The “new normal” has arrived. Twenty years after theY2K Millennium Bug threatened digital economies, we face a different type of bug: Covid-19.
In just five months, it has crippled the global economy. It challenges our whole belief system about work, as well as how and where we do it. The idea of a traditional 9-5 role seems like a relic of the past.
After every significant world shock, a “new normal” ushers in
After World War 2, the NHS and UK Welfare State were born.
A decade ago, the global financial crisis killed Ireland’s Celtic Tiger and bankrupt Greece. Hundreds of thousands of people lost jobs and homes.
It taught governments and businesses to live within their means.
Fast forward to today.
We’re facing a once-in-a-lifetime attack on our normal. To future proof yourself, you need to adapt. Here is what YY People recommend:
Use LinkedIn to network.
LinkedIn is where recruiters, hiring managers, business owners, and CEOs hang out.
And with millions of members, it’s an outstanding platform to showcase your talents.
Ask for advice, seek introductions, and get on the radar of decision-makers.
Start by engaging with content, commenting, and sharing stories that interest you.
Show potential employers your personality and let recruiters know you’re open to new opportunities.
Get comfortable seeing your face on camera.
Our vocabulary in 2020 includes new words and phrases: PPE, Furlough, the ‘R’ number, and Social Distancing.
Zoom, Skype, and MS Teams are three more; all three will play a part in your job search.
From now on, a lot of interviews won’t be carried out by our “old normal.”
No more sitting in front of a panel, nervously sipping on a glass of water, selling yourself through speech, body language, eye contact, and firm handshakes.
Your ‘new normal’ will be sitting in your kitchen looking into a camera while speaking passionately to an interview panel.
You might even throw dirty looks off-camera at your kids, who threaten at any time to interrupt while making a new TikTok video.
Practice being in front of a camera to make yourself comfortable.
Learn the basics of Zoom
Skype For Beginners
Learn the basics of MS Teams
Use your skill set to get remote work.
Undoubtedly, remote working is here to stay.
Governments and businesses recognise that your long commute in heavy traffic impacts your bank balance, the climate, and your work-life balance.
They acknowledge that a lot of crucial roles can be carried out efficiently by staff from the comfort of their living rooms, supping an early morning latte and wearing their favourite Star Wars pyjamas.
Why not consider a career in the digital world?
All of a sudden, businesses are cutting back on hiring; however, work still needs to be completed.
Expect to see a lot of businesses offering freelance work to professionals.
Up against this crisis, while some won’t commit to yearly salaries, they’re still happy to pay you on a project-by-project basis.
YY People are a specialist Recruitment Agency based here in Northern Ireland providing intelligent recruitment solutions to organisations throughout the UK, Europe, US and Canada.
At YY People we are on a mission to bring the human element back to recruitment.
Our approach ensures that neither the candidate nor the client feel like a transaction but instead we work to achieve the right connections between employer and employee.
We recognise that People are the heartbeat of a company; they make, live and breath your company culture and encompass a brand, we take pride in creating the right connections.
Reach out to YY People to find out more – www.yypeople.co.uk
