Artur Meyster
San Francisco, November 22, 2020
Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
In the future, humanity will probably look back to 2020 as a momentous year in history.
When it comes to the Covid-19 pandemic, there will be a before and after in history books.
Things have changed, and we have to adapt to be able to survive in our new reality. These are a few tips to get back on track in a post-pandemic society.
Accepting the New Reality
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a vast effect on the way our society works. Mainly, it had a direct impact on how we interact with others.
We will see the impact of the months in lockdown for the years to come.
But now that things are starting to open up again, things are still not going back to the reality we were used to before the virus.
We will have to continue to use masks well into next year or longer if a vaccine does not come soon.
We have to avoid direct contact with people outside our home, and we need to get disinfected every time we enter a new place.
It is as tedious as it sounds, but this is our new normal, and we have to get used to it.
Instead of crying about it, which will only lead us to being more irritated, we have to be grateful that we are alive and hopeful of the future.
Reunite with Loved Ones
Another thing to do now that Covid-19 is somewhat under control is to reunite with family and friends. Maybe you have not seen your parents or grandparents in a while for fear of infecting them.
But this may be an excellent time to meet up with them, although you should still use distancing measures and not take any risks.
Meeting up with friends is also an excellent option. You will be able to distract yourself a little bit from all the anxiety and uncertainty of the last few months.
Keep What You Learned
Many of us had a lot of time while we were in lockdown. And even if the lockdown was lifted, we still have a lot of free time that we used to fill by going out and meeting with friends. But because we are not doing that as regularly as before, we had to find something to fill our time.
So, you probably took up a new hobby or started a new habit.
For example, maybe you started learning a programming language, or you took up meditation in the mornings. The point is not to forget about it now that things are getting back to normal.
A new ability could go a long way in growing your career. And a mindful habit like meditation will continue to help you improve your mental health. So, keep what you learned during this year and continue to apply it in your life.
Getting Your Career Back on Track
Now that the government has lifted some restrictions, you may need to return to the office.
You should be ready to go back and keep your performance level the same.
Maybe at the beginning, it was challenging to work from home, but now that you are used to it, it may be difficult to get back on track in the office.
Prepare yourself mentally for the change, and keep in mind that the office environment will be different. People will return but with new measures to protect yourself and your co-workers. And if all these months you struggle to stay motivated and maybe slacked a bit at work, it’s time to get your career back on track.
What to Do if You Lost Your Job?
But what happens if you are unemployed because you lost your last job during Covid-19?
You can still take some steps to get your career back on track.
But, you have to keep in mind that things have changed, and you should be flexible and accept opportunities that not necessarily would be your first choice in other circumstances.
Consider Side Incomes
Only 30 percent of Americans have more than US$1000 in savings. So, chances are that finding yourself suddenly unemployed left you with not much money to fall back on. Even if you have Us$1000 or US$2000 saved, this is not enough to support you for long.
One option you can implement is to diversify your income. This will help you have money now and reduce the chances of this kind of situation affecting you again.
There are different options like maybe trying your hand in the gig industry, where you work by project instead of being hired as a full-time employee.
You can also invest some money in the stock market, create an online course, or write a book. You put the work upfront and receive the revenue months or years later. You can choose what works best for yourself and your abilities. But investing time or money on side incomes will continue to bring you money even if you find a new job.
Learn New Skills
Another thing you can do to help you find the next job is to update your skills. Learning a new skill can be easy. Today there are tons of platforms and education methodologies to adapt to each person. You can research which skills are in high demand in your niche. By going through job openings, you will quickly identify what employers are looking for.
Depending on the skill, you can learn with an online course or even on your own. For example, you can learn a tech skill with a coding bootcamp in a few months. If it is a skill like SEO practices, you could even learn them on the weekend. Just update your resume and your profile to make it more attractive to recruiters.
The post-pandemic world
The post-pandemic world is different and we have to be resilient and adapt to get our lives back on track. It will help you to accept our new reality and get your career back on track. Also, if you lost your job, you could take an active role in finding a new job instead of waiting at home for your bills to eat you.
You can learn a new skill with an online course and consider side incomes. Both are excellent options for growing in your career and helping you have extra money each month.
Artur Meyster is the CTO of Career Karma (YC W19), an online marketplace that matches career switchers with coding bootcamps. He is also the host of the Breaking Into Startups podcast, which features people with non-traditional backgrounds who broke into tech. https://twitter.com/arturmeyster; https://www.linkedin.com/in/meyster
