Well, all I can say is that 2020 is turning out to be a year to remember! And, for the most part, not in a good way. We were all going about our lives, shopping at stores without masks, drinking at our local bar and going to concerts squeezed into a small space. We never, ever expected to have to deal with a global pandemic and the halt of our world economy!

Up to March of this year unemployment was the lowest it has been in decades. People who wanted to work, mostly could get jobs that aligned with their experience, skills and educational requirements. And then, BAMM! We were at home on lock down as the COVID-19 cases were rising and people were dying at a record pace.  Everything closed down to help “bend” the curve and make sure the hospitals were not overloaded.

COVID-19 is still with us and there are increasing numbers in some areas. Some states have had to close down business  again because of the spread further damaging the local economies. But, you know all this. The good news is that there is a strong possibility of a vaccine by the end of the year and soon there will be new treatment options that have been proven effective. COVID-19 is not going away, but we will soon save more lives and learn to live with the virus while, hopefully, being protected by a vaccine.

It’s time to really start looking for a job. The industry you were in may not be there for you now, so what can you do to get back into the job market?

Here are (3) Tips:

(1.) Turn off the news & focus on what you want to do. You need to turn off the noise around you and do some soul searching on what you want to do and what skills you may have to get you there. Take this “me-time” and focus on your passions and the promise of your future. We are all spending way too much time on events that are not directly beneficial to our own future. So focus on YOU!

(2.) Update Your Social Media Sites. Make sure that your Facebook and LinkedIn pages are telling the real story of who you are, not someone else.  And please watch what you put on these sites, as a really bad post can cost you a job. If there is a post that really shouldn’t be on your page, delete it. And while you are on Facebook, you should clean up your “friends” list and make sure you do not allow anyone to automatically post on your timeline!

(3.) Reach out to your former business associates. Now, is the time to call former business associates, former clients and friends and start to network. People are ready to talk and you need to be finding out what they are doing and if there is an opportunity to work together.

Don’t waste any time. Start structuring your day and working toward your new business future! And, always believe in yourself!