Skip to Main Content
HBS Online
  • Courses
    Open Courses Mega Menu
    • Business Essentials
      • Credential of Readiness (CORe)
      • Business Analytics
      • Economics for Managers
      • Financial Accounting
    • Leadership & Management
      • Leadership Principles
      • Management Essentials
      • Negotiation Mastery
      • Organizational Leadership
      • Strategy Execution
      • Power and Influence for Positive Impact
    • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
      • Entrepreneurship Essentials
      • Disruptive Strategy
      • Negotiation Mastery
      • Design Thinking and Innovation
    • Strategy
      • Strategy Execution
      • Business Strategy
      • Economics for Managers
      • Disruptive Strategy
      • Global Business
      • Sustainable Business Strategy
    • Finance & Accounting
      • Financial Accounting
      • Leading with Finance
      • Alternative Investments
      • Sustainable Investing
    • Business in Society
      • Sustainable Business Strategy
      • Global Business
      • Sustainable Investing
      • Power and Influence for Positive Impact
    • All Courses
  • For Organizations
    Open For Organizations Mega Menu
    • Corporate Learning
      Help your employees master essential business concepts, improve effectiveness, and expand leadership capabilities.
    • Academic Solutions
      Integrate HBS Online courses into your curriculum to support programs and create unique educational opportunities.
    • Need Help?
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Contact Us
  • Insights
    Open Insights Mega Menu
    • Business Insights Blog
      • Career Development
      • Communication
      • Decision-Making
      • Earning Your MBA
      • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
      • Finance
      • Leadership
      • Management
      • Negotiation
      • Strategy
    • All Topics
    • Free Business Lessons and E-Books

      Gain actionable skills and insights to advance your career.

    • Free Guide

      Learn how to formulate a successful business strategy.

  • More Info
    Open More Info Mega Menu
    • Learning Experience
      Master real-world business skills with our immersive platform and engaged community.
    • Certificates, Credentials, & Credits
      Learn how completing courses can boost your resume and move your career forward.
    • Learning Tracks
      Take your career to the next level with this specialization.
    • Financing & Policies
      • Employer Reimbursement
      • Payment & Financial Aid
      • Policies
    • Connect
      • Student Stories
      • Community
    • Need Help?
      • Frequently Asked Questions
      • Request Information
    • Apply Now
Login
My Courses
Access your courses and engage with your peers
My Account
Manage your account, applications, and payments.
HBS Home
  • About HBS
  • Academic Programs
  • Alumni
  • Faculty & Research
  • Baker Library
  • Giving
  • Harvard Business Review
  • Initiatives
  • News
  • Recruit
  • Map / Directions
HBS Online
  • Courses
  • Business Essentials
  • Leadership & Management
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • Strategy
  • Finance & Accounting
  • Business in Society
  • For Organizations
  • Insights
  • More Info
  • About
  • Media Coverage
  • Founding Donors
  • Leadership Team
  • Careers
  • My Courses
  • My Account
  • Apply Now
  • …→
  • Harvard Business School→
  • HBS Online→
  • Business Insights→

Business Insights

Harvard Business School Online's Business Insights Blog provides the career insights you need to achieve your goals and gain confidence in your business skills.

 
Filter Results Arrow Down Arrow Up

Topics

Topics

  • Accounting
  • Analytics
  • Business Essentials
  • Business in Society
  • Career Development
  • Communication
  • Community
  • ConneXt
  • Decision-Making
  • Earning Your MBA
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Negotiation
  • News & Events
  • Productivity
  • Staff Spotlight
  • Strategy
  • Student Profiles
  • Technology
  • Work-Life Balance

Courses

Courses

  • Alternative Investments
  • Business Analytics
  • Business Strategy
  • CORe
  • Design Thinking and Innovation
  • Disruptive Strategy
  • Economics for Managers
  • Entrepreneurship Essentials
  • Financial Accounting
  • Global Business
  • Leadership Principles
  • Leading with Finance
  • Management Essentials
  • Negotiation Mastery
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Power and Influence for Positive Impact
  • Strategy Execution
  • Sustainable Business Strategy
  • Sustainable Investing
Subscribe to the Blog
RSS feed

