Losing your job at any point in your life can be a traumatic experience that leaves you unsure about the future. But in 2020, the workforce has gone through a period of disruption like never before. Millions have been laid off or furloughed and the job market is only just starting to recover. Unfortunately for some, technology is poised to cause another disruptive period within the workforce over the next few years.
For that reason, your first step if you have lost your job due to Covid-19 should not be to jump straight back into the workforce. Instead, use this time to take pre-emptive action and refine your skill set for the future. Unless you lost a job that was based in tech, it’s more than likely that the industry you were working in will face disruption again soon. Discover how to turn that upcoming turmoil in your favor with some of the advice below.
Pick a New Skill to Develop
The first step in recovering after the loss of a job due to the Covid-19 outbreak is to identify a new potential career you would like to enter. Once you have a career picked out, you can begin to narrow down the specific skills that you will need to enter that field. There are a number of skills that are applicable across many tech jobs, so choosing a skill with a large area of overlap is in your best interest.
To that end, coding could be a smart choice. It gives you the skills needed to go in a number of different directions. However, if you choose to pursue coding, you will need to learn a specific coding language that resonates with you. The only way to do this is with good old-fashioned research. Look into the differences between coding languages, such as Python and JavaScript, and learn what they are used for.
Even if you do not pick up coding, you should perform this same level of research into any potential skill that you hope to develop. Doing this will help you discover a skill that lines up with your interests and passions. If you don’t do enough research, you may end up in a mismatched career that will leave you unhappy in the long run.
Enroll in a Trade School
After deciding on a career and learning about the skills needed to enter the new field, you’re undoubtedly going to need to obtain additional education. Unfortunately, just after losing your job, attending a full-fledged graduate program may be unreasonable given the time commitment and cost.
Fortunately, however, trade schools are a fantastic option and provide similar job opportunities upon graduation. Unlike a standard graduate program, a trade school wraps up its courses in around one year, and will leave students prepared to enter a specific career after studying specialized courses. Better yet, studies show that trade school graduates have a comparative starting salary to university graduates.
In addition to being cheaper than university programs, some trade schools, such as Flatiron School, even offer deferred tuition. This makes them the perfect option for anyone who has lost their job and is looking to get back on their feet.
Brush-Up Your Cover Letter
After acquiring the skills and knowledge needed to enter a new field, you will have to re-learn how the interview process works if you hope to land a new job. Review how to write a killer resume and how long a cover letter should be so that you will be prepared to ace any interview. Get ready for any interview you land by doing adequate research into what the specific field requires of you during the interview process, as well as any questions the interviewer may ask you.
Conclusion
No matter how you look at it, technology is changing everything about work and how we go about it. Taking this opportunity to adjust your skills to the future of work now could set you up for a lucrative career. Although it may not seem like a positive experience at the moment, treat your job loss as an opportunity to freely pursue any career path you desire. Don’t become complacent after losing your job. Launch a new career and get back on your feet.
