Job hunting in a global pandemic:
What surviving the recession taught me about thriving in a pandemic
So there I was, a bright eyed art & design nerd graduating with an art degree and hefty student loan debt during one of the worst economic downturns since the Great Depression. Times were terribly tough, not only were people losing their jobs, they were losing their homes as well.
Looking for work in the creative industry while people were desperately clinging to the jobs they had, was extremely challenging as well as mentally and emotionally taxing. Little did I know, that years later this experience would prepare me for my job search in the current global pandemic that we all now find ourselves in.
After several years of working odd jobs after graduation, I finally caved and got a ‘big girl’ job at a corporate healthcare company. It wasn’t my passion. It was the antithesis of creative. But I had a great boss and a good group of people to work with and it helped me pay down my seriously mounting student loans. Despite not being in a creative environment, working for a Fortune 100 company broadened my professional knowledge and gave me valuable life skills and experience.
I recently decided to quit my corporate job to pursue a more creative and fulfilling career path. I went back to school to learn UX design, completely unaware I would find myself in a very similar situation after graduating. So if you’re reading this and in a similar position or contemplating making a career shift during these uncertain times, I want to share a few tips I learned while surviving the recession and what they taught me about how to thrive in this global pandemic.
1. Diversify
During these weird times, most of us are finding ourselves with a whole bunch of extra time on our hands, so now more than ever, is a great chance to utilize this extra time and take that course or tutorial you’ve always been meaning to get around to. Read that book, update your portfolio, finish that project, and set more goals!
During the recession I kept busy with small side hustles, like starting an Etsy shop and even ran a small creative floral biz so that I could keep my creative juices flowing. You don’t have to become ‘a pro’ in a new skill or trade, but understanding the basics and having an eagerness to learn is key and this diverse skill set, can often get you in the door to have a conversation. You really never know when or where a random skill will come into place on your path to where you’re going.
2. Selfcare
Self-care is so very important, I cannot stress this enough! No matter what is going on in this wild world, taking time to check in with yourself is vital and necessary for mental, emotional, and physical wellbeing. The recession taught me that burnout was real. Searching for creative roles during that time felt overwhelming, intimidating, and the rejection after rejection wore away at me. My lack of experience turned to self doubt and insecurity.
Even now, as I navigate this pandemic job market, I can catch myself with thoughts like: “why would anyone hire a jr. UX designer when there are a million more qualified designers out there?” — this is negative self talk, and we can all get into this kind of headspace at times, especially when everything feels so chaotic and uncertain.
But, I encourage you to take some time each day to check in with your inner dialog and make sure you’re able to sit and listen to what you need on a mental, emotional and physical level. These are stressful and uncomfortable times indeed, so get yourself cozy and blanket yourself in some radical empathy and self compassion. We’re all in this together.
3. Keep going
Lastly, keep at it and don’t give up! With tenacity, passion, and drive, you will get to where you want to go. It may have taken what feels like ‘way too many years’ for me to get back to a more creative field, but the point is: I got back to it. And sometimes that’s what the journey is all about. It’s worth putting time and effort in to do something that makes you happy.
I’m still glad that I made the switch to UX Design, even if I don’t currently have a job during the pandemic. I’m optimistic for the future and I’m going to be practicing self-care rituals while continually challenging myself to explore new things.
So keep hustling, keep learning, diversify your skill set, and take time for self care. I firmly believe if you have the curiosity and drive to learn and expand outside of your comfort zone, listen to your inner dialog, you can and will be able to gently guide yourself towards the change and growth you want to make.
