By Eva Benoit
The rapid spread of the coronavirus seemed to come out of nowhere a year ago, and just as quickly, we saw certain sectors of the economy take a downhill turn. While some professions such as public relations did a pretty good job of making the transition to remote work, others didn’t, and some work-from-home jobs were cut. If you lost your remote work job, there are both challenges and opportunities ahead.
Confronting the Challenges
If your job was in a sector that’s been hardest hit by the pandemic, you may be at a loss as to where to go next. Besides the uncertainty of future job prospects, as CNN explains, you’re also contending with a very personal economic pressure – to make mortgage or rent payments, car payments, and put food on the table. While dealing with all of this, your first challenge is to overcome this pressure, get unstuck, and find a way to move forward.
Resources for Finding Remote Work
Business owners use the very best and latest web tools to grow and succeed, so why shouldn’t you? Even if your business sector was impacted by the pandemic, other companies are still hiring remote workers – you just have to know where to look.
One of the first things to consider is how your skills and experience could be applied in a sector that can still use your contribution. The key is to hone in on what you do best, and then use the right web tools to connect with industries where those skills are still in demand.
Another smart way to approach your job search is to look for industries, and even specific companies, that have the most opportunities right now. While public relations typically involves a good deal of travel, these days, you absolutely can work from home as a PR professional. In fact, there are plenty of remote PR job opportunities. For more ideas, Forbes has compiled a list of companies that are hiring, which is broken down by category, such as finance, computers, education jobs, and so on. You could also narrow your search by looking at particular industries that are hiring, or search for jobs based on particular needs, such as work-from-home jobs that are ideal for seniors.
How to Land the Job
As someone with experience working from home, you may have already discovered that the search and application process can be a bit different. CNBC gives some helpful tips to make sure you don’t get led astray, including paying attention to the wording (is there a difference between work-from-home and a virtual job?), along with paying careful attention to details when reading a job description.
Another point to remember is that applying for remote jobs has its own set of best practices. This is a good time to look at your resume and determine if you’re using the right keywords to get it noticed for virtual positions. If you’re asked to do a virtual interview, you’ll want to spend some time preparing, practicing, and checking electronics to make sure you don’t run into any problems.
Making a Long-Term Move
If your ultimate goal is to work from home, there’s no reason why this career move can’t be the one that lasts long-term. In many ways, you have an advantage because you already have experience working from home successfully, but it’s still smart to brush up on work-from-home tips, such as maintaining good communication with coworkers. Sometimes all it takes is simple strategies like this to make your work-from-home job more productive, and ultimately, something you’re happy with for the long haul.
If you’re working from home, it’s essential that your home internet service is dependable and runs smoothly. Some providers are now offering 5G internet in select metropolitan areas, which promises their customers unprecedented speed and reliability.
The economic uncertainty of this pandemic has thrown many of us for a loop. Your top priority is to find work fast, but you also want to find something that’s sustainable and not just a quick fix. Thankfully, the work-from-home trend is here to stay, which means your prospects moving forward are brighter than you think!
If you’re looking to pursue public relations, gain insights pertaining to your newfound career at Culpwrit.