Changing jobs can be one of the more stressful events in life, and combined with the COVID-19 outbreak, your stress level may be high. This is a time to take extra care of yourself. Everyone has different strategies.  We have a few suggestions below that may help you.  

While you may feel like putting your job search on hold, it’s important that you don’t. Many industries are hiring right now and it’s best to be prepared.

To manage your stress and build resilience, try these tips from the experts:

• Exercise - Go for a walk or take time to exercise. Experts recommend at least 2.5 hours each week of moderate physical activity which releases “endorphins” that naturally make you feel better, feel less stressed and can help you sleep. Remember to check with your doctor before starting any new exercise program.
• Practice relaxation techniques - Try deep breathing, meditation or stretching. These can help activate what’s called your “parasympathetic” nervous system which relaxes your body and calms your mind.
• Get enough sleep - Sleep re-energizes the body's cells, clears waste from the brain and supports learning and memory. Are you getting enough sleep?
• Focus on the positive - Take a break from negative news and instead think about what you’re thankful for. According to research, this can reduce the stress hormone cortisol by 23% and improve your energy and mood and lower cortisol levels.
• Stick to a routine - Create a daily routine which may include getting up at the same time daily, eating healthy meals, spending regular time on your job search, getting the right exercise and getting good sleep.

Hop over to NextJob Training and log in to your account to learn more.

(If you need access let us know!)

The COVID-19 outbreak has been . . . . challenging.  As a part of NextJob'sCareer Development work, we’d like to do what we can to help. We asked two of our experts to put together a 20-min webinar, now a recording that you can watch any time, on best practices for managing stress as well as staying productive and connected while working remotely. ‍

The video is designed for managers and employees and summarizes evidence-based research as well as trending best practices.Leading the webinar are two of our subject matter experts:

• Joan Runnheim Olson, Brain Success Coach and NextJob Career Coach - Joan has 22 years of experience coaching and leverages brain science with her coaching clients to address subjects such as managing stress. She has a certificate in Applied Neuroscience and Brain Health from The Neuroscience Academy.
• Dixie Bullock, NextJob Coach Team Manager - Dixie brings a decade of experience as a virtual coach as well as her deep experience managing and optimizing the productivity and culture of a fully virtual team across seven states.

You can watch the full video (20 minutes) here:

[vimeo 403884086 w=640 h=360]

Or if you aren't working remotely and would still like to help your team manage stress, check out the shorter (9 minutes) version:[vimeo 403773032 w=425 h=250]

Or listen to the podcast version here.

The jobs landscape has changed significantly since January.  At the end of 2019 some states reported unemployment rates lower than 3.5%.   The BLS has seemingly unlimited resources on this topic.  During this time unemployment was so low that there were more jobs than there were people to fill them.  It was a job seekers' market -- job seekers frequently had multiple offers in front of them and they got to choose which position to take.  Prior to these (ultra) low unemployment rates hiring managers frequently had large pools of applicants.  This wasn't the case.  That is until businesses and schools started temporarily closing due to COVID-19.

As the virus became a pandemic, the layoffs began.  Many of those vacant positions, that didn't have enough viable candidates, disappeared.  Some of those jobs are now remote.  Employers that could shift to a remote workplace have.  But according to the US Census as of December 2019, only about 5% of employees work remotely.

There are two issues here.

1. We have a vastly non-remote workforce who do not have the skillset required to work from their couch and still operate effectively.
2. Many jobs are now advertised as remote, and with the growing pool of laid off job seekers, it becomes incredibly difficult to stand out in a crowd of otherwise fantastic candidates.  What used to be a local job may now be nationwide with remote work as a possibility.

A solution to bridging remote worker ability gap, and ensuring that you shine among the many other applicants?

‍Job coaches.  Check out our Coaching flyer.‍

Job coaches help build strategies to find employment.  Job coaches understand the intricacies of the job market.  Many job postings, as many as 60% are referred to as hidden.  They either aren't posted publicly, or aren't posted in places where the average job seeker can view them.  Coaches help develop the abilities to: apply for jobs, build effective resumes,  answer tough interview questions, stand out in a crowded field and ultimately be the best worker.

A job coach is your personal resource while you’re looking for your next job. NextJob coaches are job search experts who are also certified in coaching. They specialize in encouraging, motivating and acting as a sounding board for your thoughts and ideas while helping you develop your resume and prepare for interviews. NextJob coaches work at your pace and schedule to create the support that works best for your goals.NextJob coaches can help you develop strategies for applying remotely, interviewing remotely, and then working remotely.

“I was in a pool of over 300 applicants and was able to make it through all the interviews and finally got the job. I believe my job coach was hugely responsible for that."
- Everett, A no-longer job seeker who used NextJob.

“It's like having a personal tutor that helps bring out the best in me and realizes I have a lot to offer in the work force.”