Topics

Topics

  • Accounting
  • Analytics
  • Business Essentials
  • Business in Society
  • Career Development
  • Communication
  • Community
  • ConneXt
  • Decision-Making
  • Earning Your MBA
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • Finance
  • Leadership
  • Management
  • Marketing
  • Negotiation
  • News & Events
  • Productivity
  • Staff Spotlight
  • Strategy
  • Student Profiles
  • Technology
  • Work-Life Balance

Courses

Courses

  • Alternative Investments
  • Business Analytics
  • Business Strategy
  • CORe
  • Design Thinking and Innovation
  • Disruptive Strategy
  • Economics for Managers
  • Entrepreneurship Essentials
  • Financial Accounting
  • Global Business
  • Leadership Principles
  • Leading with Finance
  • Management Essentials
  • Negotiation Mastery
  • Organizational Leadership
  • Power and Influence for Positive Impact
  • Strategy Execution
  • Sustainable Business Strategy
  • Sustainable Investing
Subscribe to the Blog
RSS feed

How to Keep Your Career on Track During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Individual conducting online job search
  • 10 Apr 2020
Patrick Mullane Author Executive Insights
tag
  • Career Development

The coronavirus (COVID-19) is affecting nearly every aspect of the economy. Many experts agree that the United States is headed for a recession.

With much of the world effectively “closed for business,” organizations have been making drastic cuts to stay afloat. According to the U.S. Labor Department, 16 million Americans have lost their jobs and been suddenly plunged into an uncertain job market. What’s worse: most of them are unprepared.

HBS Online asked market research firm City Square Associates to poll 1,000 US adults to gauge recession-readiness. The study showed the majority were not prepared to ride out a recession. Not only did they not have adequate savings, the majority did not have an updated resume or active network.

If you are unemployed and unprepared, don’t despair. Here are steps you can take now to quickly get your career back on track during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tips for Finding a Job During the COVID-19 Pandemic

1. Apply for Your Old Job

If you’ve recently been laid off or furloughed, your employer may have hinted the layoff was temporary. If not, you can reach out and ask about the likelihood you’ll be asked back once business returns to normal. If they’re unsure, it’s reasonable to ask for updates as more information becomes available.

If there’s a chance they want you back, and you like what you were doing, you should make “applying” for your old job task number one. To ensure you remain top-of-mind in the interim, make an email pitch to your employer about the skills and traits you brought to your role that make you indispensable.

Whenever possible, cite statistics that demonstrate the contributions you made to your department or organization. It’s especially powerful if you can show the financial impact you made on the organization in terms of revenue or cost savings.

Related: 9 Tips for Mastering Your Next Virtual Interview

2. Get Noticed for Your Next Job

With so much uncertainty around how long people will be staying at home, you should prepare for the possibility you won’t get your old job back. To start the job search, here are some important first steps:

  • Update your profile and resume, and optimize them with keywords so search engines can find you
  • Post your resume on all job boards, including LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor
  • Customize your applications to show you’re serious about the role
  • Turn to your friends for help and tap their network

Turning to your friends for help is perhaps the most important. With millions of people being let go, there's no shame shouting from the rooftops that you're looking for a job. Start by posting a plea for help on LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. Then, reach out to individuals with large and potentially influential networks and ask them if they will share your update or, better yet, publish on your behalf. You can also ask former supervisors and co-workers to post recommendations for you.

Research shows that upwards of 85 percent of jobs are filled through networking so, by reaching out selectively to those you know and trust, you will get ideas, leads, introductions, and maybe even a job.

Related: How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

3. Be Open to New Roles and Careers

Part of your job hunt should involve taking inventory of your skills and thinking through new roles or industries where there may be opportunities. To make a career shift, you may need to acquire new skills, which could be a good use of your downtime during this period of isolation.

