Connect with friends, mentors and upskill to stay ahead of the curve

The magnitude of the disruptions that Covid-19 brought upon how companies operate, grow and hire has been unprecedented. As a direst result of the pandemic, millions have lost their jobs or have been furloughed. Aspiring professionals can explore virtually driven jobs and internships as ‘Work from Home’ is becoming the new normal.

Having a clear view of the future while choosing a career has become more important now than ever before, thus young graduates ought to focus on industries that will weather not just this storm but similar scenarios in the future as well. The growing demand for ‘Made in India’ products can generate massive employment in the coming years especially in sectors like e-commerce, 3PL (third party logistics), FMCG (for essential goods/services) and pharmaceuticals which the young professionals should keep in mind while choosing a career. One of the prominently growing career industries is e-learning and coaching businesses which also have a lot of potential employment options. Meditation, Yoga, Naturopathy and Ayurveda are some sustainable segments which will always be in demand.

This situation also allows the young to reimagine their future. Companies are now more open to fresh ideas and technology-fueled solutions that make processes location-agnostic, time/cost-efficient and future-ready. Tele communications industry witnessed an immediate upscale as mass transition towards Work from Home emerged. Digital payment tools and gateways are also expecting brighter futures until people gain confidence to go out for purchases. Cybersecurity and online gaming industry are also seeing a boom of late.

Enhance skills

This is one of the best periods to enhance your skills and develop new-age soft skills which can help you to succeed. Considering your current industry, you can look for a skill that will add value to your resume. You can choose to do a self- development course which will help you to achieve long-term goals. In fact, many recruiters appreciate such mentions in the resume.

Connect with your friends, professional mentors and college alumni and spark conversations about possible opportunities and virtual networking events. Joining professional groups online can also help you in expanding your search and network. Focus your efforts on leveraging your network to source additional opportunities which might help you in future.

The ground is set for multi-dimensional growth rather than the straight-jacket, unidirectional growth that has defined industry for the last decade. The silver lining on the coronavirus storm-cloud is the opportunity it presents for the youth to define the new order of business.

(The author is with Essar Group)