Think outside the box

It’s been very rough maintaining or looking for a job these days. When we first started hearing about Coronavirus, we never thought we would get to this point. 

We never imagined that a flu-like disease was going to develop as fast and change things as drastically as it has.

Coronavirus is not just putting or lives in danger, but it has brought and will continue to bring terrible consequences to the entire world. Every nation and person living will suffer from at least one consequence of COVID-19 either today or in the future.

Below is a graph I saw the other day that I think accurately represents the emotional impact of the Pandemic.

Today, I want to focus on one of those consequences that will most likely impact you or someone you know: Unemployment. 

The virus is already bringing significant economic distress. We have been hearing experts talk about a possible recession, similar to the one faced in 2009.

During the 2009 recession, at least 1.3 million workers lost their jobs in the UK, and 2.6 million jobs were lost in the US. 

I don’t want to think that this will happen, but I’ve already started seeing people on my LinkedIn network share posts talking about how they were just recently laid off.

Two weeks ago, I was in several hiring processes, and at least one of them stopped all hiring processes until the crisis passed.

Working remotely is a beautiful way to spend more time with the ones you love. 🐕💕

Fortunately, last week I signed a contract with the company of my dreams, after approximately two months.

I know how lucky I am. I’m so grateful to think I’ve been given the opportunity to grow professionally and gain financial stability amid a crisis. 

You’re probably thinking, how did you do it? You must be a genius. 

I’m no superwoman with incredible skills; I’m an average marketer who works hard and never gives up. But most importantly I think outside the box. 🧠

There are a few specific pointers I want to give you that will help you leverage your skills and help you stand out from the rest.

Don’t do what everyone else is doing. Be different. The times of sending out thousands of resumes and applying to every job opening you see online are long-gone. 

Here are five unique steps that will help you land a job in the middle of the COVID-19 crisis that worked for me. 

1. Eat, Breathe, Live LinkedIn

Think of job hunting as a process similar to inbound sales. For those of you who are not familiar with the term, Inbound sales focus on building relationships and helping prospects even before you bring up the product or services you’re selling. 

It’s all about understanding your prospects and reaching out to them at the moment when they are ready, not when you are ready. 

Cold calling and email blasts are a part of the past. People don’t send calls or emails that they are not interested in, especially if they come from someone unfamiliar to them.

That’s why Inbound Sales professionals focus on building relationships.

I follow this methodology to apply for jobs. Think of the crazy amount of resumes a recruiter gets (this is kind of receiving a bunch of cold calls to get you to buy something).

You might pass the first round based on your skills and abilities, but it’s not the same if you apply at a place where they are already familiarized with your work, right? 

I’m not talking about getting a job because you knew the manager or your family owns the business. I’m talking about building relationships with these companies long before you decide to apply by putting yourself on their radar. 

The best tool to build professional relationships is LinkedIn. Most of you are on the platform, but how well are you using it? 🧐

Here are tips for using LinkedIn to boost professional relationships:

1. 1. Connect with thought leaders in your industry. 
2. 2. Connect with as many recruiters as you can. 
3. 3. Send out personalized notes whenever you invite someone to connect.
4. 4. Engage with people’s content. Don’t just like a post, start a conversation. 
5. 5. Keep your profile as clean and professional as possible.

1. 6. Put a professional photo that shows your face.
2. 7. Update your headline and be as specific as possible as to what you do. 

1. 8. Asks for recommendations and continuously update the info with your current achievements.
2. 9. If you found a piece of information or a post interesting, re-share it with your network and thank the person who shared it first (if it’s possible on a personal message). 
3. 10. Ask people for help; if you’re working on a project, ask someone in your network, which is an expert in that particular subject for help, and maybe ask for a collaboration. 
4. 11. Publish engaging content and make yourself active on the platform. In my case, I have my LinkedIn open 24/7. 

2. Put yourself out there

This point is also related to the one above. Use LinkedIn and other social media platforms to make yourself known. 

You do this by continually creating and publishing exciting and high-engaging content. 

But where do you start? How do you create engaging content?

Talk about topics your audience is interested in.

1. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Stay relevant, talk about specific pain points your audience is going through.
2. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Help people overcome a problem or reach a goal.
3. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Use the language your audience uses.
4. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Share your content on the platform that is most relevant to your audience.
5. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Vary your content.

There are many different types of content formats you can use: infographics, blogs, webinars, case studies, videos, vlogs, etc. but how do you know which will work best?

Well, here are four of the most engaging content types you can use and why:

1. Blogs: These are great for SEO purposes. Blogs are compounding, meaning they increase organic traffic over time. It not only helps you attract a significant number of people; it’s also one of the most accessible content types to create. 
2. Infographics: People engage a lot more with a visual representation of something than with a long-form piece of content. 
3. Videos: People relate a lot more to video content than to the written one. They remember voices and faces more than written words. 
4. How-to Content: This type of content gives people exactly what they want, which is how to solve their problems. 

