Graduates Getting a Job During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Updated: Aug 24, 2020
Unlike during the 2008 financial crisis, companies are still recruiting graduates. Although companies in some sectors, such as hospitality, tourism and leisure, aren’t currently hiring, graduates shouldn’t lose hope. Logistics, health, medicine, and some retailers (particularly online retailers) are booming and are actively looking to recruit graduates. These are the industries graduates should be focusing on applying to.
Other than finding jobs directly on company websites, there are plenty of other places students can look for jobs.
Recruitment agencies
Using recruitment agencies’ job boards, such as the Next Gear Staffing on the Graduate Recruitment Bureau's website, is an efficient way to narrow down your job search.
LinkedIn is also a great place to look for jobs. Creating a profile, even if you haven’t got much to put on it. This will mean that when recruiters Google your name, your LinkedIn profile is what will appear first.
Speculative applications
There are just so many companies that go under the radar for students and graduates, so it’s definitely worth doing some research.
Go on Google Street View and have a look. You’ll see at the entrance of a business park, there will be a list of all the companies that are based there.
Alternatively, you could look at associations and the members within those associations. If you’re looking to get into procurement, for example, go on the CPS website and find the members on there. Then create a spreadsheet, find the decision-makers on LinkedIn, and drop them an email.
Follow the same process as you would with a university project: focus on your research, fire out your applications, and then go one step further and give them a call.
When to apply for jobs
Usually big employers have quite rigid timetabling, whereas smaller companies tend to hire all year round. It’s a myth that if you don’t have a job by the autumn you’ve missed the boat and have to wait for the next round of recruitment. Even if you get to the autumn and haven’t got anything, keep going – that’ll be the key time.
While this applies to direct entry jobs, lots of graduate scheme recruiters are choosing to defer recruitment: Most are postponing, but none have canceled. These graduates had been welcomed to the company online and posted a laptop so they can start working remotely.
When it comes to postponed graduate schemes, keeping an eye on the companies’ websites, as they will make announcements when the graduate schemes reopen. You should then put together a spreadsheet with the jobs and the dates for applying.
Online Interviews and assessment centers
Most employers are switching their recruitment process online. Before the pandemic, many larger companies were either already beginning to make the switch or considering it. Now it’s crucial that companies have a strong online presence when it comes to recruitment, as many students no longer have the option to attend an in-person interview.
Nearly all interviews, assessment centers, and psychometric tests are now conducted entirely online. This means that firms are able to recruit students and graduates without breaking lockdown rules.
Students can prepare themselves for this by doing mock online interviews. This will help make them more comfortable, as well as making sure that the camera angle’s right and that there are no distractions in the background.
Next Gear Staffing is a company which provides text-based virtual assistance that can help you with any and all of your business, as well as personal activities. The best way to describe us would be it is like having your own personal assistant, but virtually!
Provide text-based virtual assistance
There are no monthly subscription fees. You will pay your virtual assistant only for the tasks you provide them to complete.
The costs are per hour and you will be billed by the minute. The VAs (virtual assistant) will only be paid for the time they spend on your work.
Based on your needs, we will find you the best fitting Assistant. Your requirements will be reviewed manually by our team and then we will decide who will be best suited as a VA for you!