According to the OECD, the COVID-19 pandemic triggered one of the worst jobs crises since the Great Depression.

Some sectors have strengthened, such as technology, while others have shrunk, particularly those sectors that work in close proximity to customers such as hospitality.

For others, it is an opportunity to change jobs and retrain to change their professional sector.

Being in between jobs or looking for a new job can be challenging for many people. You do not, however, have to do it alone.

Do not be hesitant to ask others for help.

In particular, there are two areas where it is important to get external advice.

Steps to success

For starters, one of the most common problems that each of us should pay attention to is updating the curriculum vitae (CV).

Improving a CV can be daunting, no matter what field you are working in.

So you need to invest time in this, and importantly, find someone such as a professional coach to help you produce the best CV possible. Search around, check testimonials, and also it is a good idea to get someone to edit the language, even if you are writing in your mother tongue.

Bear in mind too that some of you may want to have a few different CVs on hand, each one emphasizing different skills depending on the job requirements. For example, you may have a chronological or a skills-based CV, or even a video CV, which is becoming more and more popular.

You are not alone. There are people out there who can help, and provide the assistance and confidence boost you need.

The second most important thing is the cover letter. The cover letter will change depending on the job requirement, and what skills you may want to highlight.

Again, do not be shy about asking for help. Maybe you can approach someone in the industry or a friend in human resources to help guide you. And it can be worth investing in the small cost of having a professional or work coach to check what you are writing. Over time as you learn, you will become more confident in what you write with others’ help.

You are not alone. There are people out there who can help, and provide the assistance and confidence boost you need.

 

In the same series:

1. Le télétravail

2. Les références

3. Enrichissement du CV

4. L’entretien téléphonique

5. Actions pour réussir votre stratégie de retour à l’emploi