Job Hunting During a Recession

Job Hunting During Work from Home and Covid-19 Measures

Many graduates are entering the working world during an economically trying time. But though many say prospects are bleak, there are still opportunities to be found.

The Covid-19 pandemic has hit the job economy hard. Companies have had to get creative in order to stay afloat, and many organisations were forced to experience some job losses in one way or another.

But not everything is doom and gloom. While Singapore’s unemployment rate did hit a decade high, support from the government and resilience from the workforce have shown encouraging signs of boosting the job market.

So don’t despair; what you can do is to gain some perspective about the job search process and manage your expectations accordingly.

Research, research, research

Before you start making plans about your career, research on which industries are the most resilient in tough times and find relevant jobs accordingly. Keep in mind that job satisfaction should still be a priority. Liking what you do matters more in the long run than a short term recession, so don’t switch industries just because it offers more prospects.

If you still have some doubts to clear up, ask. Speak to a career counsellor or strike up a conversation with someone with more experienced with the industries you they might be able to give better insight into what you should expect from the job market or a specific industry once you graduate.

Start early

Even without any recession going on, the job market in Singapore is generally pretty competitive for fresh grads. As such, the best course of action is to prepare ahead. Start working on your network, call up possible leads and expand your resume with relevant work experience.

Don’t stop (applying)

Even if you don’t hear back from firms you’ve applied to, keep your momentum going and continue to send out applications. It’s possible that the human resources team themselves are either working on a hybrid office-home system, or working from home completely, and will need time to look through each application.

Set a daily goal and reward yourself whenever you reach it, whether with your favourite coffee in your largest mug, or sitting down to destress with a video game.

One of the most important things to remember when you’re applying for jobs is to manage your expectations of what you will actually land straight out of school. Try and keep an open mind throughout the job search process, as you never know where an unchartered path will bring you further in your career!

Be patient

Recruitment processes are long and tedious enough as they are, but add in social distancing measures, and you have a whole different ball game. Keep in mind that most company hiring processes aren’t designed to be remote and there are new logistics to be addressed.

Polish your resume and cover letter

This is something we’ve all heard before: make your resume and cover letter look professional.

Matching your skills to job descriptions in order to impress recruiters is also especially crucial right now, so make sure you send the best version of your resume to the employer you’re applying to.

Remember: Tough times don't last. Tough grads do.

Prepare for video interviews

There’s no better time to get familiar with video interviews than the present, what with social distancing. Practise by dressing like you are going for a face-to-face interview to get yourself in the mindset, and keep your tone cheery to get your enthusiasm across.

Try temp-ing

If you’re looking to earn a little more while gaining some work experience, apply for temp or part-time positions at companies you’re hoping to join. Alternatively, you can also apply for relevant jobs that’ll give you some insight to your profession of choice – for example, a part-time role as an accounts executive.

Don’t sweat it if your part-time gig has little to no links to your chosen field of study; you’ll still be able to elaborate on all the invaluable soft skills you have gained in future interviews.

Get creative

Take stock of all your skills and then look for opportunities wherever they may be, even outside your industry of choice. While this may not be ideal for you, once the job market has recovered more and you can move into your preferred sector, employers will be impressed by your experience, resilience and ability to leverage on your top skills in a different environment. Keeping your mind open to all the possibilities may even lead to great job satisfaction as well!

Don’t disregard graduate internship opportunities either; work hard and see if you can approach your manager to convert you to a full-time employee when things begin to look up again.

If you have a hobby you can turn into a short-term business, you can turn to that too. Do you like to paint? Sell your art on the internet or offer commissions. Have a good grasp of English? Tutor children online or create online English papers.

Stay commercially aware

Above all, tough times are exactly when you should keep abreast of the latest news with regards to the economy, and especially the industry you’re intending to enter. This will not only help you better plan out your job hunt, but could also be the critical differentiating point to push recruiters to hire you instead of another equally qualified candidate.

Last but not least, trust that this pandemic won’t go on forever, and that the economy will make a full recovery. There’s light at the end of the tunnel; we just have to stay on course to get to it!