'COVID has made this real:' Tips for job searching during the pandemic

MILWAUKEE -- From closed doors to signs "open" signs, some businesses are slowly starting to get back on track as the coronavirus pandemic continues.

The pandemic has impacted the livelihoods of workers in various industries.

Johnny Taylor

"There are some jobs, candidly, that will never come back," Johnny Taylor, president and CEO of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) said. "$1.3 trillion U.S. workers have loss in income in just these 3-4 months we've been experiencing COVID-19."

Though the loss of money has been significant, Taylor says we are coming into brighter times.

"Positively, about 14% of employers in America are reporting hiring during the period," he said.

In order to be competitive in landing a job, Taylor recommends using this time to, perhaps, learn a new skill.

"That is going to be the key to having a job in the 21st century. We knew this all along, but now COVID has made this real," said Taylor.

Heather Livingston

While the next 18 months may be challenging, Heather Livingston -- a career counselor with the University of Phoenix -- suggests you revise your resume, look at your skills and qualifications and adapt to how employers are now doing business.

"People need to follow more of their best practices, and this looks like building relationships," Livingston said.

Perhaps having a strong professional network can be your best asset.

"If you rely on job boards alone, you are really forcing yourself to compete with hundreds of people who are also applying through those job boards," said Livingston. "By taking a more targeted approach to networking, you can hear about opportunities before they are posted."

For more tips on how to navigate job searching during a pandemic from SHRM, CLICK HERE.