Preparations When Applying for Online Jobs During and After COVID-19 Crisis

Changes in Employment Opportunities during COVID-19 crisis

The turmoil of COVID-19 has had a major global influence on health, economies, businesses and even on the educational market. This, in a way has changed the flow of the current employment status and new job opportunities. Crisis-affected professionals face instability with their present employment and others may even have been laid off. Such situations are likely to raise the number of unemployed people who are searching for new employment opportunity which could be daunting as the market is changing.

The companies are finetuning their standard operating procedures (SOPs) by executing modern operating approaches such as working remotely and working-from-home (WFH). However, this condition still impacts the company’s income which consequences in the distribution of the budget. If at all there is any job vacancy, the Human Resources department is required to change their current recruitment practice to fit in the limitations implemented caused by the COVID-19 crisis.

Nonetheless, online jobs are still readily available but mostly covers home-based jobs. Online jobs are not something new in the market and it is definitely a good prospect for those individuals looking to earn some income without jeopardizing their wellbeing. Like every opportunity, jobseekers must be well-prepared right from the application process till the end to enhance their chance of securing that online job.

Specific Preparations When Applying for Online Jobs

Jobseekers are required to fine-tune and re-evaluate their preparations particularly if this is their first time applying for an online job. Flexibility and adaptability towards the evaluation process and job itself is an integral part of the readiness. Here are some tips on how you can prepare for you job application.

1. Research online job positions

When applying there are three significant things to look for:

• The availability and demand of a particular online job position

There are various online jobs such as ESL Teacher or Tutor, Virtual Assistant, Content Writer, Digital Marketing Analyst, Graphic Designer, Software and/or Systems Engineer, etc. that are home-based and can either be done on a full-time or part-time basis. It’s crucial to know which online jobs are readily available and deemed to be on demand, as that’s where the opportunities are presumably found.

• The legitimacy of the company and the online job position

As most of the online jobs are not only posted in various portals but also on social media, cross-check on which of those vacancies are legit online jobs. Refer to the company’s website and official social media accounts for relevant information.

• Skills and expertise needed for the online job

Some of the online jobs, such as in the technical field requires relevant experiences and skillset. Be mindful that the qualifications required facilitates easier and efficient recruitment process for both job seeker and employers.

2. Update your resume and other job portal profiles

First rule of a basic job application is to have an updated resume in terms of the work experience, training and skills information specifically for the job seeker that has not applied for jobs for quite some time. The bits of information that is updated must be relevant to the online jobs posted. Similarly, your job portal profile must also be updated as the employers tend to view it before contacting the applicants. There are plenty of online portfolios uploaded and accessed to ease up the referencing of past work samples.

3. Prepare for job interviews done entirely online

Tough online screenings are not something that is precisely uncommon for most companies particularly for international offices, but it’s more generic for the employers that offers online jobs. Although it’s for an online job, face-to-face interviews are still being held at the final stage of hiring process as a way for the employer to get to know the applicant closely. However, this process has been restricted to phone or online screening in light to the COVID-19 crisis.

The jobseeker is obliged to confirm with the employer on the online assessment and interview processes for them to prepare for the required device and resources. Location, possible disturbances, and unforeseen technical difficulties are some of the factors that must be kept in check. In order to make an impeccable professional impression of yourself, be conscious of your dressing sense, posture and position and lastly your nonverbal communication skills. Getting ready earlier helps in avoiding some of the interview fails such as sudden unwanted noises in the background, failure to enable the audio or video button or unintentional filter application.

4. Assess your work from home or remote working preparedness

During this crisis, work-from-home is one of the significant options implied that allows the companies to operate. Jobseekers who are not used to doing any home-based job needs to get themselves prepared for the online jobs that are remote based. It is highly probable that this question may be raised during the interview stage by the employers. Therefore, it is significant to prepare the required work setup in hand right from the device, stable network connection and software licenses to be installed to ease up the work flow such as report submission, communication and other business practices.

As working from home is prone to distractions, a steady routine must be developed to avoid hindering the productivity. For an instance, getting up early for work may also contribute to a good routine.

5. Take online courses to continue working on your skills

You can either do this before applying for an online job or while waiting for the employer’s response. One’s resume can be boosted and improve the probability to be noticed by a potential employer by attending online courses. Online courses, training, and webinars is expected to be an integral of the new normal as the COVID-9 crisis has changed the usual work practices.

Online job is not something new to the job market. Some of the professionals experienced in this line has been doing this for a while now. The necessity of having a constant and reliable income sources without affecting one’s wellbeing has increased the demand for this kind of jobs. The jobseeker is advised to prepare themselves adequately to fulfil the goals set for the job even though, there is much more flexibility in the work environment and job schedules of an online job.

As a steadfast partner to employers and candidates, JobStreet has launched the campaign #TogetherAhead, with a specially set up COVID-19 Jobs and Resource Hub to offer guidance to both businesses and individuals through this crucial time.