Focus on the positive
The world is undergoing a dramatic cultural and economic shift due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over 22 million people have filed for unemployment in the US alone. Hiring freezes are in place, companies are shifting to remote work and for the class of 2020, things may seem bleak.
So much news like this article from the NYT spell extremely challenging times ahead for graduating seniors. While it's important to be aware of the challenges, it is more important to familiarize yourself with the many positive resources that exist to help graduating seniors succeed in the job market.
Now is the time to focus on career development, update your resume, network, embrace change, and try to make the best of this pandemic. Here are a list of 4 resources to help you thrive and come out of this crisis stronger than you went into it.
#1 Graduating in the Age of COVID-19 - The Washington Center
This is a MASTER RESOURCE GUIDE to navigate the COVID-19 crisis as a May 2020 grad. Start here and explore the awesome resources The Washington Center has put together.
Follow their steps and focus on your mindset, then professional development, and then the rest of your life. If your mindset isn’t right, then you won’t be empowered as you approach these challenges.
Once you've grounded yourself, start looking at companies jobs that are still hiring (use lists like candor.co), focus on networking, update your resume, and get new skills.
There is so much you can do right now while the world is on pause in self-quarantine to come out more successful on the other side.
#2 How to Maximize Your Career Development During Covid-19 - Lehigh University
This is a great supplement to the comprehensive guide above. It highlights 6 tips to set yourself up for success and offers unique insight.
One big take away is to visit your career center at your university. Yes. They are here for you and want you to succeed.
I was just chatting with the career center at a local college, CMC in Colorado and they are providing so many resources to help their students be successful.
Visit your college counseling office and set up a meeting to review your career plan, create a new resume, or do a mock interview. They are amazing and here to help you.
#3 An Open Letter To Graduating Students - Rose Nakamoto
“How can I come out of this stronger than I went into it?”
I’ve been asking myself this question since the quarantine started. How can I use this time to develop the habits, values, and goals that are important to me? How can I use this adversity as fuel to become better?
Rose Nakamoto’s open letter to graduates poses similar questions and encourages students to acknowledge what is possible and step into this new world courageously.
While this is a very challenging time for seniors entering the job market, it is also an incredible time to redefine yourself and reimagine what is possible.
Accept that the times ahead will be challenging and lead those around you into the future that you create.
#4 The Class of COVID-19, Part 1: We Are All Mavericks Now - Interview with Mark Cuban
Mark Cuban is a thought leader in the business world and has some amazing advice for students.
In this interview, Mark notes that just because COVID-19 has changed the world, we shouldn’t just give up on our dreams. We should continue to define our ideal work scenario and pursue that.
“Your first job is about getting paid to learn. It doesn’t have to be perfect and it doesn’t have to be a career...it’s just your chance to dip your toes into the workforce.” - Mark Cuban
Even if we can't find our perfect job immediately, you can use your first job as a learning experience for the job that comes after.
Come out of this stronger
Take time to read through these resources and focus on what you can do right now to prepare fo the future. Ask yourself, how will you use this time to come out stronger, smarter, and better than before? How will you be a leader in the post COVID-19 world?
Check out some of our other Savviest blog posts on how to write a resume for college students or how to write about your achievements. Please share this post with college graduates in your circle to help them succeed during this challenging time.
Savviest makes it easy to build resumes and cover letters custom-tailored for each job for which you apply. We've made Savviest Pro free for 6 months to support job seekers and students affected from the COVID-19 pandemic.