Even if you’ve been living under a rock, you won’t have escaped the sense of imminent doom for the UK jobs market in the wake of Covid-19. However, if there’s one thing headlines are good at, it’s scaring us into paying attention. But will the post-lockdown world really be one flooded by candidates competing for jobs as rare as hen’s teeth?
The truth
We cannot avoid the reality that we are on the precipice of a recession caused by Covid-19 – and with recessions we typically experience job losses and somewhat stagnant recruitment. However, that doesn’t tell the full story. Some economists predict that whilst recession is inevitable, it’ll be a pretty speedy affair – v shaped, rather than a plummeting downhill-only roller-coaster. It may not be as bad as we fear.
So whilst headlines about 600,000 jobs being lost during lockdown are worrying, they don’t necessarily tell the full story about this recession, created by the oddity that is Covid-19. It’s not like when we’ve headed into recession before. This time, we’ve got things like the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme supporting millions of workers, in a way which is – like everything else to do with this pandemic – unprecedented. This time we aren’t sliding into it in a predictable fashion. We’re starting off from a point of very low unemployment, low interest rates, and a job market which has proven robust throughout the Brexit wrangling of the last few years.
So what does this mean for the job hunter?
Whether you’re viewing yourself as a candidate because you’re worrying about potential or real redundancy post furlough, or because you were already itching for the next step in your career, it isn’t doom and gloom. But you do need to know the lay of the land so that you stand the greatest chance of success.
Again, unlike other downturns, it’s important to consider your sector. Different sectors are being impacted differently. Some are struggling, some are thriving. Realistically, things will be tougher for those working in hospitality or travel, than for those working in healthcare or debt management. Is now the time for a career change?
Your primary consideration should then be how you go about looking for a new job during Covid-19. It’s likely that there will be greater competition for each role, and you need to position yourself to be first off the starting block and most likely to win the race.
You do this by:
- Getting yourself Candidate Ready:
Brush up your CV and practice your interview skills (including video interviewing). Spend some time in our Advice Centre to give you the edge.
- Use your time wisely now:
If you are currently furloughed, or have spare time whilst working from home, now is an excellent time to add to your skill set. There are a whole heap of free online courses which you can add to your CV to show that you’re committed to a change.
- Partner with the right people:
Choose your recruitment agency wisely. At F1rst Commercial Recruitment, we care about finding you the job you’ll love. You won’t be stuck trawling job boards and sending off generic CV’s. Instead, your consultant will get to know you so that when the right job comes up, you’re thought of first.
Finding a new job following lockdown
We know businesses are keen to get going again and to do that they need the right people. Register as a candidate with us today, or give us a call on 0161 359 3111 to discuss if we can help.
