Resources to Help Your Post-Pandemic Job Search

The statistics are mind boggling. Almost forty (40) million Americans are out of work due to the COVID-19 shutdown. Add to that depressing number, the fact that millions of recent college graduates are attempting to begin their work lives in an uncertain economy.

Yes, we are resilient and, yes, this too shall pass. However, it will take effort and endurance. If you are, or know, someone who is looking to get back into the game, here are a few resources you can utilize in your quest. There are the obvious candidates like Monster, Indeed, Career Builder and LinkedIn. However, there are many others, like these:

• One of the demographic groups that will have a more difficult time re-entering the workforce is the over-50 crowd. While we’d like to believe ageism does not exist, the reality is that many employers would prefer a “younger” applicant despite the skill sets and experience a more mature candidate could bring to a company. AARP has a site tailored specifically to that group: https://jobs.aarp.org/
• One of the best ways to find a job – and network – is at a local job or career expo. Unfortunately, these gatherings are problematic now and likely for the foreseeable future. Naturally, there are ways of doing this online and this site is a good starting point: https://jobfairsin.com/online-virtual-job-fairs
• There are numerous websites sponsored by states and the Federal Government. This one, from the U.S. Department of Labor, can be particularly useful: https://www.onetonline.org/
• Whatever the so-called “new normal” will be, we can be reasonably certain that it will include a higher percentage of work-from-home (WFH) opportunities. This site is a good resource for exploring those possibilities: https://www.flexjobs.com/
• During our search, we came across this site that appears to be loaded with good advice and helpful links: https://job-hunt.org/about.html
• Finally, we would be remiss if we did not include a link to the job placement resources Goodwill of Greater Washington provides. After all, this is a core part of our mission: https://dcgoodwill.org/education2/career-services/job-placement-retention-services/

As you spend endless hours online searching for that next opportunity,  you may also want to consider using some of that time to brush up on or learn new skills. 

Ramp up your networking. Polish your resume. And, take a deep breath.

There is one certainty in any job search – you will not find your next job as quickly as you’d like. Persevere – it WILL happen.