What Can A Fresher Do During 2020’s Economic Slowdown?
Today, the Indian job market is witnessing lay-offs, little or no hiring, leaves without pay instances until work resumes, and a lot of stress that all the employees (including those who are still working) are undergoing owing to the uncertainty. Many businesses have come to halt; some are struggling to even make it to survival. In such times possibility of hiring freshers as they did in the past years looks blurred. So what about those who were to pass out of colleges and universities this year? What can they do until they get a career break? How can they prepare themselves during these difficult times? Well, let me throw some light on the positive side of COVID-19.
We experienced a lot of unpleasant things so far in the year 2020 – pandemic, cyclone, wildfire, and the most recent incident of locusts attacking fields. But, we also have experienced difficult times in past as well. During difficult times, we fought against the odds by being helpful, courageous, and confident about restoring things. What we had not thought about was a lockdown – a major consequence due to COVID-19. In the midst of COVID-19 we are experiencing a lot of changes in almost all aspects such as nature, social norms, living, life-style, economy, etc. This has not only caused a massive stir at social level, but has also brought national & global economy significantly down. For some its a full-stop, while for some others its a pause – an opportunity to breathe. If you are an optimist, this can be the silver-lining in the dark. Yes! Once you embrace optimism, you channelize your efforts & energy to attain positive outcomes. Here is what you can do as a fresher during this break.
STUDY (BUT NOT FOR EXAMS)
Being students, the focus would be towards studying concepts only to get through or top academics. In this race we overlook most of the information and it’s relevancy to the real instances & practices. We are in a rush to get a job we always thought of, and unknowingly prepare along the same lines keeping a career in mind.
With the lockdown, there is ample time to study these concepts as a professional. Go through various case studies and understand the application part of it. Know the best practices in the corporate world and why are they preferred. Think what way you would have chosen to tackle the situation. This is a good way to brainstorm ideas for different instances. This will not only build concrete understanding of concepts, but will also trigger brain to think out of the box.
PREPARE FOR MULTIPLE JOB PROFILES
Having known the current situation of the job market, you need to prepare yourself in such a way that you can qualify for more than one type of a job. Research about the kind of jobs available for a fresher. Check on skills which are expected for those various jobs, identify which jobs in the list interests you (you need not choose all, just shortlist a few), and work on those skills. You need to prepare yourself by learning, practicing these skills and be ready for the challenging jobs.
Alongside, you can prepare for interview scenarios like telephonic, face to face, or, video call. Work on you communication, prepare for competitive exams, increase your network (by connecting with individuals and be a part of professional groups of your interest, follow the right information source, etc.), take an internship if it’s relevant to your field of interest & skills (since some companies provide remote / work from home internships).
Being productive will help you genuinely answer when an interviewer asks, “What did you do during this gap?“
WANT TO BE AN ENTREPRENEUR?
Not all are interested in salaried jobs. There are those who want to work for themselves and rather be their own boss. If you are one of them, then why not work towards it? You can come up with a solid business plan for your venture. Do a research on your idea’s competitiveness, find out those in circle who can guide you on how to go about, plan your resources, work on the financials, and get the help of experts. Indian Government has already come up with an initiative of financing MSMEs in the view of Atmanirbhar Bharat which is a huge plus point during this economic struggle. There is even TreDS app for MSMEs to help receive payments without any delay. A good research and right efforts will definitely help you build a workspace.
You can also tap your hidden talent and work on it to improvise. Learn & master the skills to professionalize your talent. Why not make it reach the right audience using social media? By doing so, you can eventually monetize your passion. Read about motivating stories of individuals who believed in their ideas & thoughts, worked on it and turned into a business. It need not be always something new, but it needs to operate in a way that emphasis customer value. The Key is to identify the gap and turn it into an opportunity.
VOLUNTEERING
Though we all want to earn well to meet our needs, it’s not always about money for everybody out there. While preparing for your jobs, you can also be a part of social groups where you can volunteer to contribute for a cause of your interest. It may be for animals, education, other environmental factors, and any other causes. We are part of the very ecosystem and the environment around us. It is dutiful as a human to contribute to the society we live in. These acts are always appreciated (even by the corporate world), and they play big in motivating others. The world needs many such hands to join.
HEALTH & FITNESS
When I say this it is not really to do with having a herculean physique, but being physically & mentally healthy during the these time when most of us may end-up with sedentary lifestyle due to lockdown. Practicing meditation, yoga, exercise & eating healthy would not only help beat the stress, but also helps you focus, be disciplined and organised, which in turn will boost your overall productivity.
TO SUM UP
No matter how difficult our lives can be during these times, it is important to have a positive outlook and hope for the best. Be calm, work on your productivity, spend time with family (you may hardly get this chance again), enjoy working on your hobbies. Whatever you do, utilize this lock-down period to bring good results. Because, once everything is back to normal, you can bounce back with greater future opportunities as a fresher with a productive-experience.
