Tag: #COVID19

Unemployed by the Coronavirus Pandemic? Take these actions

Unemployed by the Coronavirus pandemic? Over 20 million Americans have been put out of work in the last 6 weeks or so. Unfortunatly the lay offs may continue and we don’t know when this virus will be under control and we can start going back to work. The question is this, how are YOU going to get through this? What actions are you going to take to make yourself more valuable in the marketplace?

How you use your time right now will deterime how you land and how quickly you recover. When the economic engine gets started back up and businesses start hiring, theres likley to be a staggard opening and staggard hiring. This will result in heavy competition as the positions become available. How will you differenciate yourself from the masses?

There will be many who have the “pandemic” gap in their resume, what if you are the only one who shows the potential employer how proactive and productive you’ve been throughout the shutdown? Others will be able to explain exactly what the Tiger King is all about, you’ll be able to show that you are a committed self starter who is driven, autonomous, and hard working.

What if at the top of your resume you listed what you worked on, studied, and accomplished while you were Coronavirus unemployed, here are a few examples;

You owe yourself all you got

Industry specific skill


Honed your computer skills, mcirosoft office skills, project managemet skills, Sales skills, etc. What ever industry you are in, there are task required, pick just one that would make the biggest impact and study it, practice it, perfect it.

Study Industry literature and product data


Become the expert, the go to person in your industry. What ever products, equipment, or material you work with or sell reseacrh it in depth. Go to manufacturers websites and study the specifications, installation instructions, care and maintenance, etc. Chef, cook, or waitress? learn new recipes, restaurant data analytics, study food alergies to better understand your customers as an example.

Read Personal development books


Yes, list a couple a books you read to improve your soft skills, your people skills. In many industries it is those who have the best soft skills that excel. There are many good books out there on the subject but these two are the must reads; The 7 Habits of highly effective people, Steven Covey. How to win Freinds and Influence People, Dale Carnegie

Earn an industry credential

Listing your industry certifications could tip the scales in your favor. It is posible to work in many industries without a credential but earning a credentail lends more credibility to your resume. Earn that Journeymens license, food handlers certification, vendors license, computer certifications, etc.

These are just a few examples. You know your work, what is needed in your industry, take action now for your self improvement. No on is going to come to you, you must take action and make it happen. Pick out what would make the most impact, maybe an area you need to sure up, and pour yourself into it. Put yourself in the best position to succeed on the other side of this pandemic.

Three ways to come out of the Coronavirus pandemic stronger.

Three ways to come out of the coronavirus pandemic stronger. You have to find a way to make it through this pandemic, not just make it through but come out better than before. These are tough trying times for us all, if you’ve lost your job, lost income its even tougher. its sucks but its going to suck even more, its going to get worse before its gets better.
The decisons you make, the actions you take, right now, will determine where you stand six months from now, a year from now, three years from now.

Your future is in your hands
Your future is in your hands, take ownership

Do you want to fetal up on the couch and cry victim or do you want to man up or women up and get going? Are you going to hold yourself accountable for your well being, your families well being? You can’t wait for someone else, the government to solve all your problems. The government or no one else for that matter is going to look out for you, and care for you and your family like you can.

Thats the negative, the tough medicine, now for the opporunity. I believe while its going to get worse before it gets better there will be great opportunity coming out of the coronavirus pandemic. There will great opprotunit for new careers and businesses. The time is now to position yourself for a better job, career, or to start a business.

Now is the time but first you’ve got to stop the bleeding. If you’ve lost your job and your income as been shut off or reduced you have to make some moves.

Stop the Bleeding


Sell what you can, now is not the time to wait for top dollar. Its time for survival of the smartest. We have no idea how long the virus is going to hang out but one thing I can tell you, the financial impact is here to stay for a while. Get rid of what ever liabilities you can.

Generate cash flow


Get cash coming in. Find a way to generate income, go find a job, they are out there. I spoke to a VP of a Site Contracting Company today and he told me something that shocked me, considering 20 million people were put out of work over the last six weeks, not one person has called or walked through his door asking to fill out an application. Im blown away by that. The job you dream of or a job in your line of work may not be available but its time to grind. What is it you did at your job? Couldyou perform that service for folks directly and charge a fee? Start a lawn mowing business, what ever, get creative. Its time to fight and claw to feed yourself and your family.
There are opportunities out there but you have to go get after it. There is the unemployemnt route. Im typically not and unemployment guy. My view is that the only reason you should be unemployed is by your choosing and you can support yourself or you have your own company and you are’nt an employee. Having said that these are unprecedented times. Almost everyone put out of work now are in this position due to no fault of their own. If you do seek and get unemployemnt you must obligate yourself to number three below.

Make yourself more valuable


Use this time to make yourself better. Learn new skills and knowledge to make yourself more valuable. Jim Rohn used to say “you are paid for the value you bring to the market place”. Many think just showing up is the value. Make yourself more valuable, read personal development books. read industry literature and product literature, take online classes or courses. Make yourself the expert of your industry. Get a credential in your industry. This is the time to get better and make yourself more valuable. If your on unemployment you must demand of yourself this requirement as a condition for accepting the payment. If you’ve ever thought of starting a business, put the plan together now, set some goals, big goals, take massive action now. Start a home based busness. Even if you go back to a job keep working that side hustle. You must have more than one stream of income. Wakeup early, do not sleep in. Get yursself cleaned up and pull yourself up to the desk at home or beat the streets, and get after it.

If you’ll do these things you will not only have self respect but you will put yourself in a better position to succeed and come out of this Coronavirus pandemic stronger menatlly and financially.