ST PAUL, Minn. — Minnesota officials delivered a stunning statistic on Tuesday: The state has now topped more than 450,000 unemployment insurance applications in the past month, doubling the number of applications seen in all of 2019.
That number, which has disproportionately impacted women and people of color, represents a variety of different situations. Some people have lost jobs altogether, while others have seen hours reduced or have been forced to take temporary furloughs.
If you do find yourself searching for a new position at a different company, there are some industries that have increased hiring, including the health care sector, banking, customer service, delivery, and warehouses.
Paul DeBettignies of Minnesota Headhunter LLC, an expert on job recruiting and hiring for more than two decades, offered some guidance to KARE 11 viewers about how to navigate this economic crisis. Here are a few of his suggestions:
1) Make sure your resume is polished and that your LinkedIn site indicates that you’re looking for work (be sure that you have a personal email attached to the site as well).
2) Be proactive, especially with companies that are known to be hiring. “This isn’t the time to be shy,” DeBettignies said. “I would be aggressive.”
3) Don’t be afraid to reach out to companies even if the job you’re looking for isn’t posted. The employer may be overwhelmed with resumes, or the listings might be lagging. “We have this idea that we only see the jobs that are posted on Indeed or a career page,” DeBettignies said. “Just because a job isn’t posted doesn’t mean they’re not hiring.
4) Be prepared for what will likely become a virtual job interview, via Skype, Zoom, FaceTime or another medium. Dress well, make sure your computers camera is pointed eye-level, and try a few test runs. “I would practice like Google Hangouts. Practice talking into a camera. You could even hit record to see how you come across or how it feels,” DeBettignies said. “Think about your backdrop behind you.”
5) Depending on your circumstances, you could consider looking for part-time or contract work if a full-time job isn’t there – provided that you could find the proper amount of combined hours.