One of the immediate effects of the coronavirus crisis is employment uncertainty.

Last week, more than 3 million unemployment claims were submitted in just a few short days.

Since the first cases were reported in the U.S. in January, one in five American workers have been laid off or experienced a reduction of hours.

All this happened on the heels of the tightest labor market in history with unemployment rates below 4%.

No one could have imagined such a dramatic turnaround in such a short period of time. 

But, it’s here. And a lot of people are realizing their traditional employment situation will not be the same after the crisis subsides.

As a result, some really talented people are asking themselves: What do I want to do with the rest of my life?

Because of the stay-at-home orders and unemployment benefits, these individuals have more time than usual to ponder this question.

At a crossroads like this, the smartest and most resilient see opportunity.

They don’t wonder how they’ll recapture the past, they scan the horizon for new opportunities.

If a person ever considered working in real estate, there’s a good chance they’ll take some proactive steps in that direction in the next few months.

Those not struggling to pay for their basic needs may spend their federal stimulus check on education and launching new careers.

There will be a monstrous talent shift underway and everyone will be trying to find a seat in the new employment landscape.

As this happens, it’s important to be investing some time and resources in recruiting.

It doesn’t make sense to pull yourself out of the game right when the next wave of high performers are being hired.