How many times have you heard, “It’s not the problem you have, or are dealing with, but how you handle it.” 

In the past month, we’ve seen an epic shift from a world of mass transit commutes, Starbucks, Broadway shows, to working remotely, Instacart deliveries, and virtual happy hours. Different people have reacted differently. For some, the onset of back to back Zoom meetings in the remote workplace made them realize time is at a premium, requiring intentional and selective action about their schedules.  Others seemed to be lost in paralysis. Caught up in the world of social media to play inane games to bide the time, complain, or assign blame.

For job seekers, today’s employment landscape is in flux. Internships are cancelled, job offers rescinded, on hold, or with delayed start dates. However, there are websites with remote internship opportunities, sites for seekers to connect with businesses looking to hire those whose offers were rescinded. Some organizations are posting again after having reassessed need and hiring capacity. Telephone and virtual interviews via Skype and Zoom are taking place.

Opportunities are out there.  They may not be what you’re looking for, but they’re out there. This is an important time to: Reassess, Pivot, and Fill the void.

  • Your dream job may not be in demand at the moment. What opportunities are there currently where you might utilize a skill you have already or might learn a new one? That is of interest to you, or related to a hobby?
  • How are you going to fill your time? If your dream job at XYZ is not available will you consider volunteering at XYZ?  Identify a contact on Linked In who works at XYZ and ask for a 20 minute exploratory chat/Zoom?
  • Do you want to learn a new skill – to code, paint, speak a foreign language? Is there a book, a piece of literature you’ve always wanted to read? Is there a period in history you were always interested in looking up?

Doing something is better than doing nothing. Nobel Prize-winning Physicist Albert Einstein once said, “Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, keep moving.” Keep moving, keep adding to your resume. When the virus is gone, you will be asked to look back on this time and talk about what you did. Have answers and remember, it’s not about the problem and what you’re dealing with, but how you handled it.