One of the best things to do to keep your mind sharp is to learn new skills or enhance your existing talents. With several online courses available, you’re sure to find one that’s right for you. Some courses might even help recruiters find you.

According to a survey of HBS Online learners, online courses open doors. About half of those who have taken one or more HBS Online courses say that, just by listing it on their resume, they got more attention from recruiters. And nearly one-third were able to transition to a new field.

Access Your Free E-Book | Download Now

Preparing for Your Next Step

Most important during this period of uncertainty is to keep the faith and persevere. The market will rebound in time and, if you put in some hard work now, you’ll be back to work before you know it.

Are you interested in taking an online course to gain a competitive edge? Explore HBS Online’s course catalog and discover how you can develop vital business skills.

About the Author

Patrick Mullane is the Executive Director of Harvard Business School Online and is responsible for managing HBS Online’s growth and long-term success. A military veteran and alumnus of Harvard Business School, Patrick is passionate about finding ways to use technology to enhance the mission of the School—to educate leaders who make a difference in the world.
 
All FAQs

Top FAQs

How are HBS Online courses delivered?

+–

We offer self-paced programs (with weekly deadlines) on the HBS Online course platform.

Our platform features short, highly produced videos of HBS faculty and guest business experts, interactive graphs and exercises, cold calls to keep you engaged, and opportunities to contribute to a vibrant online community.

Do I need to come to campus to participate in HBS Online programs?

+–

No, all of our programs are 100 percent online, and available to participants regardless of their location.

How do I enroll in a course?

+–

All programs require the completion of a brief application. The applications vary slightly from program to program, but all ask for some personal background information. You can apply for and enroll in programs here. If you are new to HBS Online, you will be required to set up an account before starting an application for the program of your choice.

Our easy online application is free, and no special documentation is required. All applicants must be at least 18 years of age, proficient in English, and committed to learning and engaging with fellow participants throughout the program.

After submitting your application, you should receive an email confirmation from HBS Online. If you do not receive this email, please check your junk email folders and double-check your account to make sure the application was successfully submitted.

Updates to your application and enrollment status will be shown on your Dashboard. We confirm enrollment eligibility within one week of your application.

Does Harvard Business School Online offer an online MBA?

+–

No, Harvard Business School Online offers business certificate programs.

What are my payment options?

+–

We accept payments via credit card, Western Union, and (when available) bank loan. Some candidates may qualify for scholarships or financial aid, which will be credited against the Program Fee once eligibility is determined. Please refer to the Payment & Financial Aid page for further information.

We also allow you to split your payment across 2 separate credit card transactions or send a payment link email to another person on your behalf. If splitting your payment into 2 transactions, a minimum payment of $350 is required for the first transaction.

In all cases, net Program Fees must be paid in full (in US Dollars) to complete registration.

What are the policies for refunds and deferrals?

+–

After enrolling in a program, you may request a withdrawal with refund (minus a $100 nonrefundable enrollment fee) up until 24 hours after the start of your program. Please review the Program Policies page for more details on refunds and deferrals. If your employer has contracted with HBS Online for participation in a program, or if you elect to enroll in the undergraduate credit option of the Credential of Readiness (CORe) program, note that policies for these options may differ.

 

Sign up for News & Announcements

Subject Areas

  • Business Essentials
  • Leadership & Management
  • Entrepreneurship & Innovation
  • Strategy
  • Finance & Accounting
  • Business & Society

Quick Links

  • FAQs
  • Contact Us
  • Request Info
  • Apply Now

About

  • About Us
  • Media Coverage
  • Founding Donors
  • Leadership Team
  • Careers @ HBS Online

Legal

  • Legal
  • Policies
Harvard Business School
Copyright © President & Fellows of Harvard College
  • Site Map
  • Trademark Notice
  • Digital Accessibility