Career Counselling: – Should I apply for Jobs now or wait until the Coronavirus runs its course?

Is now the time to apply for jobs or should I wait until Covid passes?

Earlier this week a career counselling client whom currently works in the real estate industry asked me “Katherine, should I bother applying for jobs now or should I wait until the Coronavirus settles down”?

My answer in short was YES and NO; let me explain: –

Applying for Jobs – A Career Counsellors Perspective

From my perspective, it really depends on the industries and occupations that you are applying.

For example if you are wanting to enter the Travel and Hospitality Industry for example now is not a good time to apply for positions when the industry is making thousands of individuals redundant.

If, however you are seeking employment in industries that are not directly impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) then yes keep applying for positions.

Boom and Bust Industries – A quick overview

My rationale in relation to the above, is that whilst many industries are taking a hard hit with massive job losses and redundancies (the latest been Virgin Airlines) there are other industries, sectors and occupations that are experiencing mega growth and cannot keep up with the demand for example lets look at the big Supermarket chains e.g. Woolworths and Coles whom are struggling to re-stock the shelves and whom are also putting out a call to arms for administration officers and logistics coordinators etc. as they have more positions than they can fill – from what I have heard they just want people who want to work – is that you?

Other sectors that are experiencing a boom because of the COVID-19 are Medical, Transport and Logistics, Nursing, Pharmaceuticals, Video Conferencing and Telecommunications; and what about Community Services, Counselling, Welfare and Social Services; whilst we have not heard much about these industries at the moment it is my prediction that as more and more individuals and families are placed into lockdown it is an unfortunate side-effect that more and more of the general population will struggle to cope and as a result it is highly probable that domestic and family violence will increase and thus the potential for more children to be taken out of their homes and placed into care e.g. Foster Care.

By the way let’s not forget about the associated sectors, industries and occupations that support and/or supply these sectors and industries for example the medical field are in short supply of N95 masks at the moment; there in itself is a wide range of sectors, industries and occupations that will experience a boom from manufacturing (hiring individuals to make and ship the masks), to the wholesaler who buys and supplies to the retailer whom them onsells to the medical industry; to import and export trade, transport and logistics to get the masks from the wharfs and drop off locations around Australia to the hospitals and medical facilities around the nation, to the administrators in the offices who are ordering the supplies…. the list could go on and on….

Thus, my point is as one industry crashes and burns (for the short term or maybe longer term) there will be other industries that come in and take their place in terms of growth and employment opportunities. The question is how badly do you want to work, will you only take a job that is/was similar or comparable to your old one or will you take a job in a different industry or sector at a similar pay level or maybe less that is not ideal role but at the end of the day pays and puts food on the table.

Labour Market and Economic Concerns if you do not take employment opportunities when they present themselves

My concern as an individual and career counsellor is the demand that is going to be placed on the welfare system now and the long term impact of this on the economy once we recover; we have had a horrific time of late with bushfires, floods and now the Corona Virus (COVID-19) what is this going to do to our insurance (another industry that is likely to boom as a result of claims been made) from commercial and house insurance claims to income protection insurance payouts.

Thus, is it responsible for us to say hey let’s try and wait this out – that is a judgement call on your part but from my perspective I see now as the perfect time to work on yourself and your career (as I have also previously articulated in my article Career Counselling – CoronaVirus – Impact on Careers – How to Manage and Grow Your Career During the Pandemic); to make use of this time to create or update your Resume, Online Profiles, Employment Documentation, to explore career and academic pathways; to identify your professional goals, strengths and development areas and make an action plan and follow through.

Now is the time to seize the day and keep on top of your career to the best of your ability; to seize the opportunities when they come in so you don’t struggle as an individual or provider for your family but also to grasp these opportunities so that we as a community and proud nation do not suffer to consequences of a recession or depression as a result of this period of time.

OK, You made me think – I want to apply for jobs but I don’t know where to start?

You know what, that is OK, that is what career counselling professionals like I am here for to help you figure out your career pathway, career options, key transferable skills, professional attributes and strengths; to empower you and help you write employment documentation so that you feel confident in your skills, capabilities and experiences and the application of same moving forward whatever that likes like.

So give me a call and let’s have a chat about how to get you from been stuck to a place of positive movement forward; remember baby steps – one at a time will get you to where you want to be a lot faster than not taking any steps at all while you wait to see what happens.

Defence Force Spouse or Partner

As outlined in my article How to access FREE Career Counselling during pandemic – Defence Spouses/Partners it is possible for you to access Career Counselling and Employment Assistance Services if you are eligible and have located within the last 12 months to the value of $1500.00 through the PEAP Program; so if you are not sure where to start, are struggling to find a new career or restart your career particularly in these difficult economic times please make use of this facility and telephone Blu Ripples we will be happy to provide you with a PEAP Quotation and subsequently provide you with the nominated services upon approval by the Defence.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katherine is the Founder of Blu Ripples a specialist Career Counselling and Consulting practice located in Port Stephens NSW. Katherine is a nationally registered Career Development Specialist and Counsellor; is a Professional Member of the Career Development Association of Australia, Member of the Australian Counselling Association of Australia and Australian Association for Psychological Type.

March 17, 2020April 4, 2022

Career Counselling – CoronaVirus – Impact on Careers – How to Manage and Grow Your Career During the Pandemic

Career Counselling: – I had a client yesterday tell me that their boss sent them to Melbourne for a work trip and when they got back even though they had not been around people with the coronavirus and displayed no signs and symptoms that the boss insisted (mandated) that they go into lock down for two weeks and work from home; a difficult task when you are in the real estate business.

