Playing the long game
It’s a strange time to be looking for a new job. You may be on furlough, but wanted to change your career prior to lockdown and are trapped in an odd kind of limbo. Maybe you have just started a new job and are itching to meet your new colleagues and settle into the role. It may be you have been made redundant, as a result of the lockdown restrictions and industry changes that have been accelerated by a vastly changed economic climate. Or quite simply, you are ready to move on to your next challenge, perhaps in a new sector. Whatever your reasoning, employers are still hiring, and posts are still being advertised. However, a big shift now is that the timeframe between interview, job offer and sometimes even start date, is longer than ever before.
Worth its wait?
Interviews are being carried out almost exclusively via online platforms and over the telephone at the moment. Prospective employers will be able to get a sense of how you are in person, your mannerism, confidence and knowledge, but body language is difficult to read solely from the neck up. After selection, the actual employment process seems to have become protracted, as remote working for many is a challenge when it comes to getting decisions finalised. The prolonged gap may become unnerving. Remember, even if you have a concrete offer of a job, it’s important not to put all your eggs in one basket. It’s useful to keep networking throughout the ongoing process, as a precaution against any changes in the employer’s decision. Sadly, it’s not unheard of under the present situation for job offers to be withdrawn due to unforeseen circumstances.
Dealing with uncertainty
The security of a firm job offer was once thought to be diecast. However, present times are giving employers a great deal of headroom if they need to change their strategy – and their minds. Unfortunately, there’s little argument when someone describes these days as ‘unprecedented’. So remember, even if you thought you had a new job to go to, that post may no longer exist on the other side of lockdown. It’s very important not to rest on your laurels. Keep networking throughout the process. It can be a little soul-destroying waiting to hear from prospective employers – even to secure an interview, let alone a start date – but it’s important to remember it’s more about the current economic climate than anything personal. It makes sense, however, to continue to network and maintain those ongoing relationships, even when your job is secure, or an offer secured.
Be proactive
For some people, the cumulative effect of working remotely is by now wearing pretty thin. So the thought of starting virtual networking, via Zoom, Teams or other platforms, may not be top of your to-do list. But it is still important that you stay connected with your colleagues and make new connections beyond your current ones. It’s not just your own wellbeing to consider – not everyone has a strong network or family or friends to rely on in these solitary, confined times. Some people will benefit in ways beyond simply ‘networking’. For example, it can help preserve mental health, by talking to people in similar situations.
While you are waiting to start your new job, it also ensures that you haven’t burned any bridges by dropping off the radar, should you need to resume your job hunt at a later date. It makes sense to be proactive in such uncertain times. If you’re not working in an office environment, it also provides that interaction that may prove invaluable in the long-term.
