Losing your job, no matter your age can be a distressing experience. You have dedicated yourself to one career, and losing it may make you feel concerned as to what you should do next. Take solace in the fact that you are not alone in this situation. Millions of Americans, as well as many millions of others around the world, have lost their jobs due to this pandemic.
Some jobs that were cut from company payrolls are just now starting to return, but some will be gone for good. Covid-19 has introduced a new era of employment, fueled by remote work. With the ability to work wherever and whenever traditional jobs have given way to tech-based jobs that will guide the future of work. So, if you have lost your job amid the pandemic, how should you react and what should you do?
Identify a New Skill
When trying to learn how to reenter the workforce, it’s important to look at what direction it is heading in. Right now, millions of people are trying to reenter the workforce by pursuing the exact occupations they held before. This isn’t the greatest choice, as a large number of those industries are set to soon be disrupted by technology in unprecedented ways.
Taking this as an opportunity to identify a new path that interests you may be the smartest course of action. Find a new career opportunity and research what skills are needed to begin that career. Even if you don’t know what job you want, it’s important to do the proper research so that you are sure of what you want to do.
It should come as no surprise that the future of work is likely going to rely heavily on technology. The remote work trend has shown this, and it isn’t simply going to disappear. Getting ahead of that trend by pursuing a tech-based career now can help prepare you to face your competition in the future. However, once you actually identify a new career path and the skills needed to enter that field, you will need to obtain additional education in order to succeed.
Obtain More Education
When it comes to getting further educated after losing your job, your choices are slightly limited. You likely can’t afford to attend a graduate program, at the risk of blowing through your savings, and moving across the country just isn’t feasible. However, there are two other strong options that you can pursue to gain the education you need.
The first of these options is to attend a trade school. Unlike a graduate program from a university or college, trade schools feature specialized courses that teach students everything they need to know about a specific career in about a year. What makes this option particularly beneficial after losing your job is that some trade schools, such as Thinkful, are willing to defer tuition until you are able to pay.
The second option is attending a tech bootcamp. Similar to a trade school, but far shorter, bootcamps offer courses that teach one specific skill. Fortunately, these are also much cheaper than a standard graduate program.
Relearn How to Interview
After learning new skills and focusing on honing those skills through a trade school or bootcamp, you will need to go through the interview process again. Unless you only recently landed your previous job, it’s unlikely that you are aware of how the interview process has changed. Interviews have become far more technical, and acing them requires a solid foundation in the job you’re applying for.
To nail these opportunities, it may serve you well to find strategies that will help you succeed. One possible tool is the STAR Method for interviewing, which can help give you an edge over the competition by making you seem more prepared. At the end of the day, you need to know what you want and keep going for it until you find it.
Conclusion
As a whole, the workforce is undergoing a strong period of disruption. Covid-19 has left millions of employees out of jobs and scrambling for work, but another disruption is just on the horizon. Technology has been changing the way we work for a number of years, and will likely lead to a disruption just as strong, perhaps stronger, than the one we have just suffered. Rather than reenter a dying industry, focus on pursuing a path that will merge smoothly with technology. This will help set you up for a sustainable new career and will get you back on your feet.