In outside world, I am hearing on the news that industries such as musicians, airlines, conference centres etc are all been restricted in some way due to conditions placed on public events and not gathering in groups of 500 or more; the economic impact is that this potentially will have a devastating impact on our economy and take some time to recover.

On the positive side, the crazy panic buying that everyone is engaged in at the moment is seeing Coles employ another 5000 casual employees nationwide to cope with the demands; so whilst some industries are clearly struggling others are growing in terms of labour requirements at the moment so much so that they are not coping with the demands just look at what is happening in Woolworths, doctors surgeries etc the lines are so long and supplies are in short supply (both material and labour).

So what we have here from a very clinical point of view is the Labour Market expanding and contracting, shifting and changing, to adapt to a new (hopefully temporary) world where it is said that the vast majority of the world’s population will contract the virus on some scale over the coming months from what I read an estimated 80%.

Thus, the question is not will I get the virus but when I get the virus what will I do.

At the moment the self-isolation period is for 2 weeks in which time you are not to leave your house and potentially infect others, so if you are sick please adhere to this, but in the meantime from a career point of few what can you do to manage your career.

CAREER PLANNING STRATEGIES TO EXECUTE OVER SELF ISOLATION PERIOD

First and foremost if you are employed on a full time, part time or casual basis explore options where you can minimise going into work for example what remote working strategies are available to you? Have a sensible and realistic conversation with your employer about working from home, the guidelines, expectations and boundaries around this.

When you are required to self-isolate use this time review your career – for example

Ask yourself – Are you hitting your career goals? If no – why not?

Pinpoint your happiness and satisfaction scale – Are you happy in your present job – if yes great – what can you do to take the next action step in your career or if no what are you unhappy about – are you feeling frustrated, lost confused etc?

Has it been a little while since you update your Resume or CV, LinkedIn, Seek profile now is the time to do this either yourself or through someone like me that offers telephone and online consultations (as well normally face to face consults –as long as you are not infected or come into contact with others who potentially or who have recently travelled overseas)

If you are not sure about what it is that you want to do in your career, or maybe you have been in a career for a while and want to try something new – now is the time to explore either through Career Planning Services with someone like me or explore career options and labour market statistics online and find out what is available

As I tell many clients, think about what your values, motives, needs and wants are in terms of employment opportunities and environments and create your own Selection Criteria so when you are reviewing job advertisements on line and wondering is this for me you have something to refer back to – a tick box of sorts, to help you define if this is the right opportunity to pursue or not at this present point in time – will it help you achieve your long term career objectives.

Develop an Academic Planning Strategy – identify where you are in your career and what qualifications or continual professional development courses you need to undertake in order to reach that next opportunity and confidently apply for it.

Review TAFE and University programs offered on line and on campus, what are the educational requirements you need to undertake a course i.e. ATAR’s, recognised prior learnings, are these courses accredited by industry bodies, will the course help you gain industry recognition upon completion.

If you are a partner of a Defence personnel and have recently moved to a new location check out the PEAP program and see what services you can access, telephone someone like me and ask for a quote, put that quote in and get the ball rolling in terms of the approval process and moving forward with Career Counselling and Employment Assistance Services

Explore your Professional and/or Leadership Strengths and Competencies through a Workplace Personality Index; identify your strengths as well as your areas of development and set a plan to address any areas that you need to develop; look into online continual professional development – short courses and increase your competency and competence.

In short whilst the Corona Virus will have an impact on the labour market and the economy in general it does not have to be all doom and gloom every – focus on the positive what you can achieve during this down time, make use of it attend a Career Counselling session – create a career plan – grow, develop and evolve as an individual and professional during this time and then when things start to recover you will be in a better position to capture new and exciting opportunities as you have capitalised on the down time rather than squandering it.

Make a solid choice to use this time wisely to plan your career and make your future goals a reality by doing your research now.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Katherine is the Founder of Blu Ripples a specialist Career Counselling and Consulting practice located in Port Stephens NSW. Katherine is a nationally registered Career Development Specialist and Counsellor; is a Professional Member of the Career Development Association of Australia, Member of the Australian Counselling Association of Australia and Australian Association for Psychological Type. Katherine has worked in private practice since 2003 and prior to that worked in the corporate sector for a period of 12 years predominantly in Human Resources and Administration.

Authors Notation: As a result of writing and publishing this article one was invited by ABC Radio (Hobart) to participate in an interview on Career Change with the renowned Louise Saunders on 18th May 2020 at 7.10pm; to listen to the program segement click here and fast forward to 7 min 30 into the commencement of the program.

November 4, 2019March 31, 2022

Key Transferable Skills Report – A New Career Counselling Service

INTRODUCING OUR KEY TRANSFERABLE SKILLS REPORT

As part of the Resume Writing Process, I frequently ask clients to identify their Key Transferable Skills and their perceived areas of expertise.

Regardless of the clients’ career life stage, I frequently find that they stumble at this point.

The principal reason for this pertains to objectivity; and whilst we may undertake a role for a particular period of time there is little time for reflections or as clients so frequently state “Katherine, I just get on and do the job; I don’t think of my role in these terms”.

And there in lies a major issue when it comes to the job search and interview process. That is, regardless of your title and the number of years you have been in the work force it is imperative to know who you are, what you bring to the table and your development requirements in order to effectively pursue and achieve your career goals.

Whilst, I have previously created Key Transferable Skills Reports for Spouses of Defence Force personnel; and I have helped thousands of individuals identify their transferable skills through my Career Consulting – Resume Writing Services (since 2003); one has identified a niche area and is excited to launch our Key Transferable Skills Report which is accessible to all individuals of legal working age and above whom have held at least one position.

To find out more – click on Key Transferable Skills Report