Job Search Tips in a Pandemic: Part II

I recently posted tips on job searching during a pandemic (work in an area that has promise both in terms of geography and industry, and network!). Here are more tips courtesy of a Forbes post scarily entitled “We’ve Entered A Harsh New Reality: Here’s How To Manage Your Career”:

1. Make yourself invaluable to your employer. If before COVID you thought maybe you were underpaid, underutilized, unappreciated,etc., now is not the time to address those issues. I agree with the Forbes post to make yourself a must-keep person at a time when execs are resisting new hires, trying to save money, and thinking about downsizing. “Come in early,work hard and stay late. Finish your projects ahead of time and ask how else you can help and contribute. Don’t take your job for granted. Even if you are a superstar, if the company is in dire financial straits, you can still be targeted—especially if you’re of a certain age and earning a large salary.”
2. Pursue a side hustle. As a lawyer, you want to add relevant skills. For example, get CIPP certified and privacy-by-design work. Take some programming classes. Start prepping for the patent bar if you’re eligible (not all members of the USPTO practice patent law but get barred to show they have IP chops). Draft and negotiate some commercial agreements, even if pro bono.
3. Prepare for a slog to getting a new job. Only certain industries and companies are hiring (e.g., cloud, streaming, video collaboration, healthcare). In all cases managers are concerned about keeping their own jobs. The lack of in-person interviews can further slow the process down. (I see most employers shifting to videoconferencing and I even placed someone just now who got the offer without setting foot in any office or meeting anyone live.)