Now, out of the four mentioned above, there is one that is most frequently used because of how easy it is to produce. Video and vlogs are the top choices when it comes to creating content.

But if you’re just starting with content creation? Writing blogs is one of the best ways to portray yourself as an industry leader by putting yourself out there.

3. Write

One of my previous employers always told me, “Writing makes you an expert,” and I couldn’t agree more. 

The more you write, the more you read because you have to do research, and the more research you do, the more knowledgable you become. 

To me, writing helps me achieve two things:

1. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Gain knowledge
2. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Build me a name in the industry 

If you consistently publish good content, you will begin attracting different professionals and you will begin building yourself a reputation. 

But, it’s easier said than done, right? 

If writing isn’t your thing, here are a few tips that have worked well for me in the past to write effectively:

1. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Start with an attention-grabbing headline
2. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Use a tone relevant to your readers
3. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Give helpful information that will allow your readers to overcome a problem or reach a goal
4. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Include new or relevant data
5. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Write for the way people search on Search Engines
6. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Don’t write big chunks of text, give your readers a break in between ideas
7. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Follow a structure (build the fabric before you begin writing)
8. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Stick to 1 core idea or main message
9. [icon name=”angle-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Proofread, edit errors and poor grammar

Now, writing is just the first part of the equation; the second part includes making your content available. Where should you publish your content?

There are several platforms, including LinkedIn, that allows you to write and publish. 

Here are seven free online platforms that allow writers to publish their content for free:

• Medium
• Scoop.It
• Issuu
• Yudo
• Paper.Li
• Pub HTML5
• Joomag

Most of them will require you to create a user and login information, but other than that, they are user friendly. 

 PRO TIP: If you have friends or colleagues that own a website that you feel you could contribute to, ask them to write content for them, it’s a great way to start.  

Now, go ahead and start writing and make sure that once your stories are published, you share them with your network and social media channels.

4. Learn

This is a pretty obvious step, but its often overlooked by many. The more knowledge you have and stay up to date with your industry’s current trends, the more marketable you are.

And I’m not necessarily talking about getting three post-graduate degrees and a Ph.D. 

You can learn from thousands of online platforms and tools that offer free courses and certifications.

My favorite of all times is HubSpot with their HubSpot Academy. They update their inbound marketing courses periodically, and you can access most of their certifications for free.

Search the web for the top 5 platforms offering free courses on your field, and you’ll be amazed at how many good options you find.

And now that we are all stuck at home, you have more time available to spend on your education. Use your time-off or your weekends if you’re still working during the week to gain some knowledge. 

5. Apply

And last, but not least: apply! I know that this is the first thing that many of you think of when it comes to looking for a job, but in my eyes, this is the last thing you do. Or at least do it while working on the four steps above.

How to Land a Remote Job

Now that the world has begun to shift to remote work, it might be wise to start looking for a remote job.

I’ve been working remotely for the past five years, and they are as secure and stable as most jobs are. 

Here are a few tips I can give you when it comes to looking and applying for a remote job:

1. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Connect and build relationships with other remote workers in your industry.
2. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Join Remote Work Facebook groups. They consistently publish remote job openings. 
3. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Here are some of the ones I’m part of: 
4. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Digital Nomad Jobs – Remote Work From Anywhere
5. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Remote Work & Jobs for Digital Nomads.
6. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Follow digital nomad and remote work accounts on social media platforms.
7. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Use LinkedIn filters.
8. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Search for the Top 10 remote companies and see if they have openings you might be interested in. Here are some of my favorite:
9. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Animalz
10. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Doist
11. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] HelpScout
12. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] SkyVerge
13. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] 10up
14. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Aimtal
15. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] DataBox
16. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] SmartBug Media
17. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] ClearVoice
18. [icon name=”arrow-right” class=”” unprefixed_class=””] Join Crossover. 

Closing thoughts

The world is in constant change, and there are many things out of our control. The coronavirus not only puts our lives at risk but potentially our jobs as well. 

All we have left with is the way we react to these unforeseen circumstances and adapt to change. 

Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it.

I hope that my personal experience helps many of you are currently looking for a job or now or in the future.

In these times of uncertainty, let’s help each other out!

What do you think about the coronavirus? How are is your experience going so far in quarantine, how have you been enjoying it? Let us know what you have on your mind in the comment section below.

I hope that you’re all doing well, staying indoors, and being safe. Spend time with your loved ones and be thankful for all that you have.

I know we’re living in trying times right now because of the Coronavirus, but we’ll get through this together. Remember to wash your hands! 🧼💕

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