Job Hunting in the Time of the Pandemic: Things I Learned the Hard Way. 

A world crisis is never a good time to leave a stable job. When many are losing positions left and right (the employment rate worldwide shows a sudden hike in the unemployment rate from 5.37% in 2019 to 6.47% in 2020—according to the World Banks), the demand for employees is probably low and the supply is high. It would not be easy to land your dream job, but not impossible. I see posts on LinkedIn telling riveting stories of landing a job on Google, Pixar, or whatever. As much as I wish the same would happen to me, my officemates strongly advise not to leave a good position in this crisis. That is, especially if you resign without a job offer on your lap.

I nod to their advice, but here I am thinking about leaving my job without a clue where to go next. I had applied to different positions; hopefully, these would materialize when I am jobless. Also, I would have loved to put more time and effort into this blog. It was a mind game between giving myself a break and securing my next job before I render my resignation.

After a year of letting go of my security blanket and taking the plunge into hard-core job hunting (check my October confessions last year), I have come to a standstill. The waters have been very still, and I grew tired of paddling on my own without the current getting me to my destination.

There were a few jobs I applied to that were responsive. But I chickened out in the middle of my application. There were some positions I hoped to bag that aligned with hopes of writing better, but I was rejected at the get-go. And there were some positions I applied to just for the sake of it. If they consider me: great; if not: okay.

Looking for work in an industry you have no experience in is difficult. With rejection after rejection, here are a few things I learned that might help you on your job hunt:

1. Know your need

Know why you want to leave, why you want to start over. What is the reason behind this mess you are about to make in the middle of this pandemic? Are you leaving just because everyone else is? Is there an issue in terms of your career growth and self-development? Or are you just running away? Do you see yourself retiring in the position you are at?

Reasons like family, career growth, and health issues are valid. We all have needs, dreams, and aspirations aligned with our specific purposes or paths in life. But doing something drastic just because everyone else is may be the wrong move.

The next question for me was: What do I care about? This part was challenging. In my job search, not knowing the answer has hindered me from committing to job applications.

One of the reasons I stayed with the bank was because I cared about helping my family. Through this job, I could extend more than a helping hand. This was the only thing I was sure I cared about.

If I watered the whole scenario down, I was looking at a scale between helping my family and leaving this job to rest and do something only I could benefit from. If I picked the latter, I know for a fact the money would be gone. Helping would come from my savings, or I would not be able to help at all. Is my desire to rest worth the risk of leaving my job? Only one thing was certain, I was tired of my current job. All the other factors were still white noise that I couldn’t seem to figure out.

2. There is no shame in starting at the bottom. 

If you want to change careers don’t be afraid to start from scratch. But, consider your starting salary and take note of your expenses (check number 3 below to get a bigger picture).

Working in a financial institution for the past five years seemed to have skewed my path. I do not know how I could start a career in a more creative industry. I know all my experience will be flushed down the toilet in a totally different industry. This has got me thinking if I should stay in the same industry just so five years of my life were not wasted. The drop in pay grade also initially deterred me from altogether changing career paths.

After careful consideration, I decided that I was willing to start from the lowest position and accept a pay way below my current grade just so I could leave. This contradicts what normal people would do, which is negotiate for higher pay. The local head of a certain department advised that I should bargain for at least a 20% raise from my current rate. This would only work for those who are banking on their experience in the same industry. I was ready to forego this possibility.  

3. The Magic of Saving

Swinging on the pendulum of yea or nay with the prospect of full abandon, I sat down and decided to look at my expenses. In my five years with the bank, I have never looked at my monthly expenses. I did not know how much I needed to survive and/or keep up with my current lifestyle. I was ready to shave off the unnecessary. If you have a hearty savings account, starving should not be an issue. If not, anticipate cutting off more than you expect.

Unlike Chandler Bing, who had the luxury to change careers, you probably don’t have your own Monica who could help you pay the bills and the rent. Nor do you have a Joey willing to lend you the money when cash is tight. So sit down, breathe and take a good, hard look at your expenses. This would not take you more than an hour.

This is good practice for those figuring out how to save. I was encouraged to list down my daily expense as a student at the University. This helped me learn to save at a young age.

Having savings was the backup I was clinging on to if I plunged into full abandon. Initially, being unemployed was not an issue because I knew I had something to help me survive. Little did I know, my monthly expenses would hurt my hard-earned savings in a few months.

I grew my savings with the hope to probably invest in income-generating assets (too little, to be honest). I even wanted to create a start-up—if that was possible. I was proud of the level it had reached over the years. I did not want to significantly put a dent into these savings if I resigned.

Another option I had in mind was studying abroad. The money I had saved could not sustain me for a two-year master’s degree in a foreign country. What more if I took too much from it while I was in between jobs? It would feel like a sin.

In my current position, I earned more than I needed. Paying for these was not a problem. From the perspective of losing cash inflow, I know I would have to take a bucket full from my savings. I decided to check what areas I could shave off. I was ready to cut what I had to cut to help me survive if any of my prospective applications did not pull through. Nonetheless, one thing that stopped me was my fear that nothing would pull through.

I was probably meant to work in a bank, and leaving would get me nowhere. Risking it racked my brain day and night. Without a Monica or a Joey to back me up, was I ready to stop helping my family?

This is a choice of the good of one, or the good of many. Today, I still am torn in my career journey.

4. Should I stay or Should I Go?  

Then we come to what all this dilemma boils down to, going out there or settling where you are. Now that you know how much you need to survive, your decision could be easier.

Although I have been applying for jobs left and right, things have not materialized. It’s discouraging. Job seeking at a time like this would not be ideal, but you see friends changing careers left and right on social media. I wonder where I got it wrong.

Sometimes I think that staying is my best option. If you are working on career growth and development, it does not hurt to sit down and see the best option for you. Some sit and wait to climb the corporate ladder internally. Some people jump from one rung to the next, bouncing from company to company. Both ways work if you want to keep track of your current career path. It’s a different ball game for someone who wants a total career change.

Although I was so tired of my current position, staying had benefits:

• Comfort Zone- You know the job, no more learning curve, no more adjustments.
• Good Pay- It’s not much, but it is more than what you need.
• Co-workers- Good partners and counterparts help you smoothly get the job done. No need to get to know people. No need to build new work relationships (bonus if you are an introvert!).
• Benefits- Aside from the basic pay, we get up to a 16th-month pay, plus performance bonuses. I got to avail health insurance coverage for my parent as my dependents (but with additional fees).
• Time- With the re-organization in 2018, I had more time to myself. No Overtime.

Do not be afraid to take the time to ponder on the pros and cons of staying and leaving your current position.

5. Peace in the process

No one said it was going to be easy. The longer it has taken me to find another job, the more my heart grew faint to the prospect of ever getting out of my situation.

We rush through life too much to stop and see what the whole process has taught us (Check out my blog on taking a break). 

Sometimes you want to get things over with, and you do not take the proper time to think and make the right moves.

I never understood nor appreciated chess. Watching the Queen’s Gambit, I marveled at the patience and the careful consideration of each move. Unlike these chess masters, I am headstrong. And I think I will continue to be until the day I die. I make decisions after months of considerations but only base my final thoughts on a whim, on my emotions.

This way of thinking has taken my life captive. I am stuck in my current position because of emotions. And I learned that I am one to stick to my decisions. Although they may not be the best decisions, I stick through thick and thin.

I have been contemplating leaving for years, but as the opportunity has arrived, I am terrified and would want to put off any final decisions. I know that my next move in life will happen in a snap, and bam—I am down another life path I did not think through.

This process has taught me that we could not know everything. No matter how long you think things through.