Navigating the Job Market as a New Graduate in 2020
2020 graduates are facing rapid and generally unexpected changes to the job market due to the coronavirus pandemic. With the large jump in unemployment, it’s more than a cancelled, postponed, or virtual graduation that’s worrying for these students. According to this article from CNBC written by Douglas A. Boneparth, Boneparth graduated in 2007, shortly before the 2008 recession, and he tells graduates, “Even though things didn’t go according to plan for my generation, things eventually improved. Yes, it will take time for us to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic, but there will be a recovery.” Although it seems rough now, all hope is not lost, and there are things you can do in the face of this new job market.
Network
Many people are dealing with unprecedented amounts of free time, so take this time to network and build relationships. Many open positions are filled via networking and are never even posted, so strong professional relationships will be beneficial for you in the long run. Even if networking does not help you find a job now, you never know when a relationship will benefit your career.
Keep learning
Learning doesn’t end when you graduate; it’s really just the beginning. Take the time to keep improving and learning new skills. There’s an abundance of free or low-cost courses, tutorials, etc., available to you online. The more skills you learn and can add to your resume, the closer your resume gets to the top of the pile.
Be willing to explore new opportunities
According to this article on LinkedIn, “While graduating seniors may have had a clear vision of their future, it’s likely a bit hazy due to the current circumstances. One of the key things to remember in that there are many paths to your dream job or career.” The job market you planned to enter is not the one you’ll actually be entering, so it’s important to challenge the plans you made. They may not be relevant anymore, but that doesn’t mean you can’t still forge a path to your dream job. The article goes on to say, “Times of great disruption can also reveal opportunities that you didn’t think of earlier in your career-planning phase of school.”
Your post-graduation plans may not be realistic anymore, but that doesn’t mean you don’t have options. The three tips outlined above are all good choices to make right now. However, you can also choose to utilize a staffing agency, and we’d love to be AtWork for YOU! Visit atwork.com/locations to find an office near you.
