COVID & Career: Life Update – I Got A New Job!

5 months after losing my job in April due to COVID-19 I finally have found a NEW JOB!

I was part of the 50 million people who have been laid off or filed for unemployment during COVID due to economic shutdown and new COVID restriction. I spent 12 years building my career in media and marketing and it was gone in an instant due to a global pandemic.

I was laid off in April with 90 people on a Zoom call the day before my birthday – not a great way to kick-off my birthday. I shared my experience with being laid-off: HERE!

Layoffs and downsizing can happen anytime and that is why it’s important to have your finance in order and savings to fall back on! Make sure to check out my NEW Financial Wellness Series – where I share my building blocks for Financial Success!

Nothing is going to change with the blog! I will still be posting weekly and sharing Fashion, Career, and Finance advice. I have a newsletter you can subscribe to receive my latest blog post as soon as they are published: HERE!

I have spent the last 5-months networking, job search, resume re-vamping, and interviewing and I am excited to have found a new job! I will not miss the interview cycles – especially digital zoom interviews!

And job searching during a pandemic has not just been tough but downright frustrating and demoralizing. I know I am not alone in my experience of losing my job due to COVID-19 and I wanted to share a few life lessons I learned during these last 5 months.

Life Lessons I Learned Finding a New Job

Don’t Be Embarrassed – After I shared my experience of losing my job due to COVID-19, I heard from a lot of you who were going through the same issue. Don’t feel embarrassed about losing your job. Take charge of the news and messaging around this employment-shift. And again, you lost your job due to a pandemic  – not performance.

Find What Drives You – Now that you have more free time to find what motivates you! And what keeps you going. Find a role or a company you will really be happy working at. Make sure you are finding a role and job that will challenge and sustain you, versus just giving you a paycheck.

Own Your Value – Don’t forget the value and experience you bring to the table. Companies are experiencing a flood of candidates but that doesn’t mean they will settle for anyone. Make sure you are emphasizing the value you bring for the role and make sure you are vetting the company on the value they will bring to your career. Employment is a two-way street!

Embrace Rejection and Keep Going – If you are still job hunting, don’t give up! Remember this is not normal times! A lot of companies are still in flux or trying to stay afloat. Not finding a position or experience a high rejection rate is normal – especially in a pandemic.

If you are looking for more Career Advice – head over to my Work Series for tips on climbing that corporate ladder, negotiate that raise, or launching your side-hustle!

Outfit Detail: Zara camel coat, eliza j tweed dress from Nordstrom, Vince Camuto OTK Boots, Dagne Dover work tote

Photography by Sarah Wolfe

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Have you experienced getting laid off and having to find a new job?  Let me know in a comment below!