What should job seekers be doing right now?

The latest data continue to show declining hiring rates in most countries. Hiring in the U.S. during the first couple weeks of April was about 30% lower than the same period last year, according to LinkedIn. Hiring in Australia is also down about 30% year-over-year as of April 10. In the UK, it’s down about 39%. The numbers are even worse in Italy and France.

Yet, China’s experience suggests that hiring may rebound as the coronavirus pandemic wanes in those countries. LinkedIn Chief Economist Karin Kimbrough notes that hiring in China “has gradually improved in the six weeks since social distancing restrictions were lifted, from a -47% Y/Y low in late February to -17% Y/Y on April 10.”

The current dismal hiring numbers around the globe may have many of you wondering what you should do now. I reached out to the LinkedIn community to hear their thoughts on what would be most beneficial to job seekers during this time.

Keep looking for work

One of the points I’ve repeatedly stressed in this newsletter over the past several weeks is that hiring is still happening around the globe. The numbers we discussed above just mean it’s not happening at as robust a rate as it did last year.

In fact, I’m continuously updating a list of companies that are hiring right now. You can see the U.S.-focused list by clicking here. The list displays more than 100 companies across industries looking to hire people with a variety of backgrounds.

Also, it’s important to note that “keep looking for work” does not mean you should immediately send out hundreds of applications. As many LinkedIn members said, your job search should be more nuanced.

“Think about what industries are hiring and are in need right now and use that to guide your search,” wrote Sadie R.

Network. Network. Network.

Networking was the common theme among the dozens of responses I received. If you’re a regular reader of this newsletter, you know why so many people talked about its importance. Networking is one of the most useful actions you can take to make your job search a success.

“It's more empowering to be proactive vs. reactive, so make a list of companies YOU want to work for and network with insiders in advance of a job being available/posted,” wrote Hannah Morgan, who is the founder of CareerSherpa.net.

“Before you apply always look for someone you know who works in the company so they can give you the inside scoop,” wrote Morgan. “You may be surprised what you learn. And if you don't know anyone, talk to everyone you do know and mention the company name so they can help get you a connection or information.”

As we’ve discussed before, it’s important to tell people that you’re looking for work. Many people bristle at that idea since they may feel embarrassed, but people often don’t know you need help unless you tell them.

“It's tough at times to ask for assistance, but it's human nature for most people to want to help,” wrote Richard B.

The key is to be genuine when networking with people. We recently discussed a bit of that strategy with Dorie Clark, who is the author of Entrepreneurial You, Reinventing You and Stand Out. You can read her advice by clicking here.

“I encourage job seekers not to make any assumptions about who may or may not want to connect with them during this time,” wrote Amanda G. “People enjoy helping people find work. I'm seeing it happening all over LinkedIn and in my email inbox.”

Be strategic and unique

A lot of people create a generic resume/CV and cover letter that they spray out to as many potential employers as possible. Imagine receiving those documents as a recruiter or hiring manager. Would you be more inclined to reach out to a person who sent you generic documents or to a person who tailored them for your company?

“Rather than being known simply as someone who 'wants a job', be a person who creates value,” wrote Kyra W. “Every candidate should view themselves as a 'product', and look at their experiences and ask themselves, 'what are the problems that I solve for businesses?' Think in terms of your own value add and position yourself in your resume and social media around that.”

“With more competition, you need to ensure you get past the ATS system and land an interview,” added Sadie R.

We discussed ATS (applicant tracking systems) in an early edition of #GetHired. Dana Leavy-Detrick, director and founder of Brooklyn Resume Studio, and Chris Villanueva, founder and CEO of Let’s Eat, Grandma, explained in that edition how those programs work and how to tailor your resume to get past the system. You can read their advice by clicking here.

Take care of yourself

As I’ve been saying during my weekly episodes of #GetHired Live, you need to view self-care — especially now — as part of your job search. You cannot get a job or be a good candidate if you’re not able to do the work.

During this difficult time, a big part of that task means listening to health experts like the World Health Organization to guard against the new coronavirus. 

You should also be mindful of your overall health.

“It is very difficult to conduct a job search when suffering from anxiety, depression, substance abuse etc.,” wrote Jodie R.

What should job seekers be doing during this difficult environment? Join the conversation.

? The #GetHired Job Search Guide

As I’ve said before, I will do my best to keep you up to date with the latest tools and tips to help you #GetHired. To keep track of those various pieces of information, I created a one-stop-shop where I’m summarizing and linking to a lot of my newsletters. You’ll also find accompanying LinkedIn Learning courses below most of the topics. Click here to check out the guide.

? Want even more #GetHired?

In addition to this weekly newsletter, I also broadcast on #LinkedInLive every Friday at 1 p.m. ET to discuss job search strategies during this hectic and uncertain time. Follow my profile by clicking here if you’d like to get a notification when we go live Friday with Dana Leavy-Detrick, who is the founder of Brooklyn Resume Studio and mentioned above.

? The follow-up:

The anxiety of job seeking is often accompanied by worries about money. In the last edition of #GetHired, we discussed personal finance tips for these difficult times with Jill Schlesinger, who is likely familiar to many of you as a business analyst for CBS News and host of Jill on Money. She suggested that people start with the basics when attempting to get their finances in order. The first step is knowing how much money you have coming in and how much you have going out. In addition to knowing your cash flow, Schlesinger said you should reach out to vendors to see what programs or flexibility they can offer during the pandemic. While they won’t wipe away your debt, many are willing to be flexible about payments. You should also check on your cash reserves. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

? Other news to help you #GetHired:

Another 4.4 million people in the U.S. filed new unemployment claims, according to the Department of Labor. The claims, which were filed between April 12 to 18, join the roughly 22 million others filed since the new coronavirus began shaking the foundations of the U.S. economy in March. While the new number of claims is lower than in recent weeks, it’s still extraordinarily high. States continue to struggle to keep up with the volume of unemployment applications flooding their systems. Here’s what people are saying about the news.

Are you mourning your job? If so, it’s normal. Research has repeatedly found that people tie their identities to their work. Specifically, employment is an intrinsic marker of moral worth, according to Harvard Business Review. If that resonates with you, you may want to consider addressing those feelings before too long. You can ask yourself what your work means to you and what you get out of it, one career coach told The New York Times. You can then try to focus on those areas to address what’s missing in your life. Here’s what people are saying about the advice.

Here’s who’s hiring right now. As I’ve said before, we’re doing our best to connect you with companies that are still hiring during these troubled economic times. Part of that effort is a regularly updated list of companies we know to be hiring. Some of those include Amazon, Walmart and CVS Health. Click here to see more.

? Learning LinkedIn:

My colleagues at LinkedIn Learning have created a wonderful resource featuring several different courses related to job searching in a difficult economy. You can see the courses by clicking here, but I’ve also embedded one of those courses below. In it, Cotential CEO Erica Dhawan explains the dos and don’ts of digital body language.

? Up next:

So many of you have reached out over the past several weeks to ask about the challenging decisions you’re facing in the job market. One of the most common challenges you’ve brought up is whether you should accept any job in such a difficult environment or if you should hold out for the right job. We’ll explore this question in the next edition of #GetHired. Have you recently had to make this decision? Or, in the past? Let me know in the comments below.

? Click here to see the latest updates on the coronavirus

Thanks for reading! Feel free to reach out to me if you have ideas on topics or questions I should address in future editions of #GetHired. You can also email me at GetHired[at]LinkedIn.com.