How can entrepreneurs recognise that their business is not them, and that its possible failure in times like these is not a reflection of them personally.
Thousands of New Zealanders are having to rethink their work as the Covid-19 lockdown approaches its fourth week.
But recruitment agencies say while it is "an uncertain time for all", it is possible to shift career directions and they remain optimistic the job market will improve.
Nationally, the Ministry ofSocial Development is facing an influx of clients in need of welfare payments such as Jobseeker Support.
Ministry of Social Development regional commissioner Mike Bryant. Photo / File
Bay of Plenty regional commissioner Mike Bryant said Work and Income was "doing everything we can" to help communities in the Bay of Plenty while seeing a growing number of whānau needing assistance.
"While our offices are closed, we have most of our staff working every day to help people during this time of uncertainty – including many who are working from home," he said.
It was also in close contact with employers across the region to provide any available support to their employees. "We are also working to re-deploy workers to help fill jobs in essential industries," Bryant said.
We wanted to say thank you to everyone who has reached out to us. We really appreciate your patience and are doing our best to assist as quickly as possible 💙
More on this from: Viv Rickard – Deputy Chief Executive, Service Delivery
Seek NZ general manager Janet Faulding said it was "an uncertain time for all" - both prospective employees and hirers.
"For those considering a new career, remember that you don't have to take a giant leap to start off with. A good first step is to spend some time doing some online research about the industry you're interested in."
She said career coaches and mentors were a good source of advice and support and could be contacted by phone.
"If you really have no idea what you want to do, the best place to start is to do some self-reflection. Think about what interests you, what you're passionate about and what you might want to achieve in your career.
"Once you've got a clearer idea (it doesn't have to be a complete picture), you can start to develop short-, medium- and long-term goals for your career. It doesn't matter what they are, it just matters that you have some bite-sized, realistic goals."
Staffroom director Jill Cachemaille. Photo / File
Recruitment agencies said those forced to rethink their jobs should stick to what they know.
Jill Cachemaille, director of Bay of Plenty-based recruitment agency The Staffroom, said staying close to existing skill sets and industry experience allowed people to "stay competitive".
"Think of a job that would be a natural extension of what you have already been doing and [where] your previous experience would be an advantage."
1st Call Recruitment managing director Phill van Syp acknowledged it was "extremely hard" to reinvent yourself "unless you've got some skills that match a different path".
"When we are looking for people, we're always looking for a skill base of some sort ... I think sometimes people forget the skills they have."
1st Call Recruitment managing director Phill van Syp. Photo / File
The Tauranga-based recruiter said it was also "a great opportunity to do something that maybe you never thought of doing".
"There's nothing to lose."
He was optimistic the job market would improve.
"There are things that might be disrupted for a little while but ... I have total faith that we're going to be back on track."
New Zealand Kiwifruit Growers Incorporated chief executive Nikki Johnson said, since the lockdown, kiwifruit industry employers had been able to offer seasonal work to New Zealanders from a range of businesses.
This included from affected industries such as tourism, hospitality and construction, she said.
"Their contribution is much appreciated and these workers have enabled the harvest to continue and the first exports to take place," Johnson said.
Matt Cowley, chief executive of the Tauranga Chamber of Commerce said, "We will likely hear of further job losses as the uncertainty drags on."
He said some business owners were considering whether to put their home up as mortgage security so they could continue to pay overheads during the lockdown.
"The Government could help businesses prepare for trading after the lockdown by clarifying what rules businesses must follow as we cascade back down the Covid-19 levels: 3, 2, and 1."
Tauranga Chamber of Commerce chief executive Matt Cowley. Photo / File
NeedToKnow3
Stats NZ's most recent regional economic data shows the construction industry was the Bay of Plenty's biggest contributor to GDP in 2018, making up 7.9 per cent of the GDP compared with 6.4 per cent nationally.
Other big Bay of Plenty contributors were rental, hiring and real estate services and owner-occupied property operations, each with 7.5 per cent.
Agriculture contributed 7 per cent of the region's GDP and forestry, fishing and mining 4.7 per cent.
Seek NZ's tips for job hunters during the Covid-19 pandemic
• Standing out and being easily contactable is important. Make sure your contact information is up-to-date, highlight your start date availability.
• Be clear about what skills and experience you have that directly align with the job you are applying for. An application tailored to the job is important.
• Follow the application process. When organisations are rapidly hiring large numbers of people (such as a supermarket), going direct to the company or individual outlet or store is not always helpful and means your application may not get seen by those responsible for the hiring.
• Check out the support materials on Seek's career advice page. These include tips on improving your resume, identifying transferable skills, education aligned to career goals, and job and salary trends.
