The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc on the United States economy, pushing unemployment rates past the 16% mark, according to a June report by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While those numbers fell as states reopened — at press time – the road to recovery is going to be a long one. The good news, however, is that there are jobs out there, you just need to know where to look. That said, if you’re unemployed or simply looking to make a change, consider this advice from human resources executives who are in the trenches and (still!) hiring today.

MARKET YOURSELF WELL.

Melissa Peavey, human resources manager at luxury watchmaker and boutique retailer Audemars Piguet, says any job search should start with an updated résumé and online pro­file on sites like LinkedIn, Indeed.com, Monster.com and Ziprecruiter. “Make sure you have a professional-looking profile photo. Make sure all your information is updated, and, last but not least, personalize the URL on LinkedIn so you can add it to all your communications,” Peavey says. Another tip: “Ask colleagues and former managers to give you recommendations on LinkedIn.”

MAKE THE RIGHT CONNECTIONS.

You want to put yourself in front of people who can hire you — or introduce you to hiring man­agers. This means it’s imperative to join lots of groups — online and offline — so you can make connections. Consider joining industry net­working groups, which may be holding virtual meetings, and letting everyone you meet know you’re looking to make a transition or find a new job.

You also can reach out and link with recruit­ers and human resources personnel. LinkedIn, Handshake, MeetUp, Opportunity and Angel­List are just a few suggestions.

TAP THE CONNECTIONS YOU ALREADY HAVE.

Dana Case, manager of Operations at Mycorporation.com, says her company’s hiring has stepped up during the pandemic and many of the people she’s interviewing, come from refer­rals. Companies like to hire people who have been vetted already by employees or business partners, so if you’ve identified a target, ask around to see if you know anyone who works there. You can also use LinkedIn to see if you’re connected to any past or current employees.

DO YOUR HOMEWORK.

Ben Christensen, cofounder and head of people for college recruiting site Handshake, reminds candidates to spend time on the company’s website, social media and LinkedIn groups as well as reading up on any company news or events by doing a web search.

“There’s another Handshake out there [that caters to Shopify merchants]. We actually started interviewing a candidate recently who thought they were interviewing with that Hand­shake,” he says. “They didn’t get the job. Do the research before you agree to an interview.”

CONSIDER A CAREER SWITCH.

There are some verticals that were hit hard by the pandemic. If your current or previous job falls into that category, take note: It might be a great time to try something new. Randy Potts, human resources manager at retailer Rent-2-Own, says as long as you can showcase your ability and translate the skills you used in a dif­ferent role into a new one, there’s no reason you can’t get hired.

“Just make sure you take the time with your résumé and highlight the experience that you feel pertains to the new job you’re going after,” he says. “Did you work in hospitality but want to work in retail? Show me that you have strong customer service skills or the ability to be flex­ible, and I’m willing to give you a chance.”

ACING YOUR VIRTUAL INTERVIEW

Social distancing means there’s an excellent chance any job interviews in the foresee­able future will be virtual. So how do you stand out from the Zoom crowd and get the job?

Christensen says candidates should be dressed appropriately, but technological quality and background is important, too. Lighting should be good, video and audio must be working, and you shouldn’t have anything controversial or unprofessional showing in the background, such as your favorite frat party drinking photo.

Once an interview is scheduled, find out who you’ll be speaking with and learn as much about them and their company as you can. You’re looking to make a connec­tion with the person you’re speaking with, so find areas of interest overlap.

Finally, if it’s possible, ask family members and pets to leave the house for a little while. Once you have the job, it’s fine to introduce your coworkers to your pets or children, but they can be distracting to you and the interviewer during the call.

“My recruiters usually check in with each candidate to help them make a good first impression,” adds Christensen. “You only get one chance to make a first impression.”