Post covid-19 employment
By Hayley Shields
I remember the anxiety I had when I first started my graduate programme in 2018 which was the beginning of my career in aviation. I can only begin to imagine how you must be feeling now, entering or re-adjusting to an uncertain job market during a pandemic, which has undoubtedly rocked our industry significantly. But, not only are we an extremely resilient industry, we are crucial to restarting the global economy, meaning no matter how hard we’re rocked, we will always rise again – we have to!
May I also add that your ability to come out the other side of this is testament to your character. Although this may seem like a set-back now, your endurance and adaptability are admirable strengths.
With that in mind, I wanted to share some considerations in a post-COVID world for those of us either just starting or re-starting our careers. Let’s weather this storm together.
1. Spend some time whilst you are at home working on your CV and supporting documents. This way you will be on the front foot when opportunities arise. Another Aviation Action volunteer Gus has written some great tips here.
2. Do you have a LinkedIn account? If the answer is no, get one! Think of it as a professional social media page. So many opportunities for employment, collaboration and meaningful conversation happen here. Not only can you build a network and seek employment, you can keep up-to-date with relevant topics which will give you plenty to talk about and demonstrate to your future employer.
I have attached a link here to a great article on how to make your profile stand out. I would love to connect with you!
3. With the social distancing measures continuing for the foreseeable, it is likely that video and telephone interviews will become increasingly popular within recruitment. Are you comfortable within these settings?
- Why not use your time at home to practise either on your own or with a family member?
- There are some great tips online to help you practise. I have linked some below:
Telephone Interview
Video Interview
If you’d like someone to practise with, I’d be more than happy to set some mock interviews up with you so you’re more comfortable when the time arises.
4. Often at interview we are asked to demonstrate our experiences through situational questions. Try to keep an up-to-date CV so you always have oversight of your experiences and achievements. In addition, consider what you have been doing during lockdown; you will no doubt find some skills are transferrable and demonstrate to an employer your resilience. A great way to frame your answer to these questions is using the STAR method, found here.
5. If you have time, why not undertake a free online course? Some great resources I’ve used include:
https://www.open.edu/openlearn/free-courses
6. It is quite profound the transferrable skills between aviation and other industries. To that end, although the aviation job market seems uncertain for the moment, I would not rule out other professional opportunities in the meantime. When it comes to applying for roles you will have more expertise, setting you apart from other candidates.
If you’d like to read more on graduate programmes and early-career support in particular, I’ve written another piece on the Aviation Action advice page, titled Graduate Placements.
Although the world is unrecognisable at the moment, a new normality will return soon, and I cannot wait to be alongside you when it does.
Take care and I hope we can connect soon.
Hayley
