WEBVTT - New Rules for Getting a Job During the Coronavirus Pandemic 0:00:00.080 --> 0:00:03.720 It's Tuesday, September eight. I'm Oscar Ramiras from the Daily 0:00:03.760 --> 0:00:08.200 Dive podcast in Los Angeles, and this is reopening America. 0:00:08.520 --> 0:00:11.400 While the economy has suffered greatly because of the coronavirus 0:00:11.480 --> 0:00:14.920 and millions are claiming unemployment benefits, there are still some 0:00:15.000 --> 0:00:17.680 that are getting hired for new jobs. With that, there 0:00:17.680 --> 0:00:20.120 are new rules for landing a job during the pandemic. 0:00:20.560 --> 0:00:22.799 You still have to network, as many jobs are found 0:00:22.800 --> 0:00:25.439 through referrals. You also need to be flexible and be 0:00:25.600 --> 0:00:28.880 realistic about location. There are many companies worth work from 0:00:28.920 --> 0:00:32.199 home policies right now, but that is constantly changing. You 0:00:32.280 --> 0:00:35.480 must also be prepared for a completely virtual interview process. 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:39.760 Katherine Dial, reporter at the Wall Street Journal, joins us 0:00:39.760 --> 0:00:41.640 for how to get a job in the COVID era. 0:00:41.840 --> 0:00:46.120 Thanks for joining us, Katherine, thanks for having me. Since 0:00:46.320 --> 0:00:49.760 the pandemic hit the US, there's been millions and millions 0:00:49.800 --> 0:00:54.040 of jobs lost. The economy is not doing too well 0:00:54.080 --> 0:00:57.800 in that regard. There's just as many people on unemployment 0:00:57.880 --> 0:01:01.880 receiving unemployment benefits, but there are some industries there are 0:01:01.920 --> 0:01:05.200 people that are still hiring. And Katherine, you wrote an 0:01:05.280 --> 0:01:07.399 article about the new rules for landing a job in 0:01:07.400 --> 0:01:09.120 the COVID era. So I want to take a look 0:01:09.160 --> 0:01:11.399 at some of that, Katherine, what do we know about 0:01:11.840 --> 0:01:14.880 some new rules on how to do this? Well, we 0:01:14.959 --> 0:01:18.040 know that we're looking at a time where the playbook 0:01:18.040 --> 0:01:20.400 that job seekers look at has sort of been thrown 0:01:20.440 --> 0:01:23.280 out the window. You know, we're seeing in some ways 0:01:23.280 --> 0:01:25.360 the need to dig way into the things that we 0:01:25.360 --> 0:01:28.200 always tell job seekers. You know, networking is really important, 0:01:28.280 --> 0:01:31.080 articulating your goals, all of that has become paramount. But 0:01:31.120 --> 0:01:33.200 then beyond that, they need to be prepared for things 0:01:33.280 --> 0:01:37.680 like an entirely virtual interview and potentially on boarding process, 0:01:38.080 --> 0:01:41.200 getting ready to really slice and dice which parts of 0:01:41.200 --> 0:01:44.160 an industry they should be focusing their search on. It's 0:01:44.160 --> 0:01:46.039 a tough time for job seekers, but there are some 0:01:46.080 --> 0:01:48.760 reasons to be optimistic. Let's start picking these apart a 0:01:48.760 --> 0:01:51.600 little bit. Networking, obviously, everybody knows you should always kind 0:01:51.600 --> 0:01:54.520 of be networking, but it's more important than ever. You 0:01:54.560 --> 0:01:56.800 were talking to some people at LinkedIn and they said 0:01:56.840 --> 0:02:00.000 that more people are finding jobs through referrals now, more 0:02:00.040 --> 0:02:03.840 than ever. Applicants on their platform are three times as 0:02:03.920 --> 0:02:05.720 likely to get a job at a company where they 0:02:05.760 --> 0:02:07.480 have a connection. And you know, we see this all 0:02:07.520 --> 0:02:10.760 the time people hire people, but especially in a downturn, 0:02:11.240 --> 0:02:13.840 that really becomes the name of the game. And so 0:02:13.919 --> 0:02:16.560 for a lot of people that means rethinking your network. 