The global outbreak of the coronavirus has disrupted industries, caused several businesses to lose revenue, has changed the way we work and interact with others, and has overall brought people into a state of panic, confusion, and anxiety.

Meanwhile, while this is going on, many people that are in the job hunt market are feeling more worried than ever. As many people know, the first quarter of the year is one of the most active times for companies recruiting new talent, and because of that, many companies typically see a surge in applications.

While many people have questioned if the coronavirus pandemic will create a hiring freeze, the one thing that’s for certain is that it has definitely changed the recruitment process and you have to prepare yourself for what’s to come.

First, before you just throw your whole resume and LinkedIn away assuming that no one is recruiting new talent, please note that every industry doesn’t slow down in an economic turmoil or when crisis’ hit. Contrary to what you’ve heard, people are still getting hired during layoffs or when economically-speaking, ish doesn’t look promising.

So who are the ones that are getting hired during times like this?

It’s the ones that didn’t give up, and didn’t stop job searching.

Okay cool, but let’s be real. Will the job search journey get harder?

I definitely imagine so.

But, no matter what, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t put in that app.

By still putting in those apps, you are getting a leg up on those who’ve stopped applying. Just by pressing forward, you are in front of potential employers where others aren’t.

If you’re still on the job hunt, here are few things that you can do now to be and stay marketable.

Work on your remote skills

The coronavirus outbreak could create new career paths and jobs that you may have not considered.

Because of the state of the virus, many companies are pivoting several roles into online/remote positions. This may be a temporary or long-term decision – but who knows. What we do know is that we should get ready and stay reader for either option.

During this time, work on your hard and soft skills that are ideal for working remotely. It’s important that you work on this now, and communicate it in your resume and LinkedIn so that the organization you’re applying to sees that working efficiently virtually is in your DNA.

Get comfortable with video interviews

Coronavirus or not, you should always treat a video (virtual) interview as critical as a “normal”, physical interview. As you are sending in those apps and are getting interview invites, still devote the same amount of preparation, energy, and effort into your video interview.

Also, keep in mind the common video interview best practices: conduct your interview in a neat area with a background that’s not distracting, dress appropriately, and test out your camera and audio ahead of time.

Be the follow-up king/queen

From the time you’ve applied to when you’re participating in your interview, your job is to follow-up consistently. Do not leave your career solely in someone else’s hands.

Like all things, when you follow-up with a hiring manager, be politely persistent. I encourage you to use software like Hubspot to track your emails so that you can see if they are even opening your messages or not. During these crazy times, if you’re not getting a response back, don’t assume it’s because it’s you. As we all know, it’s just a lot of things going on right now so that’s why politely following up is key.

Like any turbulent time you may have experienced, the key is to remain in control over what you can control, and to make your next move your best move – virus or no virus.