The result of Covid-19 is that many businesses have had to close their offices and slow down their hiring efforts. Not to mention that the country is still in lockdown, which means this can feel like a very strange and difficult time to begin your job hunt. 

But thanks to the internet, it is now entirely possible to conduct a virtual job search and even complete every stage of the hiring process without ever leaving your home. 

To help you navigate this strange time, we’ve put together a list of our top five tips for boosting your virtual job hunt and landing your next exciting role. 

1. Grow your network 

Expanding your network is always useful for your career, but particularly when you're job hunting. You can do this virtually by using professional networking sites like LinkedIn, as well as connecting with key influencers, professionals and brands in your industry via social media. 

Because you never know when someone might reach out to you or share details of a great opportunity. 

2. Keep learning new skills 

It’s also important that you're always updating your knowledge and learning new skills and there are so many great resources for you to use online right now.

These can help to drive your passion and will look great on your CV, which could boost your chances of beating the competition. 

Best of all, you can widen your skillset from the comfort of your sofa. Consider using free tools like Youtube tutorials to boost your digital skills or enrolling in one of the thousands of online courses available to you right now. 
 

3. Let employers know you're available 

If you're looking for a new job there are several ways you can send out virtual smoke signals to let employers know. 

By uploading your CV to relevant job sites you can help employers find you. What’s more, you can change your LinkedIn profile (and possibly other social media platforms) to show that you're available for hire. 

4. Practise speaking in front of the camera 

Another way to boost your job hunt is by practising your virtual interview skills. Increasingly businesses are relying on video interviews to help them find employees, so you need to be prepared for this. 

Take some time to get comfortable in from of your camera. You could even record yourself doing a pretend interview and watch it back to see how you performed. 

There are also plenty of great resources online offering tips and advice for a successful video interview, so check these out. 

5. Attend virtual job fairs 

Just because lots of jobs fairs have had to cancel their in-person events this year, this doesn't mean they aren't going ahead. 

Many have moved their event online so that job hunters can attend virtually and still get the chance to see what exciting opportunities are out there and to ask questions to those in their chosen industry. 

It’s time to boost your virtual job hunt 

The job-hunting landscape looks a little different right now, but that’s OK. Thanks to the internet, you can still look for exciting opportunities and land your next role without leaving your home.

Be sure to make use our five tips above to help boost your virtual job search and don’t give up! The perfect job is out there, you just have to find it.

 

Andrew Fennell is the founder of CV writing advice website StandOut CV—he is a former recruitment consultant and contributes careers advice to publications like Business Insider, The Guardian, and Fast Company.