Feeling Stuck in Your Job Due to COVID-19

• Kristine Penning
• January 15, 2021
• Newsletter Article

This should come as no surprise: the COVID-19 pandemic has created countless changes in the job market globally. Thoughts about changing jobs before the pandemic as well as during have felt useless due to the circumstances. But while things might seem uncertain and the terrain difficult, agricultural employers are still hiring, and there are great opportunities available. Here are some tips to exploring job opportunities in a pandemic world.

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This should come as no surprise: the COVID-19 pandemic has created countless changes in the job market globally. Thoughts about changing jobs before the pandemic as well as during have felt useless due to the circumstances. But while things might seem uncertain and the terrain difficult, agricultural employers are still hiring, and there are great opportunities available. Here are some tips to exploring job opportunities in a pandemic world. 

 

Define Your Goals 

What do you really want right now? Do you really want a new job, or are you just feeling stagnant in your current role? Can this be helped by speaking honestly with your supervisor or a trusted coworker/mentor? 

 

Take some time to examine what your goals really are. If they are simply to grow, brainstorm some ways you can grow in your current role. If they are to find something new, create a strategy to find a new career. The following are some ways to help make that happen. 

 

Expand Your Network – Virtually  

Because there aren’t a lot of in-person events right now, explore options to expand upon your network online. Here are a few that we recommend:

 

• Virtual Career Fairs & Networking Events – Search for online career fairs and networking events in your area or fitting your interests and expertise. This is the best way to connect directly with employers hiring. 
• Social Media Groups – Explore some groups and associations online that align with your career goals. An inexpensive route is exploring Facebook and LinkedIn groups. Join and start a conversation within your group(s), whether it’s about job openings in a specific area or specific to your area of interests and expertise. 

 

Sign Up for Job Alerts 

It can be discouraging and tiresome to check the job boards every single day. That’s why AgCareers.com has the option to set up job alerts. You can sign up for either email or text alerts (or both!) with the latest jobs that match your search criteria on AgCareers.com. Create an account on AgCareers.com here. Sign up for job alerts here.  

 

Expand Upon Your Skill Set 

Whether you’re looking for a new job or not, a good way to get out of your rut is to invest in some continued education. This could be as simple as attending a webinar or an online workshop, or as in-depth as pursuing an online degree. Again, define your goals and determine what education might be beneficial to achieving them. Also, be sure to talk with your supervisor and see if they are willing to cover the expenses of the online workshop or program you decide upon. 

 

Be Patient 

This has been something difficult for me personally during the pandemic: being patient. This is a confusing time for everyone as it’s something none of us have navigated before, and it took a long time to accept the way things are and adapt to them with limited information. Now that nearly a year has passed, we have a better idea of how to handle a pandemic world, as do employers and organizations in agriculture. And employers are still hiring, especially in agriculture!  

 

As cliché as it sounds, the world is your oyster, and despite what’s going on in the world, there is still ample opportunity to break out of your COVID rut. Define your goals, explore your options, and don’t give up.