{"id":29387,"date":"2020-11-23T16:09:43","date_gmt":"2020-11-23T13:09:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.commercialcafe.com\/blog\/?p=29387"},"modified":"2025-07-16T17:14:54","modified_gmt":"2025-07-16T14:14:54","slug":"expert-advice-career-development-pandemic","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.commercialcafe.com\/blog\/expert-advice-career-development-pandemic\/","title":{"rendered":"Expert Advice on Career Development During the Pandemic"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected almost every industry, with some companies closing down and many jobs lost during these difficult times.<\/p>\n

So, which companies are recruiting? What effect did COVID-19 have on individuals\u2019 career development? How can recent graduates enter the workforce? How can you boost your skills and r\u00e9sum\u00e9 from home?<\/p>\n

To find out, we asked several industry experts to give us their insights and advice on how someone can continue improving their skills and developing their career during the pandemic. Read on to find out more from our experts:<\/p>\n

Our Experts<\/h2>\n
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Ann Marie Adams<\/h3>\n

Professional Development Coordinator at Ithaca College<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Cindy Deuser<\/h3>\n

Human Resources Manager at Thrive Agency<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Matt Glodz<\/h3>\n

Managing Partner at Resume Pilots<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Rafe Gomez<\/h3>\n

Co-founder of VC Inc. Marketing<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Willie Greer<\/h3>\n

Founder of The Product Analyst<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jerry Han<\/h3>\n

Resident Human Resources Expert and Marketing Leader at PrizeRebel<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Max Harland<\/h3>\n

CEO and Resident Human Resources Expert at Dentaly<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Thomas Hawkins<\/h3>\n

CEO\/ Head of Human Resources and Hiring at Electrician Apprentice HQ<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jaani Nilsson<\/h3>\n

Managing Editor at Resumoo<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ottomatias Peura<\/h3>\n

Chief Marketing Officer at Speechly<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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William Taylor<\/h3>\n

Career Development Manager at Velvet Jobs<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jeff Walker<\/h3>\n

CEO of Best VPN Canada<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Matthew Warzel<\/h3>\n

President of MJW Careers<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Bud Whitehouse<\/h3>\n

Best-selling author<\/a> of \u201cWhen Can You Start?\u201d, \u201cThe Insider\u2019s Guide to Job Search\u201d and \u201cCareer Success\u201d<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Chris Young, PhD, SHRM-CP<\/h3>\n

Director of Workforce Development at Texas Department of Transportation<\/a><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Are companies still recruiting for jobs or internships?<\/h2>\n
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Ann Marie Adams<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>We are indeed finding that companies are recruiting for jobs and internships. The opportunities are focused on four primary career pillars: health care (all sectors allopathic and wellbeing); technology (workstyle + lifestyle); education (K-12 + higher education, instructional design, delivery); [and] digital narrative storytelling (across all industries and organizations in all online platforms).\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Cindy Deuser<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>The simple answer is yes, companies are still recruiting despite the pandemic. You see, as much as people want to keep their jobs, the pandemic has also put them in a situation that they have to relocate for one reason or another. This, of course, has led to roles that need to be filled in order to keep operations running. It may come as a surprise to some, but we\u2019ve also lost some people because they were presented with bigger opportunities elsewhere. So, yes, companies are still recruiting and it doesn\u2019t look like that will change anytime soon.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Willie Greer<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Not because it\u2019s a pandemic season means companies should stop recruiting for jobs, but with internships, there are some who think it\u2019s not practical to do so, especially due to the transition to a work-from-the-home set-up. There\u2019s a minimal chance that interns will be accommodated because companies are more focused on how they are going to adapt to all the changes brought about by this unfortunate situation and requires more professional workers to join them in the team.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jaani Nilsson<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Companies are most definitely still recruiting, and that is something we have been able to determine as a fact due to the increasing need for professionally written r\u00e9sum\u00e9s. Many companies\u00a0have changed how they work due to the pandemic, which has opened up new positions needing to be filled.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ottomatias Peura<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Yes, companies are still hiring. Hiring continues to pick up post-lockdown.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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William Taylor<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>We have a continual\u00a0flow of job postings on our job boards during COVID-19. While some industries have certainly become affected and have reduced their hiring, there are other industries which have increased considerably\u00a0in their hiring efforts. It has become more of a shift in demand than a gross reduction in demand.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Matthew Warzel<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Yes, I am personally aware of three internship opportunities at the moment. No matter the economy or labor market numbers, somebody is always hiring. If you know the recruiter in charge of the opening, send a message asking, \u2018What can I do to show you I\u2019m the right fit for the role?\u2019 Reach out to other people in the organization and other recruiters to help identify the hiring manager if you feel you are an ideal candidate; move your way up the rungs until you get to the head honcho, but be prepared to sell yourself. But, know your threshold and when to move onto another role to target.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Bud Whitehouse<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Companies are recruiting. My clients are getting jobs at roughly the same rate as before the pandemic. People hire to solve a problem, and there are plenty of problems!\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Chris Young<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Yes.\u00a0Do not get distracted by current events.\u00a0As a matter of fact, everyone in the HR business had been worrying more and more every day in America since 1999 about where all the people were going to come from to do all this work.\u00a0COVID gave us all the opportunity to slow down and reprioritize.\u00a0As a result, we\u2019re all still hiring.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Are there any opportunities for recent graduates to work or\u00a0intern remotely?<\/h2>\n
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Ann Marie Adams<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Most certainly true of internships pushing into the summer. The work opportunities vary by location and level of protocol [that] individual areas have deployed or what companies have enacted.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Cindy Deuser<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Absolutely. Here at Thrive, 80% of our workforce are under a work-from-home arrangement. The other 20% can choose to work from home anytime, as long as they can come to the office when needed. I believe that, as more and more companies adapt to the remote workplace setup as the pandemic drags on, recent graduates will have more opportunities to intern because remote office environments will be the new normal.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Willie Greer<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>The thing is that recent graduates will be burdened to find jobs that will suit them or their degree <\/strong>now that businesses are in a transition period. From a business entity\u2019s point of view, it\u2019s difficult to onboard employees who lack experience knowing that we can\u2019t train them as rigid as we do our previous hires. However, there are still companies who take advantage of interns, knowing that they work even harder and always tend to put their best foot forward to impress the employers, which is a positive thing for the business entity\u2019s end.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jerry Han<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Recent graduates and unemployed people can offer their services as a freelancer during this pandemic<\/strong>. Freelancing gigs are a good way to build experience across various projects and develop interpersonal skills. With the economy in a recession right now, the job placement industry\u2019s current state is not looking good. Companies rely on contractual workers and freelancers to get work done without spending the same amount of money for a full-time employee.\u201d\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jaani Nilsson<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Remote work is generally easier to find than remote intern positions. Also, for graduates, internships often require more guidance, which could be difficult to provide online. When you are a graduate, you tend to have limited work experience, but this does not have to be an issue if you know how to catch a hiring manager\u2019s interest.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ottomatias Peura<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Yes, absolutely. Remote work has increased substantially during the pandemic because of the lockdowns. Many companies now have devoted time and resources to build remote work policies and are adjusting to the new normal.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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William Taylor<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Remote working has increased considerably this year and I predict this is only going to grow further. There are plenty of opportunities for graduates as organizations shift to remote working. Graduates should take initiative and research the industries that are growing their remote working opportunities.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Matthew Warzel<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Absolutely. In fact, even more so with the early career new graduates who will, hopefully, find a ton of empathetic hiring managers who will even look at work gaps and say, \u2018Oh that was because of COVID, they get a pass,\u2019 \u2014 same will apply to 2020 graduates.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Chris Young<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Every organization is different, but the organizations you\u2019ll want to work for will have it figured out by May.\u00a0If they don\u2019t, then you don\u2019t want to be there anyway and you\u2019ve saved yourself the hassle.\u00a0Additionally, people are dropping out of school and we see it \u2014 you\u2019re going to have less internships available, but that may be offset by having less competition.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

