6 Tips for Career Progress or Landing a Job in COVID Times
Have you been looking for the right career steps over the last 6 months?
Feeling stuck in your career progression?
As more candidates and professionals are feeling their career or job search lag during COVID times, below are some tips for staying positive and constructive in building your career:
1. Schedule Coffee Chats
Schedule coffee chats with senior people to learn about their career. Don’t pose this as asking for a job. Instead, choose someone who seems to be in a spot that you want to build to in your career.
E.G. If you are a Marketing Executive, reach out to a Marketing Manager. If you are a Marketing Manager, reach out to a Chief Marketing Officer. Email / LinkedIn message them with:
- Mention Commonality: E.g. We are both in Marketing field / industry. We both went to X school. We both like Y. We both follow Z.
- Compliment: Say that you look up to them and that you would humbly like to learn more about their position as you like to someday be in the place that they are.
- Request: Ask them if they have 15 minutes to have a virtual coffee with you.
You will get an opportunity to gain valuable information in the field that you are doing and continue to learn. Also, your resourcefulness and personality will impress them, and you will build up your network. Who knows, this may help you get a great job opportunity or open up a partnership opportunity in the future.
Understand and be ok with many of these contacts not writing you back. This is ok. After 10 days, send a follow up note saying: “Hi, I am sending a friendly follow up for this in case it fell through the cracks. If you have 15 minutes to chat, I’d appreciate the chance to pick your brain…”
If you reach out to 20 people, and you get 4 people available to chat with you, then that is awesome!