Retooling Your Resume for a Career Change amid COVID-19 Crisis
With businesses closing or cutting hours, job cuts during COVID-19 have become part of our new reality. If you are wondering how to job hunt during a pandemic, one important part of your search will have to include adjusting your resume for the changing job market. If this is your situation, we’re here to help.
COVID-19 pandemic unemployment is a reality. If you have lost your job because of COVID-19, this can make a stressful situation even more difficult. It may comfort you to know that there are industries that have ramped up their hiring and that they are taking serious measures to protect the health and safety of employees and job candidates.
It may also be reassuring that many of the jobs being created do not require past experience or training, although you may need to retool your resume to highlight certain soft skills and/or semi-related experience.
How your resume will change
Much of our advice for resumes of IT professionals still applies. However, since the job market is changing, the types of jobs you’re applying to will change as well. Now is the time to take the first step in that article to heart and research the industries that are hiring and the jobs available.
Then, take another look at your resume. If you find yourself applying for jobs in industries outside of your experience, and possibly below your previous level, you will likely have to rework your resume to highlight the skills that hiring managers are looking for now.
How to tailor your resume to a specific job description
Can you use the same resume when applying to multiple roles? The answer, unfortunately, is no. Ideally, you should change your resume for every job.
A lot of the job creation happening now is due to the sudden spike in e-commerce (i.e. people ordering online). This means that there’s greater demand for workers in call centres, warehouses, shipping/receiving departments, delivery driving and so on.
There is also a growing need in domestic manufacturing, call centres in the insurance and finance industry, and grocery store employees. Unsurprisingly, the medical industry has a great need, and not just for doctors and nurses. They also need janitors, lab technicians, orderlies, administrative personnel and even security personnel.
Though many of these roles don’t require special training or previous experience, employers are looking for certain skills. Your resume should be tailored to show that you have the skills they’re looking for.
Here’s what you need to do if you’re applying to a new-to-you position:
Step 1: Get familiar with the top skills needed in that role. Do an internet search for articles about the skills successful candidates for these positions need (like this one), but also carefully read the job posting to see the specific skills the hiring company is looking for.
Step 2: Write the opening statement in your resume to include some of the skills they’re looking for.
E.g. You may say something about being “calm under pressure” or being an “effective and compassionate communicator.”
Step 3: Put the skills you have that match the skills the hiring company is looking for at the beginning of your skills list.
Step 4: Edit the descriptions of your past jobs to include examples of those skills.
E.g. Your role as a software developer may have made use of your efficiency and attention to detail. Or maybe your role as a server in a busy restaurant developed your people skills and ability to keep a friendly and positive attitude when the heat is on.
How to customize a resume for a lower position
In a typical job market, employers hesitate when an applicant is overqualified. They may worry you’ll get bored and leave, the salary won’t meet your expectations, or something better will come along and you’ll jump on it.
We are not facing a typical job market right now. Many of the jobs being created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic are expected to be temporary, and employers anticipate most of their new hires to move on if the situation levels out.
For now, hiring companies are looking for people who are willing and able to work. But don’t let that make you complacent. You should still customize your resume when applying for these roles to present yourself as the best candidate for the job.
Here are a few resume tips when applying to a position that is below your experience level:
Include any certifications or degrees that are relevant.
E.g. A bachelor’s degree shows you have dedication and organizational skills that come in handy in many roles.
Leave off any certifications or degrees that are clearly not relevant.
E.g. An advanced certification in Google Analytics is likely not relevant to a delivery driver role.
Include the job title in your opening statement.
E.g. “As an Administrative Assistant at Example Hospital, I would bring the following key skills….”
Prioritize skills and certifications over experience if it’s irrelevant.
If your past experience is irrelevant to this job, pare down descriptions of those roles, but beef up your skills in both the skills list and in your past work experience.
Leave out some of your past jobs.
You should not include all of your jobs on a resume if some of them are completely irrelevant to the role.
Note: When applying for any job, you don’t have to include every job you ever held. It’s ok to leave off irrelevant roles, jobs you had as a student, jobs you only held for a few months or weeks, etc.
Is it really OK to leave jobs off your resume?
Yes. But really think it through first.
Let’s say you’re applying for a retail position at a grocery store or other essential service and you previously worked in quality assurance (QA) for a software company. There may not be any parallels to draw on, in which case, it may be best to leave that job off your resume.
However, if you can retool the description of a job to show that it is relevant, leave it on. Just leave off the parts that don’t apply.
For example, let’s say that in your QA role, you developed automated testing that saved time and money. You were also known for your attention to detail and ability to communicate issues clearly and succinctly. You also completed a certificate workshop on effective team collaboration.
You are now applying for a customer service role at a retailer considered an essential service. That automated testing accomplishment might not be relevant, but those other soft skills and workshop certification definitely are. Include those!
Is it a good idea to apply for multiple jobs at once?
Yes, absolutely. Even in a typical job market, it’s often a good idea to cast a wide net.
With the current situation, applying to multiple jobs will also allow you to be more selective in terms of safety. Most businesses are going to great lengths to protect the health and safety of their workforce right now. But some may not. Don’t hesitate to ask about what measures they have in place.
Is it safe to interview and job hunt?
Many businesses are now exclusively interviewing via phone or video conference (Skype, Zoom, FaceTime, etc.). This makes it perfectly safe to interview.
However, if you’re considering cold calling businesses to see if they need help, follow social distancing advice and don’t go in person. Instead, go through a staffing agency like Adecco. We have a dedicated health and safety department that works closely with both companies and candidates to ensure everyone is taking precautions. You can see our current job openings here.
Preparing for the interview
If you can avoid it, do not accept in-person interviews. Many organizations are not even holding in-person interviews right now to protect the health and safety of candidates as well as their own employees.
If you’ve never done a phone interview before, here are a few basic tips to start with:
- Make sure you have a good phone and/or internet connection.
- Test your video and audio connection.
- Try to have a quiet place set up where you won’t be interrupted.
- This may be difficult if you have children at home and employers are likely to be understanding of that.
- Get to know the company as well as possible.
- Even if you both know that this is a temporary position and that it’s outside your typical industry, it’s good to show enthusiasm for the business.
- Prepare for potential questions.
- Practice out loud with a member of your household or in front of a mirror.
Remember: there is help
If you’re struggling financially because of the pandemic, follow the Canadian government’s updates on the relief package and what’s available to you. Provincial governments may also be offering relief, so check your province’s official website as well. And don’t be afraid to reach out to your bank or landlord about mortgage or rent deferrals, or other businesses about payment deferrals. We are all in this together, and we will get through this together.
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