Posted by I work in the tech sector, and a lot of companies are claiming to be conducting normal interviews at home via Skype or some other video streaming platform during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Interviewing is a sign of a strong company that is still very much active during this COVID-19 pandemic. So it would be in a company’s best interest to at least say that they are attempting to screen new candidates at a time when people are getting laid off constantly.
However, searching for a position in this economy has been largely unsuccessful for a lot of people who were in the middle of a job hunt when the pandemic hit.
Recruiters still make those annoying calls and schedule these nonsensical screenings to get more information about you, and to show their bosses that they are doing their job. However, the ratio of introductions to interviews has shifted dramatically during the pandemic.
Many recruiters told me that the companies they were working with would be conducting interviews remotely and would still love to hire during this time.
But the end result was always the same. A recruiter would either completely ghost me or end up telling me the position was canceled. As things with the economy grow progressively worse, I can see companies conducting interviews for perception reasons only, or not scheduling any at all.
Using funds to hire new talent during a time when we have the worst unemployment rate since the Great Depression seems unwise to say the least. But I’m sure some of these companies still want those candidates to flock to them when this is all over, if it ever ends.
In order to secure a possible future stock of talent, a company must look healthy and thriving.
Workers have become more hip to some of the smoke-screens put up by unsuccessful companies, so hiding obvious flaws like running out of funds is much harder during the internet age.
I’ve been hired by companies that were heading downhill and probably brought me on because they were in some kind of denial. I knew what I was getting myself into so I was fine with it, however, be careful before accepting a position in this economic climate.
There’s no telling how the economic fallout from the pandemic will play out long-term. Make sure you apply to roles with companies that are recession proof to be safe.
This means you should avoid roles in the fields of entertainment and hospitality.
There are also a plethora of startups with unique goals that thrive during normal times but probably won’t garner the right amount of funding with the pandemic. Some of those kinds of businesses include niche places that cater to specific demographics.
The best fields to shoot for at this point are probably healthcare and possibly government, even though that’s been a bit shaky in places like NYC where the mayor has threatened to furlough workers if no federal funding is provided soon. These kinds of jobs will most likely require you to be physically present during the interview process, especially at this point in the pandemic.
The at-home interview process seems like a no brainer, but beware of companies using it just to look healthy. You don’t want to get your time wasted, and you also don’t want to accept a role you’ll end up losing in just a few months.
Rant or Reason 