Get yourself prepared for post-COVID job hunting

Whether you're a current student, about to graduate or job seeking, you may be anxious about how COVID-19 could affect your career opportunities. Businesses value skilled young people more than ever and recruitment will not stop, although competition will almost certainly increase. So while you have this time available, here are some things that you can do during the lockdown period to improve your employability and prepare for post-pandemic job hunting:

• Craft the Perfect CV - Now you have the time to put together a fantastic document, make it punchy and encapsulated as recruiters don't want to read a novel!  Create an eye-catching personal statement and include the things that really make you stand out from the crowd.
• Get Camera Ready - Face-to-face interviews are less likely in the short term, so prepare for video interviews as the new normal - you could even create a short video CV.
• Reading & Research - Do some research into the industry and sector you want to join, and find out who the key recruiters are.
• Polish your Online Presence - Potential employers do look at your social media channels, so delete controversial posts now or update your privacy settings.
• Use your Networks - Worth Society has over 1,600 Worthian connections on LinkedIn so connect today and join the Worthians Group and use the new Mentoring programme on this platform which is growing by the day. Do also keep in regular contact with your University Careers Service.
• Take an Online Course - A short course can improve your skills and your employability. Course providers include FutureLearn and Coursera and a number of universities run Massive Open Online Courses (MMOCs), which are free to join.
• Learn a Language - Having a second (or third) language under your belt can help you to stand out in a competitive jobs market
• Become a Volunteer - Volunteering looks great on your CV and will give you something else to chat about during job interviews. Charities such as Age UK, Mind, Refuge and Shout all need telephone or virtual volunteers.
• Take up a Hobby - Having a hobby demonstrates initiative and a passion for learning and will help you cover that tricky 'hobbies and interests' section of a CV or application form.