Let's start on a positive note -- Happy New Year!
It seems like Groundhog Day. When writing last year's fist blog for 2021, I really did not expect to still be writing about the pandemic in 2022. I really hope this year will be it for the pandemic. Will it ever end?!
At GW's Graduate School of Political Management, hundreds of students and alumni have managed to move forward and have landed jobs during the pandemic. How did they do it and what advice might they have for those seeking employment?
1. Deal with the pandemic as best as you can
It has been difficult on everyone to deal with all of the uncertainty related to COVID. Be kind to yourself and don't beat yourself up. But do set some manageable goals for reaching out to contacts and brushing up your cover letters and resumes. Check out job openings and make sure to respond in a timely manner.
2. Put yourself out of your comfort zone
Sure you would rather be watching Netflix, but also remember to take the time to cultivate new contacts and friendships. Participate in some online programming. Make a goal to contact a certain number of people a day and stick to your plans.
3. Ask for help
I was talking to someone recently who had contacted me last May. He said he did not want to ask for help, he just wanted a job. Well, I had to bite my tongue to resist the urge to be mean or snarky. None of us can do it alone. We do need to ask for help, especially in these challenging times. Imagine if someone asked you for help, you are likely to help, so try not to be too reticent or proud to ask others for their assistance and advice.
4. Listen to advice from others
When you do muster the courage to ask for help, make sure to listen to what others are saying. Instead of arguing or fighting what is being said, try hearing and reflecting. As hard as it might be to convey a positive image, strive to do so anyway. The GSPM community is a very helpful one. Our alumni and students frequently advise each other about many aspects of career search such as interviews, resumes, cover letters, salary negotiations, etc.
5. Utilize available resources
Make sure to check out earlier career blogs on the GSPM website which address many of the resources available to students and alumni. Both current students and alumni have access to Handshake, GW's jobs platform that includes job postings, career event postings, and other resources. GW also has a great service called Career Connect linking students and alumni. Other resources are available through the Gelman Library.
6. Brush up your tech skills
We know by now that during the pandemic, almost everything moved to online programming. Doing interviews over Zoom or some similar platform can be annoying and challenging. Try to practice on whichever platform an interviewer may be using.
7. Keep going until you land the job you want
Many others have been successful and you can be successful too. You can do it...go and get the job you want!
Good luck and good health to all of you in 2022!
Margaret “Mag” Gottlieb is the Career Director at the Graduate School of Political Management at the George Washington University. Connect with Mag on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-gottlieb-1457753/ or contact via email: mag@gwu.edu
