9 Effective Ways To Improve Your CV During Lockdown. Instead of complaining about boredom, why not use this time productively. This period of lockdown is by far the best time to update your resume and learn new career skills that will benefit your career. When we are finally allowed to go back to our normal lives, you’ll be able to show off these new skills for a promotion, a raise or even a career change.
1. Get A New Qualification
This is not the time to stay in bed for hours, there is too much to do. There are so many courses one can take up during this time. The most productive way to kill time during lockdown is to get an up to date qualification. With so much uncertainty in the world, perhaps now is the time to start learning a completely new skill that could benefit your career and of course, give your CV that boost.
2. Look Into Freelance Work Opportunities
It goes without saying that due to the global pandemic the economy is bound to get affected and with that the job market as well. In fact, there might be fewer opportunities out there right now and in the near future so why not ship to freelance. There’s many websites where you can find freelance and remote work opportunities. Reach out to recruiters on these websites and take the freelance route. This is a great way to boost your CV while waiting for things to get better.
3. Update Your LinkedIn Profile
Do you set yourself up as an expert? Do you write blog posts and share resources? All easy to do in LinkedIn, no special app needed and easy to share with others via the groups. Take the opportunity to think about lessons learned on recent projects and changes and share techniques and tips that helped you with your issues. This will make you stand out from other candidates.
4. Nail Your CV
This is especially important if you’ve recently been furloughed or had your contract terminated. If you’ve been made redundant, then you might be thinking about making a fresh start and getting yourself ready for applying for new roles. If you have been happily employed for a number of years there is also a good opportunity to get your CV up to date, even if you are not considering looking for a new job.
5. Mirror The Industry You Applying For
This is a great way for you to capture recruiters’ attention. For example, if you applying for a position in the creative space, try making your resume stand out by turning it into a video, adding some of your work pieces, making it look appealing etc. You can also add an extra document where you share insights to the recruiter about the industry you are applying in. This will definitely get you an interview. The company will see your commitment, ownership and ability to strategize.
6. Join Webinars
Webinars are a great resource for learning new career skills from the comfort of your own home and pretty much anywhere in the world! All you need is your laptop or phone and you are ready to learn. With no one by your side to distract you, webinars can be an extremely effective way of learning. And as they are usually led by inspirational speakers and thought-leaders, webinars also offer you the opportunity to ask questions directly to the experts, gaining valuable insight and knowledge that you can apply to your own career or job search.
7. Practice Video Interviewing
Coronavirus aside, this is becoming the new norm for interviewing techniques at senior levels. Familiarising yourself with how this scenario works is good for your confidence so that when your next interview happens over Skype or Zoom, you’re in a strong position. Be mindful of your surroundings and watch out for rogue items, pictures or people in the background.
8. Revisit Networking
Social distancing doesn’t stop you networking, in fact, it’s more important than ever. We’re all reaching out more. Not just family and friends, but old friends and work colleagues. So connect, check in and touch base with people. Turn the extra time to your advantage by hanging out in virtual groups that you may not have prioritised before. Why not set up your own group?
9. Learn A New Language Online
By learning a language, you can give your CV a significant boost and stand out against other candidates. As they say, there’s no time like the present so it’s time to start! Depending on your native language, some languages will be easier to learn than others, but regardless of how easy or difficult it will be, the thing that matters the most is how much it will benefit your future career. Languages such as German, Spanish, Dutch and others, are extremely valuable when it comes to looking for a job.
