Bruce Outridge President Artist, Author, Consultant, Speaker

Over the years I have been telling people especially those in the trucking industry that keeping up with technology should be of the utmost importance. With the pandemic in full swing the need has become more important as for many this is the only way of staying connected with others. You have probably heard of people saying, “This is the new normal.” That statement can stand for many different things, the scary part is that it is true. When we come out of this pandemic things will change for all of us. Not just from a standpoint of safety but from a business standpoint. Companies now have the option of conducting certain processes remotely and in the near future that may be the way of conducting interviews. If you are someone looking for a job below are three technical skills you should brush up on to keep you in the job loop while social distancing is in full swing.

Even though businesses are starting back up over the next week or so it doesn’t mean it will be business as usual. Physical distancing will still be at the forefront and only essential people will be allowed to be available in person. Even if businesses aren’t hiring right now they will still be conducting interviews and getting ready for the future. So what do you have to have in place to keep up the job search in a technically centred environment?

Get a Skype or Zoom Account

Person to person calls have been the forefront of communication with the pandemic and this is how many recruiters will be talking with applicants for the near future. You can expect interviews to be done in this manner for a while and it will look more professional to the recruiter if you already have a Skype or Zoom account set up. Add the Skype address to the contact part of your resume and do a trial run so you know how to use it. FaceTime is also another option for those of you with Apple Products dealing with people in a local area.

Have Your Resume in PDF Format

Having your resume in electronic format is not a new idea as many have had it that way before, but it is even more important during this time. In person I always suggest a printed copy but since things are virtual PDF format is the best option. You may have it in a text editor like Word or Pages but there are two issues with that. One is that people can change your work in those formats and second not everyone can open those programs. A PDF document can be opened by most computers and only those with a higher version of the platform would be able to change anything reducing the issue of unauthorized changes. Always keep an original copy of your document.

Improve Your Audio for Interviews

Doing a professional job interview online still needs a good first impression. We often think of online interviews as more casual because we are at home. Although most recruiters will understand the family environment it will impress them more if you take a few steps to improve the experience.

Audio should be your first consideration so use ear buds or headphones when conducting the interview. When you use the built in microphone on your computer you will get the ambient noise of the room causing an echo in the background. This makes it very hard for the other person to hear. Use an external audio device to improve your audio.

I hope these tips help you improve your online experiences. Remember first impressions count whether in person or online. The more prepared you are the better. Good luck.

About the Author

Bruce Outridge has been in the trucking industry for over 30 years. He is a former driver, fleet supervisor, author of the books Running By The Mile and Driven to Drive, and producer and host of The Lead Pedal Podcast for Truck Drivers. You can listen and subscribe to the podcast at www.theleadpedalpodcast.com or on your favourite podcast platform.