“The number of job vacancies soared to nearly 15 million by mid-March, but discouraged, hesitant and fearful job seekers means many positions are still unfilled, according to new data from online job site ZipRecruiter. Now companies are staffing up to capture booming demand, with the number of open positions across all online listings soaring 5 million above the pandemic’s start.” -NBC News
Need some help? Schedule a virtual career planning appointment and/or consider using the tips below to get started on your search.
In the News: Has COVID Changed the Job Search? and The U.S.: An Employment Outlook Amid COVID
Start your search with these steps:
- Career values self-inventory. Review/analyze your responses by completing this Career Values Debrief exercise.
- FOCUS2 online offers self-assessments for skills, interest, values, etc.
- Skills inventory, determine your current strengths and make a plan to gain more skills within your major courses
- Career assessment options, offered by Career One Stop
- O*NET® career exploration includes an ability and interest profiler
GoinGlobal, a resource offered by the University Career Center, found the following soft skills to be in great demand:
-
Professionalism
-
Strong oral and written communication skills
-
Flexibility/resilience
-
Emotional intelligence
-
Teamwork and collaboration skills
-
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
- 15 opportunities that are in demand and hiring now
- USAJobs has a special website that features federal government openings related to mission critical job functions
- These industries are still hiring. View openings in Careers4Terps.
- Top 100 Employers with 770,000+ Jobs Open NOW
- Where to Expect Job Market Growth in a Post-COVID-19 Economy
- New Types of Jobs Emerge from COVID-19
- 5 Skills That Will Be In Demand in a Post-Pandemic World
Not surprisingly, the employment outlook is highest for jobs that are telework-friendly. Thus, the leisure and hospitality, retail, construction and transportation, and warehousing industries have seen the greatest downward trend in employment over the past year. Source.
The most telework-friendly industries include the following:
-
Educational services
-
Professional services
-
Finance and insurance
-
Information
-
Wholesale trade
-
Real Estate
-
Public administration
- Advice for College Students: How to Maximize your Career Development during COVID-19 - NACE
- Listing of sites advertising openings | Who is hiring, by Candor | Positions with a hiring surge, Glassdoor
- Top 100 Companies to Watch for Remote Jobs in 2021
- Open jobs: The Federal Government is hiring across a wide range of career fields to help respond to the COVID-19 national emergency.
- Networking resources
- Full-time positions shared for UMD students: Careers4Terps @ BSOS
- Entering the gig economy: Contract positions, remote work, flexible working arrangements
- 15 primarily virtual fellowship programs for students
- Protect your privacy and safely search for positions. Tips to avoid scams.
Most effective Search Strategies & Preparation Tips during COVID
- Networking is the best search strategy
- Target organizations of interest to develop a relationship before an opening
- Application: Submit customized materials
- Use LinkedIn to reconnect with contacts
- Reflect on your true interests & devise a plan to make that happen
- Be patience: things might take a bit longer than than before
