Coronavirus: How can I find a new job?

Published2 minutes ago

Knowing where to start may be quite daunting, especially if you have been out of the jobs market for a while.

To maximise your chances, one strategy is to create an appealing online profile so that recruiters and companies will approach you, while you also actively apply for jobs.

To do this, consider your core skills, rather than hunting for a specific job title, suggests Corinne Mills, managing director of Personal Career Management.

For example, if you work in retail customer service, this could translate to other people-facing roles such as sales, or a similar role in another sector.

She suggests searching for these core skills online, to see which jobs come up, while also listing them on your own professional profiles.

Recruiters often search for people based on a list of desired skills rather than specific qualities, so this will make you more visible.

While this will vary from sector to sector, many companies list jobs on their own website or on recruitment sites.

You can also sign up with a general or specialist recruitment agency.

If you want to work for a particular company, check if they hire directly or through a recruiter.

And if you want a specific job, be proactive and contact someone doing that role to discover how they got there.

Professional networks can also be useful. These could be LinkedIn or Facebook groups, or industry and community organisations, where jobs and events are posted and advice is available.

Some industries and employers have even set up virtual networking events and job fairs during the pandemic. Also check vacancies in trade publications and websites.

Friends, family and other acquaintances will know hundreds of people between them, and some should know of businesses which are hiring.

While an introduction won't automatically get you the job, many employers like a personal recommendation and you may hear about roles before they are advertised.

image copyrightAmy Golding

When compiling your CV, emphasise your skills which a prospective employer wants, rather than listing things you have already done.

List past achievements clearly; for example, that you finished a recent project on time and within budget, or you brought your business new clients.

Asking someone else to read your application before sending it helps spot any spelling or grammatical errors that could mean your CV goes straight in the bin.

Show enthusiasm and give reasons why you want to work for this employer specifically.

Tailor your CV and cover letter for each application, which is time-consuming but more likely to result in a job, suggests Amy Golding, head of technology recruitment firm Opus Talent Solutions.

She adds: ''If you don't hear back within three days, call them - because that makes it harder for them to ignore you!''

The national careers service offers many tools. These include skills assessment, a search tool for courses, and help with CVs, job searching and your rights and benefits if you are on furlough or out of work. The government's ''find a job'' website also lists vacancies.

In the meantime, many universities and other institutions are currently offering free training courses.

For example, the University of York offers free short courses in fields such as cognitive psychology, the University of Oxford has a free course on economic development, and the Open University offers many free courses too.

Many other platforms offer free online coding tutorials.

Gaining new skills could help you move into a new sector and shows employers you've been productive during lockdown.

image copyrightGetty Images

In August, the volume of online job adverts posted was at 62% of the 2019 average, up from 53% the week before, with several professions seeing continued or increased demand.

For example, health and social care vacancies are almost back to 2019 levels, data suggests, while the government is planning to fund thousands of nurse apprenticeships in England.

Job-seekers should be ''strategic'' and target sectors experiencing job shortages as well as those that are growing, says Gerwyn Davies, analyst at human resources body the CIPD.

The shortage occupation list - used to offer work visas to people moving to the UK - quickly shows where workers are needed, and includes fields like engineering, web programming and graphic design.

Now could be a good time to join the public sector, he suggests, with initiatives like the national retraining scheme helping people move into areas like social work, teaching and healthcare.

Tech recruiter Amy suggests applying to companies which are fully digital, regardless of the role you want, as the pandemic has accelerated the shift to online working.

These could be online retail companies like Amazon, which is currently recruiting for 15,000 UK jobs - or tech companies working in education or healthcare.