Looking for work in times of crisis

Do you have an action plan for your job search? If the answer is no, don't worry. Here we will give you some tips on how to do it.

---- Looking for a new job implies a great effort, especially in times of crisis. While digital platforms help in the process, they are not the best strategy. According to Macarena Paredes, Business Director and Consultant of Populus Group, it is best to have an 'action plan'. “Unfortunately on Linkedin you apply and in a single application there are 800 candidates. The best thing is have a network of contacts ”, Paredes assures. For that, she recommends free events and talks to meet people, which you can even do online. Also have a well-armed speach and, of course, send your resume to the places where you would like to work.

In addition, in the action plan you must define how many hours you will dedicate daily to the job search. One fact that must be taken into account is that job offers on the internet, on platforms such as Laborum.cl or Trabajando.com, decreased by 18% in January 2020 , scoring their fourth drop, according to data from the Central Bank.

Terms

The consultancy also recommends taking into account that the time it may take someone to find a job is 6 months on average. In managerial terms (depending on what type of manager), “someone who has been a manager of a large company and is looking in the same sector, with the same or higher salary and benefits, can take between 6 months to 1 year to be hired where they want ”Says Paredes. On the contrary, someone looking for a management in an SME can take between 6 to 9 months approximately.

How to prepare?

Given the above, in these times, the ideal is to prepare for this job search, answering the following questions:

1. Do I have a search action plan?
2. Do I have my CV well designed?
3. Do I have my Linkedin profile updated?
4. Am I using my Linkedin correctly?
5. Have I talked with my network of contacts about the possibilities of finding a job through them?
6. Do I have a speach set up for the interviews?
7. Do I have a clear focus for this search? Can I keep it in time?

Self-employment

In parallel, it is good to ask yourself: Can I be self-employed? If I can't find a job within the term I want or need, Macarena Paredes recommends turning to technology. “You can use an app that allows you to add more money, like Uber or Cornershop. You must consider that in 2020 the job offer will not grow and the demand will", he assures. So start using your networks and check your possibilities. Also remember that not everyone has the ability to be self-employed, some do not like it, so check the option that best suits you according to your objectives.

If your knowledge and expertise allow it, you should consider expanding. your target market looking for opportunities on international freelance platforms. Fiverr, 99designs or Upwork - to name just a few - connect the supply and demand for services such as writing, translation, graphic or editorial design, programming and more.

If you are out of work and plan to be self-employed, you should create a profile on these platforms, start studying the market and create a portfolio of clients. Although English is required for most offers, there are portals with offers in Spanish.

On the other hand, it is good to consider that the ways of working are changing. Today many young adults prefer more work flexibility, home office and even work in co-works. This creates a new network of possibilities, such as having freelance jobs and betting on new ideas. So remember that being out of work is always a challenge. However, it is good to see the positive: when some doors close, a new world of opportunities opens.

A tool developed by experts

It is also advisable to use a tool developed by expert human resources professionals, such as the Professional Career Planner. In it you will find very simple activities that will help you in self-exploration to discover what your current situation is, detect your strengths, define your goals, develop your value proposition and be able to design your future work. In addition, you will have tips to improve your CV, create a Cover Letter, work in your Network of Contacts and a lot of material that will be vital in your search for a new job.

Order your Professional Career Planner today by writing to us at contact form. We have shipping within Chile and abroad.