Summary:
- Consider exploring new career opportunities where you can transfer certain skills.
- Staffing agencies can potentially help you find a job in your field or in a different industry by leveraging specific skills.
- Companies like Northrop Grumman and Home Depot are hiring over 600 people and 1000 people, respectively.
Nearly two million jobs were added to the market in July, but millions of Americans are still out of work. And while it’s been reported that some jobs may not come back and certain businesses have permanently shut their doors, there are companies that are still hiring right now across the country.
Home Depot is hiring 1,000 people in areas like northern Michigan, Hawaii and Arizona. Northrop Grumman is looking to fill over 600 jobs in Salt Lake City, and Tesla is hiring those with experience in engineering, construction and human resources in Austin. There are a variety of jobs available.
But what if your expertise doesn’t align with jobs that are available in your area? Or, what if you applied along with thousands of other candidates and you weren’t granted an interview?
Here are some things you can do to help land a new job.
Consider transferring your skills to a new career
You may be surprised to learn that you can get hired in a different industry and different position without having to “start over” thanks to transferable skills.
“Transferable skills” are those skills and qualities that are useful to employers across various jobs and industries. There are countless transferable skills, but some of the most common include decision-making, multitasking, creative problem-solving, collaboration, communication, integrity, management, initiative, and leadership.
For example, if you are a restaurant manager with many years of critical thinking and creative problem-solving experience, and lose your job due to COVID-19, you may not be out of luck. You hear of a job opportunity at a hospital looking for a senior manager to help increase patient compliance with their medications and improve patient outcomes. You may think you are not a good fit because you never worked in the healthcare industry. However, by focusing on your years of critical thinking and problem-solving experience, you can prove you understand how to tackle a specific issue and develop a solution. When you get an interview, be ready to show or discuss certain issues that you solved in your previous job and how you could apply those same techniques and skills to the hospital.
In another example from Career and Life Coach Caroline Castrillon, let’s say you work in publishing, and you have developed advanced communication, writing and project management skills. These talents may translate well to any number of roles, including corporate communications, journalism and marketing.
Contact a staffing agency
Another thing to consider is contacting a staffing agency. Despite how they’re portrayed in TV sitcoms, staffing agencies aren’t just for admin roles or executive assistants. A staffing agency hires a person for contract (also referred to as contingent) work. The jobs can pay very well, are all over the country, and the agencies often have a wide array of opportunities.
The jobs are often full-time for several months or even over a year and opportunities range from engineers and developers to marketing designers and accounting professionals, among many others. Once a project is completed, you can apply for another project.
This type of work can either be the start of a career or provide you with some temporary work while you’re between jobs. It can also help give you exposure to different kinds of work and help you develop new skills for future opportunities.
Did you know that there are more than 20,000 staffing agencies and recruitment firms? While we cannot list all 20,000+ staffing agencies, here are a few you may want to look into: Randstad, Adecco, Robert Half, Kelly Services, and Manpower.
Make sure to highlight your transferable skills on your resume and on your cover letter or email. Good luck in your search!
This article is for informational purposes only and should not be relied on as financial advice.