How can I develop or learn new skills online? Are there any\u00a0valuable resources?<\/h2>\n
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Ann Marie Adams<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Extremely prolific environment to train, certify, learn online. Both nonprofit, for-profit and higher education endeavors to offer. One can also look to the offerings of professional trade associations, such as PRSA (Public Relations Society of America, either national or regional chapters). Many of our student organizations are also offering opportunities to learn to their members.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Cindy Deuser<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>There are many platforms that offer virtual courses \u2014 some are free and others you need to pay for. Even Ivy League universities are now offering distance learning. It\u2019s now easier than ever to learn and develop new skill sets because of the rise of virtual e-learning.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Matt Glodz<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>An excellent way to boost your r\u00e9sum\u00e9 during this time is through online courses. If you\u2019re currently\u00a0unemployed, taking online courses\u00a0shows that you are committed to your career growth and intentional about building your skills. If you are looking to switch\u00a0sectors, they can help you sneak relevant keywords into your r\u00e9sum\u00e9, demonstrating\u00a0that you are both serious about your move and will be able to hit the ground running.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Willie Greer<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Today\u2019s also a good time for recent graduates to make their skills diverse and learn new skills that will put them on the ranks for positions that are newly created, such as social media manager.\u00a0There are short courses which they can take and, apparently, this is the next best thing to offer to the table.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Jaani Nilsson<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>The internet is full of free online courses, which allow you to boost your skill set without having to leave the house.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Ottomatias Peura<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>In the marketing world, there have been so many free resources open during the pandemic. I know of several free classes that big SEO and PPC companies have offered. Other companies offer scholarships for those that apply and can commit themselves to complete rigorous training programs.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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William Taylor<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>I absolutely love Udemy. They have a wide range of courses on a whole\u00a0host of topics. I\u2019ve learned how to use Photoshop, the computer programming language Python, and marketing \u2014 all in my own time.\u201d<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Matthew Warzel<\/h2>\n

\u201c<\/span>Most people have skills and experience that can transfer nicely to another industry or job. The key is knowing how those skills reasonably transfer and what sort of value they bring to the prospective employer. The challenge is that most are unsure of how their skills are exchangeable to other duties. If you\u2019re an accomplished professional, it\u2019s best to use actual methodologies, processes, skills or technologies relating directly to the open job description and your experience. These are good ideas for those greener candidates.<\/p>\n

Some common skills that immediately come to mind are:<\/p>\n