Searching for Jobs During COVID-19
A crisis most millennials are facing following graduation.
I completed my Master’s degree in media with the high hopes of quickly gaining a job out of university. And then COVID-19 hit.
I originally went back to school thinking I had more to learn in the field of marketing, journalism and communications. I didn’t feel prepared for the workplace and I honestly didn’t know what I wanted to do in my career.
In the hopes that education would give me greater clarity, I applied to master’s programs across Canada.
COVID-19 was on an upwards trend by the time the end of my Master’s program came around in March. Many workplaces were in the process of switching to a work-from-home set-up and in some cases businesses were completely shut down.
My high hopes of an internship that would catapult my career in the marketing and communications world were virtually crushed when nearly half the internships available were canceled.
Now, as a graduate who never got to walk across the stage and receive my diploma because of COVID-19, I’m a part of a small population of people who’re looking for work during a pandemic.
Almost weekly people ask me “How's the job hunt going?” It’s a weird question to answer. My continued unemployment status should lead to an easy answer: “Not well, thanks.” In reality, I think the answer is much more nuanced and I think most recent graduates would agree.
I graduated in early August, which means I have been applying for jobs for three months now. In any situation, I’m told this timeframe isn’t particularly long.
For context, I am a 24-year-old who graduated from Western University with a Master of Media in Journalism and Communications. My prior experience included an Honours Bachelor of Arts in Communications and a year in a marketing and communications role at an industrial distributor.
Most graduates can expect to go through the application and interview process for about two to three months regardless of whether a pandemic is occurring.
In order to assess how the job market is actually fairing, I think you need to look at the economy of the country you’re in and the rate of job growth in the province or state you live in.
In September, Canada added 378,000 jobs. A number which would indicate that ‘the job hunt’ should be going well.
The round of hiring was enough to push the jobless rate down to 9 per cent. Back in February 2020 the rate was 5.6. For any Canadians reading this, you can draw reference from the jobless rate of the last recession. At its peak in 2009, the jobless rate was 8.7 per cent.
Adding 378,000 jobs in one month sounds great, but most of those jobs are linked to the retail sector and warehousing operations. Not to mention most of those added jobs are a product of people being brought back to work rather than companies actually hiring.
Now, onto the next factor. How is Canada’s economy doing? According to the BDC, Canada’s economy was experiencing a downturn back in 2019 before the pandemic even hit.
By their calculations, Canda experienced a 1.5 per cent growth in 2019 which was down from 1.8 per cent in 2018. The pandemic and oil crash is sure to lead to slow to no growth in 2020, with analysts at Deloitte suggesting a recession has already hit.
Not exactly promising for those of us currently entering the job market.
The struggle with applying to jobs right now is rooted in the fact that businesses are wary about investing in a new hire because of the uncertainty of COVID-19. The economic outlook as a result of the pandemic is not great and most businesses are choosing a reserved approach to hiring.
I recently interviewed for a job where I was told over 300 people had submitted applications. The interviewer was also quick to inform me that nearly all of the applicants possessed the same qualifications.
So, the question of “How’s the job hunt going?” is much more complicated than a simple answer can capture.
Based on my experience I would say there just aren’t a lot of jobs out there in the marketing and public relations field right now. I think you really need to do a deep dive into the industries you’re interested in and pick out a few key players and try to network with people at those companies.
For the last couple of years, we’ve all heard people talk about how everyone has a bachelor's degree. The level of qualified people applying to jobs has never been higher, which means us applicants need to do everything we can to stand out.
Based on my experience I’d suggest the following:
- Adding certifications to your resume
- Networking with people at companies you want to work for
- Practicing and improving your skills
- Adding a volunteer position to your resume
As a new graduate, it’s easy to feel down about your job prospects in the middle of a pandemic. I’ve avoided allowing myself to wallow in self-pity by thinking of this time as an opportunity to learn more about myself and work on projects I might not otherwise.
How are you handling your job search? And what do you do to stay positive?
