The COVID-19 pandemic seriously damaged the majority of the U.S. economy, this is irrefutable. However, there are few areas that were more significantly affected than the college student demographic. Cast out of their campuses en masse by quarantines, many students didn’t even qualify for stimulus package money and were largely left on their own to make the best of a bad situation.
Taking Heart Even in the Midst of a Pandemic
If you’re a student, especially an international student, that is suddenly stranded in the U.S., waiting for the situation to improve so that you can resume your studies, take heart. You’re not alone. There are many fellow students and graduates that are in a very similar situation and are doing their best to find a solution. In fact, one survey found that 94% of students who have been impacted by the virus still plan on forging ahead with their professional plans in spite of the complications.
So, rather than throwing in the towel, draw encouragement from your peers and start to look for ways that you can overcome your current conundrum. With that said, here are a few essential tips to help set you up to find gainful employment, even as a hot-off-the-press student seeking work in a downtrodden economy.
Prepare Your Job Hunting Toolkit
Before you send a single application or make any calls to your professional network, it’s important to sit down and strategize a bit. The first thing you should do is to gather your job-hunting tools. This should include:
- A freshly updated, eye-catching resume or CV.
- A good template for cover letters.
- A polished LinkedIn profile.
- Any other templates you might need, such as follow up emails, thank you notes, and acceptance letters.
Along with these documents, take some time to size up your talents and skill sets. Make sure you’re comfortable with listing them off and identify which ones uniquely set you apart from competing candidates.
You’ll also want to brush up on your networking skills. Reach out to professionals, professors, and even peers that may be willing to vouch for your character. Ask them if you can include them as a reference on an application and then if they say yes, record their information to pass along to potential employers.
Finally, take a little time to prep for any interviews you may attend — either virtually or in the flesh. While every interview is different, there are three primary types of interviews:
- An “open-ended ask” interview consists of broad questions that require industry knowledge and the ability to think on your feet in order to answer properly.
- A “wheel alignment” interview typically involves an assignment of some kind, such as writing a report or planning an event, in order to see what kind of skills you demonstrably possess.
- A “one-two punch” interview requires an interview by an HR rep and someone you’ll be working with.
Familiarize yourself with these general interview formats so that you’re able to handle each one when the situation calls for it.
Look for the Right Opportunities
Alright, once you’ve gathered your tools and brushed up on your interview and networking skills, it’s time to start the actual job hunt. In the post-coronavirus era, it’s important to gauge your options before you simply start applying to any job that comes your way.
Start by considering if you want to get a job directly in your field. This may seem obvious, but in the current economic climate, you may want to think outside of the box a bit. For instance, if you’re a communications major, you may be tempted to go into entertainment or marketing. However, if you look into job openings in the tech or healthcare sector, you may be able to find a communications-related position in a business that is actually thriving during the pandemic.
Another factor to consider as you weigh your options includes how “COVID-proof” each position is (i.e. can it continue to function if another quarantine were to take place?). What remote work-related questions can you ask in an interview — such as if you’ll need to provide your own equipment or how you’ll maintain cybersecurity — in order to ensure that you can work remotely if the situation arises?
In addition, consider asking for referrals for jobs from within your professional network. A robust 40% of hires come from referrals, making them the largest hiring channel in existence.
Consider Alternatives
Finally, if you find that you can’t get anyone’s attention in the primary job market, you may want to consider some alternative options, such as:
- Volunteering, which can also provide a chance to improve your network and your resume.
- Getting an internship to showcase your talent, add to your resume, and gain experience.
- Pursuing continuing education in order to increase your certifications within your field.
- Picking up a side gig to temporarily generate some extra income.
If you’re willing to settle for an alternative for the short term, it may help to boost your income, improve your resume, increase your qualifications, and generally put you in a better job-hunting position once the economy returns to a state of normalcy in the future.
Stay Positive and Remember the Big Picture
If you’re a college student that’s feeling overwhelmed by your circumstances, that’s okay. The truth is, you’ve been dealt a pretty bad hand at the moment.
However, that realization shouldn’t be used as an excuse to give up or wallow in self-pity. On the contrary, it should spur you to have greater conviction and focus as you prepare to fight tooth and nail for gainful employment in a tough economy.
So take a deep breath, step back, gain some perspective, and then dive into the job hunt with confidence in your preparations, your network, and most especially, yourself.