- Kathy, A no-longer job seeker who used NextJob.

Losing your job is tough.  It's even tougher when you have a mortgage and you have no savings or other support system.  You may even risk losing your house.  With Haventree Bank, things are different:

According to The Globe and Mail* (Link Below), it doesn't have to be that way.

"Haventree has launched a first-of-its-kind program in Canada called NextJob. Essentially, it is designed to help people who have lost their job find new work.

"Why would a bank pay for a borrower's job seeker program?

• This program creates positive word of mouth, good reviews, and referral business.
• Customers helped by a business tend to stick around. “The average tenure of that customer increases when they go through NextJob,” Wilfred Pande, vice-president of mortgage servicing at Haventree That generates higher mortgage-renewal revenue.
• It’s also a good way for Haventree to keep expenses down. “It helps us [economically] by having the customer stay in their homes.” That’s because of the many administrative costs of taking someone’s home, some of which are not recoverable.
• There can be other financial benefits for a lender. A mortgage forbearance agreement, in which a lender agrees not to foreclose if the borrower meets the lender’s terms, could mean that the mortgage doesn’t show up in the lender’s bad loan statistics.
• Plus, it's the right thing to do!

Homeowner reemployment helps banks retain customers, build new relationships, and ultimately keep people in their homes.

How does it work?  Coaching, software, and webinars.

A Personal Trainer for Your Career

A job coach is like a personal trainer for your career. Your coach calls will help you:

• Craft and fine tune a resume, 30 sec. commercial, social media profile, etc.
• Choose a career direction to best tap their talents and background
• Stay focused, accomplish goals and interview with confidence

All You Need to Know in One Spot, Online

Tools and exercises to help be prepared, including a resume builderIt takes a lot.   Job boards, social media sites, resumes . . . Our system gives you:

• Today’s networking tricks to tap the 50% of jobs that are “hidden”
• Guidance to the top job boards and how to use them

Downloadable Weekly Expert Webinars

Each week tune in to our JobTalk webinars for a deep dive in a key topic:

• Hear experts discuss best practices and leading trends you need to know
• Participate in group learning, share and hear from others
• Download recordings to listen to on demand

*https://www.theglobeandmail.com/investing/personal-finance/household-finances/article-haventree-bank-launches-nextjob-program-for-homeowners-who-have-lost/

Interviews can be stressful – but if you prepare well, they can be enjoyable. And when you prepare thoroughly for an interview, you'll show the hiring manager that you'll go the extra mile if you're hired for the job.

Use these three tips to make the best impression at your next job interview:

‍Research the employer – Learn why the company may be a good fit for you before the interview. Use the employer's website and internet searches to learn about the company, its history, locations, products and services. Look for recent company press releases and news articles.‍

Research your interviewer – Interviewers are more likely to hire someone who has something in common with them. Learn everything you can about the interviewer including their background, interests and mutual connections you may have. Use the power of LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and other networks to ask people in your network if they have any connections to the interviewer.

‍Practice your opening and close – People tend to remember the beginning and the end of a conversation. Practice what you’ll say at the start and end of your interview – in the mirror, with a friend or with a job coach – so those parts will go smoothly.

Employers make half of their hires through their network. The top networking site is LinkedIn, with over 400 million users. It allows job seekers and employers to quickly research each other and find common network connections who can speak in depth about a job seeker’s character - something a resume can’t do.  Fortunately, most of LinkedIn’s key features are free.

Follow these important steps on LinkedIn to open the door to jobs already in your network.

Optimize your profile – To get, on average, 21 times more profile views, detail your experience with keywords, skills and accomplishments that highlight your capabilities; write a sharp, short headline to reflect your brand and upload a professional-looking photo.

‍Activate your current network– Upload your email or other contact list to quickly expand your network with friends who are already on LinkedIn.

‍Find jobs and target employers– Search for openings in your area in the “Jobs” feature and find connections who can give you a warm introduction or go directly to the company LinkedIn profile and enter the target employer’s name in the search bar.‍

Following up with hiring managers– Stay connected on LinkedIn once you have had an interview or contacted someone to network for a job. Consider inviting the hiring manager to connect and/or comment on one of their LinkedIn postings. It will show your interest and keep your name in front of them without being annoying.

Did you know you can search for job postings from popular sites like Monster and CareerBuilder and have them sent to your email box automatically through Indeed.com? Indeed is the largest job board in the world, and fortunately, it's free to use.

To find jobs and set up your automated job search:

• Search– Go to indeed.com and enter your desired job and location in the "What" and "Where" fields fields. Click "Find Jobs," then narrow the list, if you like, using the filters on the results screen.
• Automate– Simply enter your email address in the "Get new jobs for this search by email" field to have new job postings sent to you for that search on a daily or weekly basis.
• Repeat – You can set up searches for as many jobs and locations as you like and cancel a search at anytime. You can also enter your resume into Indeed to let employers find you.

