Mr.R P Yadav, Chairman & Managing Director, Genius Consultants Ltd.
The magnified range of Novel Coronavirus has severely affected the livelihood of working professionals as well as college graduates. Many graduates have been trying to seek jobs or waiting to hear back from the employers concerning the status of their applications. There are some students who have already accepted internships, seasonal jobs, or full-time jobs after graduation, however the share of unplaced students or uncertain jobs remains on top.
Most of the students are unsure whether these confirmed opportunities will be cancelled or delayed by the employers. Almost about 60% of graduates are less confident about finding a job during this situation; however, the demand for hiring engineers has witnessed an increase of 38.36%, 37.36% for MBA graduates, 30.54% for graduates, 20.31% for non-graduates and 3.37% for others. Unfortunately, the fear to get into the industry has inadvertently impacted the morale of the students.
Uncertainty about job opportunities has already posed several challenges for recent graduates. Those planning to enter sectors like hospitality, retail, aviation may have to overcome unexpected obstacles. While it may be difficult to measure how to navigate the situation with the available resources and information, there are few steps which the new workforce can take to secure an appropriate job during this unprecedented time.
- Consider earning interim job experience:
Considering the current situation, both financial and psychological, it may be sensible to think about the short- term work or work which is outside the area of expertise. It would not be the dream job which you have been looking for or you have anticipated, however earning some additional financial gain will assist you to navigate through the uncertainty once graduating. This could facilitate in building confidence and adding job experience which would create an edge to stand out in the competitive market. The high surge of hiring is towards work from home jobs which also includes customer service representative, warehouse distribution, stocking, and food delivery. This can also be an eye-catcher to employers as it shows that you are adjustable to the challenging situation.
When searching for job opportunities, it is necessary to adapt and prioritize skills that could support your future applications. Even if the job is not related to your desired sector there may be an opportunity to develop skills that can later be applied in the dream job. For example, remote software use, social media application & analysis, are experiences that could be added to your resume in the future.
- Virtual Hiring & Onboarding
Virtual Interviews are likely to become the most popular trend in hiring therefore it is important to become comfortable with this new normal. The key to achieve success in the current hiring scenario is to practice mock video interviews. Apart from this creating a professional presence on social networking sites and networking groups may help to understand more about the industry trends, help in getting better opportunities and meet professionals in your chosen field. Networking, mentorship, and informational interviews is done remotely and will prepare you to enter hands on once graduated.
- Expect slow pace movement than usual
As applications are uncountable and competition is high, one must be mentally prepared to adjust with the slower hiring and onboarding process. In many instances the positions are opening, but they are put on hold for an uncertain period. Adapting to the new expectations as a fresh graduate and entering the workforce can also help adjust in this new environment.
- Keep Learning & Gaining Knowledge
Companies right now are looking for more excellence and therefore instead of entering the workforce right away after graduation, consider upskilling and adding more education during this time. Consider relevant online certifications that require less investment than enrolling in a new degree. These may open up vast opportunities for future applications.
In the current market condition, depending on your area of expertise, you may end up getting selected in a company and offered a lower salary package for an entry level position. In this situation, you may want to take extra steps to reduce chances that this base salary will reduce future pay in your chosen path. This can help you keep different options open as your work experience increases and career develops. No matter what the circumstances are we must acknowledge the challenges the entire world is facing. Simply because you are graduate it doesn’t mean challenges and learning stops.
Once things recover you will still want your resume to be on the top as the sectors that’ll witness most opportunities for the year 2020-21 are E-commerce, Pharma, IT, Logistics & Delivery sectors. It is indeed the diversity in your resume that’ll help you take benefit of the increase in employability in the coming months. The most determined and capable ones will get to roam on the greenest lands after we inescapably build it over the other side of the fence.
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