The 5 Phases of a Successful Job Search During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Losing your job is tough under any circumstance. Whether you have lost your job as a result of restructuring or downsizing amidst the COVID-19 crisis or have been unemployed since before these recent global developments, conducting a job search during this pandemic will be more challenging.
Focusing on a job search while grappling with the impacts of COVID-19 may seem impossible. You may be asking yourself what will an economic downturn mean for future job prospects? Or, how can I even conduct a job search with all the disruptions from this crisis and should I even continue?
As a KBRS company, we’re fortunate to work in partnership with a team of experienced Career Transition specialists. Organizations invest in career transition (also known as outplacement) to support employees impacted by job loss.
To help answer some of your questions and to provide some reassurance during this stressful time, this team has provided helpful advice for navigating your job search journey, gleaned from their years of experience helping people successfully transition.
To guide you through this journey, our team of Career Transition specialists have broken in down into 5 key phases:
Phase 1: Orientation
Whenever it was that you received the news that you lost your job, you will need time to process it before moving forward – this may be particularly true for people receiving the news now. As you begin to orient yourself to your new reality, it’s important to create a routine that works for you. You will have extra time on your hands, and it will be important to continue to structure your days to maintain some normalcy.
You are going through a difficult situation so it will be important to mentally distance yourself from things that are negatively affecting your mental health, such as the constant influx of news, and focus on activities that have will have a positive impact.
“Maintaining good mental health and a positive attitude is key to confidently navigate a career transition at this time. Limit your exposure to negative news, and if you can do so safely for yourself and others, be sure to get outside and stay active.”
– Peter Clarkson, Senior Consultant, Career Transition, KBRS
Phase 2: Assessment
The journey through career transition is shaped by what drives and motivates you. Honest assessment of your skills and competencies is a key step to understanding where you want to be and what you need out of your next role. Assessment tools that can be accessed when working with a Career Transition professional, such as McQuaig, ASSESS, Hogan, and MBTI, can help individuals gain greater self-awareness of skills, strengths, style and provide cause for self-reflection.
Phase 3: Planning
With a stronger understanding of who you are and what you want, you will be better equipped to develop a plan for success. These are uncertain times, so your career transition plan must be realistic. With the job market potentially slowing down, your plan can include a deeper reflection of your skills and strengths and research of new employment opportunities you may have never considered before.
Phase 4: Learning & Networking
Use this time of potential lower hiring activity to your advantage. Engage in learning opportunities and network even more than before. Networking is key to a successful job search and in this period of social distancing virtual networking is essential. If you aren’t familiar with how to use virtual collaboration tools, do some research and take online tutorials to get comfortable with them.
Phase 5: Implementation
When you understand where you want to go and have a plan, as well as the skills to get there, the path becomes clearer. It may be a long journey, but don’t get discouraged. Take the time to reflect on what you’ve learned, fine-tune your resume and marketable skills, and make meaningful connections that will help you get where you want to go in your career.
“The transition to your next job is a marathon, not a sprint. Use your time wisely, to work smarter and productively, and take the time you need to make the right career move.”
– Bronwyn Andrews, Consultant, Career Transition, KBRS
When the right opportunities surface as a result of doing the right thing, at the right place, and at the right time, it almost seems serendipitous – except it’s not. It is a result of well planned, well executed job search campaign that you stuck to and believed in. Like many things in life, navigating your next career move is a journey.
Helpful Resources For Individuals in Career Transition
- Information on the new Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB)
- Government of Canada’s Employment Insurance Application
COVID-19 Resources
Learn how our partners at KBRS support people impacted by job loss through career transition and outplacement support.
