Think Covid is a bad time to job seek? Grateful you have a job or unemployment benefits? Well don’t get too comfy. Now is the time to brush up on your resume. Here’s why:
The job market is growing again.
After two months of drastic job losses, May finally showed an uptick in hiring. It is by no means a return to normal, but it is a period where employers are desperate to find and hire people to fill the unique needs of this time. As you’ve probably heard, there are many positions at big name corporations but we’re also seeing an increase in a range of industries including Leisure and Hospitality, Construction, Education and Health Services, and Retail Trade to name a few. The biggest dip this past month was in Government, especially local government positions. For most other sectors, now is a good time to check out sites like idealist or indeed stay on top of opportunities that are opening up.
Unemployment benefits are keeping the candidate pool low.
Covid jobless claims soared to 40 million in April. The feds swooped in with a federal $600 weekly boost in unemployment benefits. At this point, many people aren’t actively looking for jobs. Some are waiting for unemployment benefits to run out while others are concerned about Covid or looking for a job during a crisis. This has resulted in a window where there is significant job loss and a candidate shortage for skilled positions. Some employers are becoming desperate to fill urgent positions and are willing to pay more. Now is perfect time to put your resume out there, while the candidate pool is still relatively low.
Prepare for an extended recession.
When Covid hit, many organizations scaled back operations and individuals put their job seeking on hold, hoping things would soon return to normal. Now that we’re three months in, it looks like the economy isn’t going to bounce back soon. Pair that with the Payroll Protection Program winding down and the $600 federal unemployment benefit coming to an end early, we may see further job cuts and an increase in job applicants. With this extended period of economic and job uncertainty, now is the time to start brushing up on your resume. Be able to articulate the skills you have. Communicate your value. Start boosting your career profile now.
Wondering how to navigate through these unique times? We’re here to help.
