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Whether personal or professional, the pandemic has thrown a lot of plans out of the window, but "it’s not all doom and gloom" and there are ways to take advantage of the situation.
Columnist Emilia Summers shares her tips...
When we look back at how much our lives have changed since the virus outbreak, it’s quite overwhelming.
As we slowly work towards the ‘new normal’, which we keep hearing about, the fact remains that the plans we had in place for the year will be up in the air, for the vast majority of us.
Pictured: "The inability to plan ahead and not knowing what the future will be like in months to come can be unsettling."
We can all agree that in this ever-changing situation, the only option we have, is to to take each day as it comes. However, the inability to plan ahead and not knowing what the future will be like in months to come can be unsettling.
But for some, the need to take action becomes more imminent, particularly for those who have suffered job losses. So, in the wake of a pandemic, how do you comeback from a crisis.
Who would have thought at the start of the year we would be where we are now? The year 2020 sounded so promising, like a new era full of exciting things waiting to happen.
As we brought in the new year, I remember reading the same social media captions over and over again – ‘2020 is going to be my year’ and ‘bring on 2020 I’m ready for you’. Well, I’m sure now we’re all wishing we could go back to 2019 and apologise for all the horrible things we said about it, because compared to how 2020 is shaping up, it really wasn’t that bad.
Pictured: "Technology has been our lifeline during lockdown, allowing us to keep in touch with our loved ones."
But it’s not all doom and gloom. There are some positives we can take from this situation, such as being more connected with our friends and families than ever before. Technology has been our lifeline during lockdown, allowing us to keep in touch with our loved ones.
We have also discovered a new way of working remotely, proving it can be done from home successfully. This has opened up many possibilities for employees who would prefer a more flexible way of working, and allows companies to rethink the way they do business as well.
However, the year is not panning out how any of us wanted it to - thank you covid-19. Our social plans, career ambitions and goals for 2020 have most likely gone out the window.
The plans you had in place to climb up the career ladder have probably come to a standstill. Perhaps your only hope for this year is to keep your job and a steady income.
When the pandemic hit and we were forced to stay at home and work from home, it was difficult to adjust and maintain a ‘business as usual’ approach when our current situation was so far from usual.
With so much uncertainty, companies have had to make tough decisions in order to keep their businesses going. If you have unfortunately been a corona virus redundancy, you’re probably figuring out what your next steps should be and how best to manage this.
Pictured: "If you have considered a career change before then now is the perfect time to do something you really enjoy."
We’ve all had moments when we’ve been sat at our desks having a particularly rough day and thought to ourselves, “…is this really what I want to be doing for the rest of my life?” If you have considered a career change before then now is the perfect time to do something you really enjoy.
Think about the possibilities of what you’re good at and search around for opportunities that are of interest to you. It’s better to have a diverse portfolio of options rather than sticking single-mindedly to one. Your research could potentially open up some unexpected doors.
We’ve all heard of the phrase, ‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know’, which I don’t fully agree with. However, having connections in business is certainly an advantage, even crucial during times like these.
Touch base with the like-minded professionals in your industry, but don’t forget to build up new contacts in other areas you’re interested in. It’s important to keep an open mind and remember not to limit yourself.
The more people you get to know, and build a rapport with, the better. You may find in your efforts there are no current vacancies or opportunities available, but if you make an impression, they could keep you in mind for the future. So, make every conversation count.
Pictured: "It’s easy to get bogged down under the pressure of trying to find a new job, and quickly; but cut yourself some slack."
Take your time. It’s easy to get bogged down under the pressure of trying to find a new job, and quickly; but cut yourself some slack. Under the current circumstances, you might not find the perfect role straight away.
Try not to get stressed by the situation because you can only do your best. Instead, take advantage of this down-time to collect your thoughts, process it all and look after your mental wellbeing.
If you’re struggling with a lack of productivity, get going on projects you’ve been meaning to do, or take some online courses to improve yourself and increase your skillset. See it as an opportunity to work on your own personal development, whatever that may be.
The truth is, no one expects or wants to be in this position out of choice. It’s important to remember that so many people are currently in the same boat. Businesses may be reluctant to recruit during such unprecedented times - but this won’t be forever.
As the economy recovers and businesses grow in confidence, there will be future opportunities. Try to remain positive and confident while you get ready to make that all-important comeback.
