The job market and our lives have changed dramatically during this pandemic. Prior to the pandemic the unemployment rates were low and employers competed to find the best available talent available from a pool of job seekers and could afford to be selective. We now face an economy with hundreds of thousands of employees who have been furloughed or laid off as businesses and organizations have shut down or slowed production or services dramatically. As a result of the changes in our economy, prospective employees need to be better prepared to ask the tough questions of future employers.
The job market today has changed in several significant ways. Employees now place a greater value on acquiring a position that provides stronger job security. Employers and employees have seen the benefits of working remotely and will view it in the future as a viable option for many positions. The need for a strong and viable health benefit program is recognized by most employees as being a crucial need in taking any position. Salaries and benefits will most likely take a drop based on organizations tightening their budgets and a growth in the number of new entry-level positions.
It is important that job seekers be prepared to ask questions during their interview with a potential employer that gives them a full understanding of the culture and future plans for the organization.
Questions job seekers should ask any organization when interviewing for a position are;
- How have you protected your staff during this pandemic and what changes did you make to safety protocols because of Covid-19?
- How do you communicate real time health updates about the pandemic to your employees?
- Will I be expected to be cross-trained to be able to do other jobs and mine in case of illnesses?
- What is the policy regarding remote work and if they support it, how do they support the infrastructure needed to do this?
- How do they see job security and who gets laid off or furloughed first during tough economic times?
- Do health benefits continue if I am furloughed?
- What happens if I get Covid-19?
- What procedures do you have in place to decontaminate the work facility?
- How did you handle shutdowns and lockdowns during the current pandemic?
- How are safety concerns handled internally that are brought forward by an employee?
It is important for job seekers to speak to individuals who have knowledge of the organization that are not involved in the direct hiring process if possible. It is the job of the HR department and the supervisors to sell you on the organization. However, speaking to those who no longer work at an organization or are not directly involved in the hiring process will often give you a much clearer picture to how an organization truly operates and the culture they aspire to.
Leadership in any organization is revealed through a crisis. I used to tell recruits that anyone could coach when there is no pressure. But watch a coach when the game is on the line and wins and losses count. That is when you see the true individual and all their various strengths and weaknesses emerge. An organization will display their true identity during tough times.
Executive Management Partners LLC 