During this month I am getting constant requests from my anxious clients for me to tell them about how the Covide-19 crisis will impact their career and how will they cope with the uncertainty of mass unemployment, long recovery period, and their own finances. Although I do not have a crystal ball to reveal what is going to happen, nor am I a fortune teller, all I can do is what has worked for me personally, having gone through major crises in my own career and life and what is working with my clients.
Here is my advice that can apply to many:
- Stay calm and do not overreact to anything that is happening from hour to hour. When there is an order for Shelter in Place, do not rush to the supermarket and stockpile by maxing-out your credit cards. Such reaction merely exacerbates the general panic among others, who follow suit and fill-up their shopping carts with items they do not even need or can use.
- Despite what many think hiring is going on at nearly the same pace as before. Just this morning two of my clients moved to the offer stage after going through final video rounds, replacing on-site interviews. One of them is in the bio-med space and the other in high-tech.
- This crisis has opened up new opportunities for others: One client who was laid-off from a financial institution last year was pursuing new jobs, but because of the stock-market meltdown of the past two weeks he is getting a flood of calls from financial institutions to use his expertise in ETF space to consult with them on what to do in today’s uncertain climate. Now we have decided position him to go as a full-time consultant to large financial institutions.
- Yet another client who left his job last year as a supply-chain executive is now back in the market. We are now packaging him to deal with opening up new supply chains for the high-tech verticals, now that China has fallen out of favor in that area.
- The biggest antidote to dealing with such crisis is to be adaptable. Think outside the box (see #3 and #4 above) and figure out what you need to do to get back into action while this crisis is front and center. There is always a way to look at this crisis with a creative perspective. In the Japanese language the word Crisis is written to have to sides: One is reads as danger and the other as opportunity.
- Most are working from home to stay away from other people. So, use this time to reinvent your rhythm and figure out how you want to make the most of this opportunity to do the work you love, to get closer to those in your family, and do some serious reflection on what you really want to do next.
- If you are working and looking for a change, make sure that your job search does not jeopardize your current job. Continue to engage fully in your role, even from home and keep looking as if that is yet another job you are doing on your own time.
- If you are out of work and looking, make sure that you have filed for unemployment insurance and evaluate what you want to do next (see #3, and #4).
- Sign on to toptal.com and see if you can get some gigs in an area that you want to move into and establish yourself in that direction.
- Volunteer for worthy causes. With the Covid-19 crisis these opportunities are unlimited. This way you’ll find it easier to deal with the gap on your résumé if you are out of work and looking.
- Re-energize your network and see if any of the entrepreneurial friends can “hire” you in their company. Suggest “Try before Buy” approach and get working. That way you have something on your chronology that fills a gap. You may even get hired if there is a fit.
- Take out some time for yourself and exercise, meditate, and get enough sleep at night. In such stressful times it is easy to lie awake and worry about things you cannot control. Find ways to de-stress yourself by doing some exercises or whatever it takes for you to get de-stressed. Constant stress (we often cause our own stress) creates the cortisol effect and reduces your immunity to antigens; Covid-19 is one. So, watch-out!
- Eat healthy foods. In times of stress it is natural for us to binge on junk food. Watch TV only at scheduled times otherwise, sitting down in front of TV watching evolving news and consuming junk food can be your bane!
- When dealing with kids remember the Oxygen-mask metaphor. On airlines they tell you to put your Oxygen mask first before putting it on your kids. The same principle applies here. That “mask” is your calm demeanor before you calm your anxious kids and those around you. Being calm yourself can greatly reduce the overall anxiety of those around you, especially your kids and your spouse.
- Despite the orders to stay home you can go out for a walk or to do urgent chores (grocery shopping, visit to pharmacy, vets, etc.). Stay away from crowds and be careful getting too close to anyone, other than your own family members who are not sick.
This list can go on and on, but I think that I’ll stop here and let my readers respond with their own suggestions and ideas.
Stay well and stay safe!