0:02:16.600 --> 0:02:18.680 It means getting back in touch with people you may 0:02:18.680 --> 0:02:21.360 be worked with two jobs ago and catching up with them. 0:02:21.520 --> 0:02:24.760 For younger people or for entry level workers, it might mean, 0:02:24.880 --> 0:02:27.520 you know, thinking about who have you done volunteer work with, 0:02:27.560 --> 0:02:30.160 who have you taken classes with? You really have to 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:33.240 look broadly across your network at who you might want 0:02:33.240 --> 0:02:35.760 to reconnect with and consider that you know, they might 0:02:35.760 --> 0:02:37.800 not be able to hire you, but getting back in 0:02:37.840 --> 0:02:40.640 touch with them and catching up might leave them. You know, 0:02:40.680 --> 0:02:43.480 it might trigger they know somebody who they've heard is 0:02:43.520 --> 0:02:46.959 looking for someone with your skill set, and so really 0:02:47.280 --> 0:02:49.480 taking a new eye to your network is going to 0:02:49.520 --> 0:02:51.840 be essential. And an important note I think that you 0:02:51.960 --> 0:02:55.480 put in your article when you are reconnecting with somebody, say, 0:02:55.520 --> 0:02:57.720 you know, just kind of putting the feelers out there. 0:02:57.720 --> 0:03:02.200 Try not to be frustrating, did and cranking impatient with 0:03:02.240 --> 0:03:03.760 those people. Like you said, they might not be able 0:03:03.760 --> 0:03:05.840 to hire you, but they can lead you somewhere. And 0:03:06.080 --> 0:03:08.639 if you just lost a job and you're frustrated, take 0:03:08.680 --> 0:03:12.160 a step back so that you don't come across the name. Definitely, definitely, 0:03:12.400 --> 0:03:15.200 you know, it's totally understandable. I mean, nobody wants to 0:03:15.280 --> 0:03:17.760 be the person reminding somebody who's just been laid off 0:03:17.800 --> 0:03:20.280 from their job. Please be patient, be calm. You know, 0:03:20.320 --> 0:03:23.120 like your bills and your rent aren't usually being patient 0:03:23.200 --> 0:03:25.800 with you. So it's totally understandable to feel this way. 0:03:25.840 --> 0:03:27.840 But you do want to think about the impression that 0:03:27.840 --> 0:03:30.160 you're giving an offense. It's just as simple as taking 0:03:30.200 --> 0:03:32.600 time to reread your messages. Take a step back, take 0:03:32.600 --> 0:03:34.080 a time and a break, come back and look at 0:03:34.080 --> 0:03:36.160 your message again. Just make sure that you're you know, 0:03:36.480 --> 0:03:38.760 you're presenting the best version of yourself that you would 0:03:38.760 --> 0:03:41.640 want somebody to come across. And also there's you know, 0:03:41.720 --> 0:03:44.240 everyone we spoke was noted an uptick and empathy right 0:03:44.240 --> 0:03:48.800 now among people hiring, among people networking. You know, everybody 0:03:48.880 --> 0:03:51.640 understands what's going on and they want to help the 0:03:51.680 --> 0:03:55.120 next one right here. Be flexible and realistic about location. 0:03:55.240 --> 0:03:57.480 There's been a ton of increases in jobs that you 0:03:57.520 --> 0:04:02.080 can do remotely. Um, they're not always on remote jobs. 0:04:02.360 --> 0:04:05.000 Sometimes you know, there's a percentage that you might start 0:04:05.040 --> 0:04:07.720 remotely and then as this as things get better with 0:04:07.760 --> 0:04:11.000 the pandemic, you'll go back to work. But that's important 0:04:11.000 --> 0:04:13.360 to take into account because you know you can't live 0:04:13.400 --> 0:04:16.280 a hundred miles away from your job if you're eventually 0:04:16.279 --> 0:04:19.160 going to have to go back, right The key here 0:04:19.240 --> 0:04:21.520 is just to be really really clear. We are seeing 0:04:21.520 --> 0:04:26.680 companies who are hiring showing really increased flexibility around us. 0:04:26.720 --> 0:04:28.960 You know, they need talent now, and that talent might 0:04:29.120 --> 0:04:31.800 they know that that talent might need to move to 0:04:31.920 --> 0:04:35.080 where you know, a family member can provide childcare, or 0:04:35.200 --> 0:04:37.800 where a partner is going to have an easier time 0:04:37.839 --> 0:04:40.919 finding work. Like, we are seeing some more flexibility from companies, 0:04:40.960 --> 0:04:42.479 but you are going to want to be really up front. 