukri or on LinkedIn to see which companies are hiring right now. 

A strong job search strategy pays off over time, so it’s important to recognise the work you’re putting in now and to give yourself credit for small wins gained over time. Treat your search like it’s a full-time job and track your progress daily as you apply for jobs, set calendar reminders for follow-ups, and record notes on next steps. 

6. Nurture a Growth Mindset

Consider your mindset as a foundation that’s going to need reinforcement.  

Know where is your foundation most susceptible, a good starting point is to be more selective about what you consume or listen to--know when to take a break from grim news broadcasts, social media, and sometimes, your very own friends and family. 

If you have fears and personal insecurities such as a lack of experience, your age or an outdated and limited skill set, you must try to face your fears and insecurities and move on from what you cannot control and rather focus on what you can. Invest your time to update or add a technical skill that you never quite grasped? 

Recognise that your time is valuable and invest in the things that you can control. You have the ability to craft your mindset in a way that will serve you over one that will not. So be wise and stay focused.