With the job market reeling from the effects of COVID-19, people are embarking on a very different job search in 2020. This is true whether it’s jobs in finance or education, jobs in Vancouver or in Tokyo, and working from home or returning to the office. It’s clear that the pandemic has fundamentally changed the job market. Having a successful career in 2020 means staying on top of a rapidly changing job market. Here are BCjobs 8 tips to follow for a successful career in 2020.
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Treat the lockdown as an opportunity
It’s easy to imagine the job search of the 2020s beginning with a particular interview question: “What did you do during the lockdowns?”.
Have you used this downtime to learn a new skill? Have you sketched out a plan for the next five years? Did you have to pivot your entire career plan in face of disaster? Knowing how to make the most of a bad situation will be essential to career success as the job market and the economy recovers.
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Reconnect with your network
Though it may seem that coronavirus has isolated us from colleagues, networking remains important as ever in the pandemic job market. Research shows that 85% of jobs are obtained through networking.
When conducting a job search, reach out to your dormant ties, connections you may not have spoken within some time. Take your networking online via Zoom, LinkedIn, and social media. Host an online gathering, happy hour, or webinar. Build your digital presence and make yourself available to others.
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Keep an eye on new industry trends
Rapidly changing job markets are part of the new normal now, and it’s important to navigate these opportunities as they come. According to Statistics Canada, August 2020 saw the service sector outpace goods production, jobs in education rise sharply, and the number of self-employed declined for the first time since April. But every one of these trends is subject to change as the re-opening economy finds its footing. Navigating a job search in this volatile job market isn’t easy. Research the job market trends in your field and your area to ensure you make the right career move at the right time.
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Rethink your work from home environment
The booming remote work job market makes sense given our situation in 2020. However, the lines between home and office beginning to blur. One in three Canadians reports working from home makes them less productive. Their concerns included technological barriers (37%) anxiety, isolation, and mental health (28%), and lack of a dedicated workspace (23%).
If you find yourself working from home, be proactive in creating a workspace that will keep you focused and productive. Succeeding in the post-COVID job market also means making your mental well-being a priority.
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Don’t be intimidated by lengthy lists of qualifications
A successful career job search sometimes means reaching for a job you might not feel entirely qualified for. In fact, 78% of job seekers are willing to apply for a job even when they don’t meet all the requirements. What’s more 84% of companies are actually willing to hire someone who lacks these required skills and train them instead. Don’t rule yourself out of a job market if you don’t fulfill all the criteria. Instead, focus on highlighting your transferable skillset, your soft skills, and how well you fit in with the corporate culture.
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Figure out how to stand out against the competition
The number of Canadians on the job search in August reached a staggering 1.8 million. This means an increase of 75.6% compared to just 40% during the great recession of 2008. Obviously, standing out from the crowd will be more important than ever in this highly competitive job market. Whether that means developing new skills, redesigning your resumé, or reinventing your career, make sure you can effectively demonstrate exactly what you bring to the table.
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Don’t be afraid to be selective
The job search in 2020 can be a daunting arena where the stakes are higher than ever. However, this doesn’t mean you should be applying for every job you can find. Though this might seem like a simple numbers game, more applications equal more opportunities, but the opposite may be true. Filling a position can take a long time, and when recruiters see your application again and again in different places, they may develop a negative response.
Using an online job portal can help remedy this problem, by allowing recruiters to find you. This also helps you build your digital presence in the job market. There you can highlight your portfolio, match your skills to current jobs using AI, and even network via internal chat systems.
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In an age of problems, focus on solutions
It may seem like the job market and the world at large are just one disaster after another these days. However, this serves to highlight the fact that a successful career and achievement careers are the results of willpower, dedication, and commitment. Instead of focussing on the problems in your job search, think in terms of possible solutions. In this way, you can ensure your career success moving forward in the post-pandemic job market.
About BC Jobs
BCjobs.ca is Western Canada’s largest job board, with majority of the jobs coming from Vancouver. For nearly 20 years, BC Jobs has connected job candidates with companies looking to add talent to their team. Here at BCJobs, we understand that looking for a job is difficult. To support our candidates, we recently launched a podcast to help you stand out during your job application. Listen to weekly episodes on our podcast to hear what recruiters are thinking and what companies look for when considering their next hire.
