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“I just lost my job and I have no idea what to do! Where will I find another job in these times?”

This is just one of the more than 50 calls /messages I received over the past 3 months. It is frustrating and painful to face such a blow to one’s livelihood and esteem.

Retrenchments and furloughs have become the norm across the world. But even in this situation, there are still a few bright lights in the gloom. There are still companies hiring, some businesses transforming themselves, and some industries expanding – which means they need new employees, new skills and new ideas.

It is possible that you may not be employed by the same company by the end of this crisis. But it is necessary to remain employable by keeping your skills versatile and sharpened. For example, customer service skills at a hotel can easily transition to online customer support. Or data analyst capabilities at a startup could translate to that at a healthcare agency.

Here are three industries continuing to thrive in the midst of the coronavirus crisis.

One, Healthcare

• Hospitals, hospices, pharmacies, laboratories, manufacturing facilities, cleaning and disinfection, tracking and tracing. So many areas are growing rapidly and need good talent to be able to cope and deliver. Two pharmacy chains in USA alone have added more than 10,000 employees to their rolls in the last 2 months.

Two, IT services

• Telecommunication, technical support, installations, maintenance, customer support, trouble-shooting – here, too, the need is growing faster than many companies can fill. Job sites are overflowing with requirements for new people.

Three, e-commerce

• Stocking, logistics, public relations, software development, customer support, merchandising, procurement. This sector is growing in double digits, and companies are hiring hundreds of new employees. Amazon has added more than 250,000 employees to their ranks across the world.

All these industries need a wide variety of skills, experience and capabilities. And they need them now.

Your job is not about which industry you work in, but what you do and deliver.

Don’t pigeonhole yourself as a ‘hospitality industry manager’; define yourself as a ‘customer solutions manager’ or as a ‘client on-boarding manager’ – this allows you to transcend business sector and industry, and make yourself visible to a wide range of employers. Align yourself to the industry and the business, and they will see you as a potential employee.

You cannot do anything about the market situation. You can decide how to respond to it proactively, innovatively and smartly.

To arm yourself in these troubled times, please read The Five Weapons To Deal With The Post-Pandemic World.

Does Gen Z suffer from over confidence?

CEO Chronicles # 31 : The Young & The Zestful

It seems so, no?

In comparison to past generations, Generation Z are the most empowered group of individuals ever.

Gen Z are well-off, aware, connected, smart, and know what they want.

Often, they seem too passionate, too assertive, too pushy. Too often, they question norms and argue tradition. And they seem to want too much, too fast.

But that is only the surface.

Gen Z are also much more thoughtful and engaged with the world around them.

They are conscious that their parents’ and grandparents’ choices and actions have handed to them a divisive, polarized and suffering world.

They know that they have to drive immense change.

Even when so young, Gen Z feels a tremendous sense of responsibility.

They feel a sense of urgency.

So what is the truth?

Gen Z is actually worried, concerned and suffer from low self-esteem. They see the immensity of the task ahead of them and are not sure if they can succeed.

Gen Zers don’t show this. They are also courageous, determined and persistent.

They will, in public, put on a brave face and fight for what is right – for themselves and the world around them – and they will choose difficult paths and uphill climbs.

Don’t judge them – support them. Because Gen Z is your children’s and grandchildren’s best chance…

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I understand these feelings and emotions, because I have gone through them.

Long ago, I, too, was furloughed once due to circumstances beyond my control. I felt rejected and devalued and hurt and impotent.

Every human being encounters failure. Even the greatest of human beings we know and admire have struggled through stumbles and falls. What made them great is their response to failure. It is not the fall that defines us, it is how we pick ourselves up and move forward thereafter.

So, what should you do?

Here are the steps I would take (and did take, many years ago).

ACTION

1. First, spend some time feeling bad. Curse the world, fate, the virus. Stand in your balcony or terrace and scream your frustration (without disturbing your neighbours too much). Then, having done that and gotten it off your chest, put your frustration and anger aside. They have no role to play in your future.
2. Second, find something to do, something to contribute to, quickly. Do not allow your mind and body to idle. You could volunteer your services at an NGO. Or, you could join a start-up as an pro-bono advisor. You could offer yourself as an unpaid intern to a company. Perhaps you could teach the neighbourhood kids math or art or football? When you do this, you continue to learn, to contribute and to grow. Even though you are not paid, you are learning new skills, meeting new people, developing new ideas.
3. Third, list all your connections and identify those who can be of help. Reach out to them. Don’t whine or complain. Be factual. Tell them what happened, tell them what you are doing, and ask them to keep an eye open for any opportunity that may come their way. Ask them if you can contribute in any way to their lives and do so.

INVESTMENT

1. Fourth, invest in yourself. When you were at work, you were busy all the time. You did not have time to sharpen your skills or learn new ones. Go into any of the many online academies and choose courses that will enhance your abilities whilst aligning with your career goals. Learn, reskill and upskill.
2. Fifth, spend some time reconnecting with your family. When you were at work, you had little or no time for them. Spend time with them. Speak to them, listen to them, understand what they are going through. Strengthen the bonds that will stand the test of time and crisis.
3. Sixth, review your career and life. Understand what went right and what went wrong, what different approaches could you have considered, how you could have prepared better, what gaps in your knowledge you need to fill. Has your life so far been full of purpose and meaning? If not, what can you do to change this? This exercise will make you stronger and wiser, and thus, able to grow and achieve faster and better when you resume your career journey.
4. Finally, exercise. Walk, run, lift weights, skip, play. The fitter your body is, the sharper your mind, and the more positive your outlook. If you need to, lose weight. If you don’t, develop your abs and pecs. Learn to breathe. Spend some time learning how to meditate.

A loss of a job is a severe blow. But, it is not the end of the world, unless you make it so. In fact, it can be an amazing new beginning – of a wonderful journey that you never noticed because you were too busy in your job.

Afterword :

In 1985, when global shipping was facing one of its biggest downturns, my employer informed me that due to a surfeit of marine engineers and a shortage of vessels, it would be at least a year before they could re-engage my services. I was shattered. Especially as I knew I was a good engineer, and my company did, too. I felt betrayed. For the first time in my life, I felt like a victim.

I spent 2 weeks moaning and whining. Then, I picked myself up. I joined a Suicide Hot Line as a counsellor and an NGO that helped teach street kids English. Meanwhile, I looked for jobs, but the eighties were a difficult time. I made many new connections, though, who are now close friends and mentors. Then, I was advised to do an MBA. I wrote the CAT, and spent two of the best years of my life in IIMB. During this time, I saw a whole spectrum of different futures, which I had no clue existed when I was sailing as an engineer. I moved from engineering into operations and then into marketing and sales. I found my purpose and my vision.

If that furlough had not happened, I don’t think I would have ever become a CEO. Or led the wonderful life I did…

This content was originally published by me on Quora.