Rather than spending all your time searching through job postings on various sites, use a job board aggregator and spend more time networking.

Most job seekers aren't sure how to follow up after an interview or submitting an application - not knowing when an employer will call or when to follow up if they don't. Don't miss this important step. Employers often watch how you work on your job search to assess how you’ll work in the job.

Follow these keys to effective follow up:

‍Follow the "Rule of Three's"– In the first 5 to 7 days after submitting your resume or application, follow up by phone or in person and express interest in the position. If you don’t receive a response within two weeks, try again by email or send a message through LinkedIn. If you still haven’t received a response after a month, consider sending a handwritten note. Continue following up every few weeks to touch base on the progress of the search until the position is filled.

‍Make the extra effort– Always follow up with a thank you note within 24 hours of any interview. Send an email as well as a handwritten thank you card. The extra effort and the sincere appreciation for their time will speak volumes as to what kind of employee and coworker you will be. Be sure to also let them know you are interested in going to the next step!

‍Be persistent– Don't get discouraged. If you don't receive a response, don't stop making phone calls. Even if it's uncomfortable, remember to be confident. If you've done your research, the employers you've picked will be lucky to have you. Even if they've chosen another applicant, you may get a job lead for another position with the company by demonstrating your interest and professionalism.

‍

Job seekers often slow down their job search during the holidays and assume employers are not hiring or interviewing. But, according to studies, over one-third of employers expect to add employees during the fourth quarter including over the holiday season.

Here are three reasons why ramping up your job search over the holidays will give you an advantage:

• You'll have less competition– While other job seekers are taking time off of their job hunt, you should increase your activity. It will demonstrate your commitment to your future employer, and make it easier on the hiring manager.
• Hiring managers are more available – Although holidays can be busy, hiring managers’ calendars are often unscheduled, allowing them time to attend holiday gatherings, clean out files and plan for the new year. Reach out by phone or preferably in person to follow up on your application or schedule an informational interview.
• You'll gain momentum for the New Year – While other candidates will just be trying to rekindle their job search, yours will remain strong and your relationships with employers will be primed for start of the year hiring decisions.

The NextJob Team

‍P.S. Consider seasonal work or volunteer opportunities during the holidays while you continue your job search. You’ll expand your network and gain new experience, knowledge and connections that may lead to a full-time opportunity.

‍Helping you land your next great job...faster.‍

Employers can subscribe to our Reemployment Industry Insights mailing list and job seekers can subscribe to our Job Search News & Tips mailing list.

At NextJob we are so thankful for the privilege of working alongside our customers and their employees, helping them back to work. Customers of NextJob, have also helped us with our charitable Job for Job program: for every job search package our customers purchase, we donate a matching gift of our proprietary online job search skills system to someone in need.To reach those in need, we partner with organizations serving people who are homeless, in poverty, disadvantaged, disabled veterans, victims of domestic violence or chronically underemployed. Our mission is to help our partner organizations give a hand up into employment for our neighbors in need.

This holiday season, we thought we’d share two stories from Emergency Care Help Organization, our NextJob partner in Central Florida. ECHO serves residents in crisis with food and clothing and offers access to life-stabilizing programs and resources including our Job for Job reemployment program.

ECHO Director Eleanor Saunders recounted one of the more inspirational stories.  “Mark was homeless.  He walked four miles to class each week.  We received a donated bike and gave it to Mark.  He was faithful.  After a few months, he landed a job in HVAC with a local company.  He has since passed his 90 day probation period with flying colors!”

Another ECHO job seeker offered her story as well:‍

“I first came to ECHO for GED classes. Then I got more information on how to help my family by me attending Job for Job classes, where I was able to build my resume, practice for interviews and most important they gave me a confidence that wa

s lost somewhere down the line of my life or maybe never really had.

I got to practice different things and started to look at myself in the future with a real JOB and capable of being able to do something in the long term, not just an immediate need to pay a bill right now.  I got the feeling of long term success and this was something I never experienced before…I did my interview and got hired with great benefits and most important, now I have the opportunity to help others and give someone else this boost that I much needed in my life.”

- Marlen, Job for Job Client

‍As we head into a season of giving, we’re thankful for the privilege of partnering with our customers to make a real difference in people's lives and wish you all a very happy holiday season!

John Courtney, President & CEO

P.S.As always, we welcome suggestions of nonprofits that could use our resources to make a difference in the lives of those they serve and we welcome support in spreading the word. Simply contact Dale at dalef@nextjob.com to share your suggestions.

Employers can subscribe to our Reemployment Industry Insights mailing list and job seekers can subscribe to our Job Search News & Tips mailing list.