How to Deal with Unpredictability in the Post Pandemic Job Market

How to Deal with the Unpredictability

The post-pandemic job market is showing a high level of unpredictability. The latest job numbers show that employers are not hiring at the accelerating rate that many economists predicted.

At the same time, many employers are having problems finding qualified workers. There is a huge disconnect between the kinds of jobs high growth industries are looking for and what older workers want.

I want you to listen to the Wall Street Journal podcast Where Jobs Are Booming. 3 sectors have done very well during the pandemic:

• Online retail which includes warehousing and logistic jobs
• Anything to do with residential real estate including home remodeling, the building trades, and suppliers
• Manufacturing

What do all of these have in common? These are almost entirely in-person jobs which is not what most older workers are looking for.

When will other industries rebound? Probably when schools and childcare return to normal.

When will that happen? I wish I had a crystal ball to predict the future.

We live in a time of unpredictability!

Have You Been Vaccinated?

As I write this post in early May of 2021, my wife and I returned to Austin, Texas to get vaccinated for the coronavirus. We returned from Mexico as there is tremendous unpredictability in the vaccination process. If you want to learn more about this topic read my post An Expat’s Musings on the COVID-19 Response in Mexico Versus the US.

The rate at which Americans are getting vaccinated is declining. The sooner we reach herd immunity both here in the U.S. and around the world the quicker the job market will stabilize. Given what is happening in India in the month of May of 2021, worldwide stability will not occur until the 2nd half of 2021.

You may be asking why is it so important for the entire world to reach herd immunity.

There are 2 factors:

• The virus will continue to mutate until the entire world gets immunity.
• We have an interconnected supply chain for most of the products we purchase. When supply chains in Asia get clogged we feel it in the rest of the world.

We live in an interconnected world that will require all of us to work together.

What can you do to help relieve this unpredictability? Get vaccinated!

Dealing with the Unpredictability in the Job Market

It is really important for you to stay informed on the shifts in the job markets.

I would encourage you to read my past posts on the disruptions in careers and industries:

• Where to Refocus Your Career for the Post COVID-19 Pandemic Recovery
• How to Make the Disruption Induced by COVID-19 a Competitive Advantage
• How to Become Relevant Again in Your Career Post COVID-19
• Why Experience is Dead and Being Relevant is Far More Crucial
• Are You Willing to Embrace the Disruption with Excitement and Enthusiasm?
• How to Maneuver Your Career in a Crazy Time of Disruptive Innovation
• How Have You Been Successful in Dealing with Industry Disruption?
• Are You Prepared for the Extinction of a Steady Paycheck?
• Why and How to Establish a Growth Mindset for Thriving in 2021?

The best way to deal with the unpredictability to be informed.

Focus on Self Care

Those of you who have experienced unemployment have likely been unemployed for up to a year. Now is the time to refocus on your own physical and mental health.

That means getting out of the house and restart a normal pattern of life. For many, this may seem a bit strange after being confined for the last year but it is incredibly important.

Networking

I was talking with a Career Pivot community member who was able to get vaccinated early in the year. He is still not getting out and networking with people face to face. This is a skill that many will have to reestablish and learn to be comfortable networking again.

One of my goals for being back in Austin in the month of May was to have as many coffee meetings as possible. I am asking people to meet me at a local coffee house that has outdoor seating. We will still be socially distant as I am not fully vaccinated but just about everyone I am meeting is fully vaccinated.

Almost all of us need this practice.

Focus on What You Can Control

Over 5 years ago I wrote the post When Uncertainty Strikes, Focus on What You Can Control. This is even more true today.

Let go of those things that are out of your control. You cannot control:

• What the government will do
• Which employer will be hiring tomorrow
• What the weather will be tomorrow, the next day or next week

What you can control:

• Acquiring new skills
• Generating new content that highlights your new-found skills
• Get vaccinated
• Networking

Can you tell that I think getting vaccinated is important?

If you focus on what you can control dealing with the unpredictability will become easier.

This will not make the post-pandemic job market any less unpredictable but it will make it easier to deal with.

What are your next steps?

Marc Miller  

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