0:04:42.520 --> 0:04:44.640 You know, just because you're a hundred percent remote right 0:04:44.640 --> 0:04:47.359 now and for the foreseeable future, you still need to 0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:49.760 guarantee that that job is a hundred percent remote and 0:04:49.760 --> 0:04:51.920 that they won't expect you to be in Santa Fe 0:04:52.040 --> 0:04:54.120 on a given day when you move to Maine. This 0:04:54.200 --> 0:04:56.520 next one might be the most important thing to be 0:04:56.600 --> 0:05:01.320 prepared for a one virtual interview process. You know you 0:05:01.360 --> 0:05:03.920 can't step foot in the door until you've gone through 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:05.400 this step, and you know, you have to do a 0:05:05.440 --> 0:05:07.640 lot of things to be prepared to stand out. Maybe 0:05:07.680 --> 0:05:09.680 do a test call to make sure you look the 0:05:09.720 --> 0:05:13.240 best you possibly can. Definitely, you know, make sure your 0:05:13.279 --> 0:05:16.520 tech is working certainly, you know, prepas maybe with a 0:05:16.560 --> 0:05:20.080 friend the day before your interview. You know, we recommend 0:05:20.279 --> 0:05:22.400 dress as you would dress to go to an in 0:05:22.480 --> 0:05:24.480 person interview. You know, now is not the time just 0:05:24.520 --> 0:05:26.440 because you're in your living room, maybe to wear a 0:05:26.440 --> 0:05:28.800 sweatshirt to the interview. But then also you need to 0:05:28.839 --> 0:05:30.560 be cognizant of things like you have to bring a 0:05:30.640 --> 0:05:33.400 higher level of energy to a zoom interview than you 0:05:33.440 --> 0:05:35.240 would if you were in the room with somebody and 0:05:35.279 --> 0:05:37.640 picking up on lots of subtle cues. And we also 0:05:37.640 --> 0:05:39.600 had somebody who actually was laid off and landed a 0:05:39.680 --> 0:05:42.960 job again earlier the summer mentioned that he had gone 0:05:43.000 --> 0:05:45.680 through his resume and figured out he had teed up 0:05:45.680 --> 0:05:49.160 some anecdotes like that illustrated experiences he had had so 0:05:49.200 --> 0:05:51.960 that he wasn't just on this video interview like going 0:05:51.960 --> 0:05:53.960 through the bullets of his resume, he had a way 0:05:54.000 --> 0:05:56.719 of really bringing his experiences to life for the people 0:05:56.720 --> 0:05:58.839 on the other end. You got to stand out more 0:05:59.040 --> 0:06:02.000 than ever on these And the last question for this is, 0:06:02.360 --> 0:06:04.600 you know, you have to zero in on who is hiring. 0:06:04.839 --> 0:06:07.640 Obviously there's all sorts of industries are up and down 0:06:07.760 --> 0:06:11.800 right now, but where are people hiring the most. We 0:06:11.920 --> 0:06:15.240 are seeing that healthcare, retail, and food service are the 0:06:15.279 --> 0:06:17.839 ones that had the most job openings in the US 0:06:17.920 --> 0:06:21.600 at the beginning of August. Finance, insurance, construction, and real 0:06:21.720 --> 0:06:25.039 estate business services not as much. But an important thing 0:06:25.160 --> 0:06:27.159 to really think about is that there's a great deal 0:06:27.200 --> 0:06:31.239 of variation of performance even within an industry. So in tech, 0:06:31.279 --> 0:06:33.320 for example, which is doing better than a lot of 0:06:33.320 --> 0:06:36.160 other industries, if you are a company that's a startup 0:06:36.200 --> 0:06:39.000 focused on business travel, you're probably having a really tough 0:06:39.040 --> 0:06:42.200 time right now. But if you're a company that's focused 0:06:42.240 --> 0:06:46.080 on e commerce delivery a lot of those services, you're 0:06:46.120 --> 0:06:49.480 probably really hiring a lot and struggling to even meet capacity. 0:06:49.560 --> 0:06:52.039 So there's a lot of variation even within industries, and 0:06:52.120 --> 0:06:54.360 some experts recommend that it's actually just better to make 0:06:54.400 --> 0:06:56.839 yourself a list of companies that are doing really well 0:06:56.880 --> 0:06:59.440 and focus on them well. The good news is that 0:06:59.600 --> 0:07:02.040 some are hiring. You just gotta work a little harder 0:07:02.080 --> 0:07:04.640 at it to land that job. There's a few more 0:07:04.760 --> 0:07:07.400 tips and tricks in Catherine's article, so I suggest everybody 0:07:07.480 --> 0:07:09.880 go out and take a look at it. Katherine Dill, 0:07:10.160 --> 0:07:12.520 reporter at the Wall Street Journal, thank you very much 0:07:12.560 --> 0:07:18.000 for joining us. Thanks for having me. I'm Oscar Ramirez 0:07:18.040 --> 0:07:21.560 and this has been reopening America. Don't forget effort today's 0:07:21.600 --> 0:07:23.120 big news stories. You can check me out on the 0:07:23.160 --> 0:07:26.280 Daily Dive podcast every Monday through Friday. So follow us 0:07:26.280 --> 0:07:28.880 on I Heart Radio or wherever you get your podcast.