Start your job search sooner rather than later with Indeed

Sashi Kumar, Managing Director of Indeed India's advice to job seekers who are looking for jobs right now

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Published: Jun 1, 2020 01:50:27 PM IST

Updated: Jun 2, 2020 01:26:51 PM IST

What should an employee do to prepare if they feel that they will soon lose their job due to COVID-19 issues?

If you feel that your job security may be impacted due to coronavirus-related issues with your place of work, start your job search sooner rather than later. In addition to signing up for job alerts while you’re employed to have an idea of the kind of jobs that are available now, I always recommend that people tap into their networks. Connect with former colleagues and ask friends, acquaintances, and relatives to let you know if they find out about a position that suits you. Indeed is also hosting Job Cast Webinars where we provide advice on navigating job search during COVID-19. Because so many people’s jobs may be affected, the webinar will cover tips on finding work quickly when you need it, advanced search methods to find work from home or gig jobs, and how to impress employers in a remote interview setting.

How can those who have lost their job, or think they will soon, prepare for a financial hit? Are employers slowing down their hiring?

Some ways to cut down on expenses, including canceling subscription services, ordering in less, or looking for part-time work, or gig economy opportunities. It’s too early to say, but as a leading labor market researcher, this is something that we’ll be looking at moving forward.

What is your advice for graduates who will be pursuing a job right now?
We are seeing a lot of searches recently happen on Indeed for writer, tutor, and tech jobs.

In India, there's been a decline in the number of jobs in the hospitality, tourism, aviation, and dental industries, but hiring for tech jobs is still going on. The problem is that these new jobs are ones graduates are not necessarily looking for. This situation is evolving, and at Indeed we’re still collecting data on what is occurring across the economy. The rise in remote work likely means opportunities for graduates with the right set of skills. Tech companies for example or companies less impacted by social distancing will probably continue hiring but we’re aware that fields of interest vary, and the situation across industries will be varied as well.

When do you think we will see an uptake in hiring?

It’s too early to say, but as a leading labor market researcher, this is something that we will be looking at moving forward. One of the bigger conversations that is happening as a result of the Covid-19 situation is focused on the future of how we work. This has created a new opportunity to see how workforces can have more work from home flexibility or could even allow for more remote work options in the future especially if employers see benefits.

With many companies working remotely what are some best practices for hiring managers/teams conducting video interviews? What should they keep in mind to make the process as successful as possible?

First, it is important to make sure the job description is as accurate as possible - avoid using jargon and make the responsibilities and requirements clear to ensure you are getting candidates who match the role you are looking to fill.

Right now, many employers are having to rethink their interview processes to bring them online vs in-person. Having to adapt not only how they conduct interviews using video, assessments and other types of online skills tests that help identify candidates’ skills, but also how they keep candidates engaged throughout the interview process and how they can also convey some of the things that such as work environment or culture.

With all of these shifts to working remotely and interviewing over the video, it is important to shift your mindset. Technology allows us to stay connected and actually see the candidates and hiring managers, rather than simply relying on phone calls and emails for communication. In the hiring process - from interviewing to onboarding - you can still communicate the company’s core values and company culture, etc., virtually - that doesn’t go away.

How do you think are Indian job seekers taking work from home?

Job seekers are increasingly searching for terms like ‘remote’, ‘work from home’, and related phrases. Searches for remote work have increased by over 377% as a share of all searches on Indeed India from February 2020 - May 2020.

Job postings for remote work and work from home have also seen an increase of 168% from Feb 2020 - May 2020.

Disclaimer: The views, suggestions and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Forbes India journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.

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