6 New Hiring Trends Every Job Searcher Should Know
No matter where you are in your professional career, be it an entry level job or at the peak of your career, now may be the time to consider a job change. The U.S. economy is rolling along and affecting hiring trends. There are currently more open positions than applicants to fill the available jobs. Whether a new graduate or a person who hasn’t interviewed in several years, here are a few current trends impacting job opportunities that you may be faced with.
1. Social Media
How many times do we hear of people who have lost their job over a questionable, indelicate posting on their social media sites. It seems like common sense NOT to do this but it continually happens. Again and again we continue to marvel at the stupidity of the poster.
Organizations desire employees who are not only competent to do the job but are also representative of the company’s values, mission and culture. In this social media driven society you can expect employers to extensively examine all of your social media platforms. It is important to present the most professional profile possible. We live in a very sensitive culture so if there is anything on your social media sites that would offend anyone, seriously consider deleting the post. Why purposely limit your career possibilities by allowing a few “questionable” posts to be viewed by prospective employers. I have been asked how far a candidate should go back and delete questionable posts. This is hard to determine. Some companies search back a set number of years but some go all the way back depending on what they may be discovering on your sites! I tend to err on the side of deleting any potentially offensive posts. I have seen clients face this dilemma and it is heartbreaking.
2. Assessment Tools
In the “old” days it was all about how a resume’ looked that opened the right doors. That is no longer the case. Organizations search for the most talented workers who align well with the company and want that process to be quick and easy. Now, assessment software helps sort top applicants assists hiring managers with finding the best talent they are pursuing as well as saving time and money.
There is a growing trend for companies to use cognitive assessment tools to more deeply analyze and evaluate job candidates. These programs seek to learn about various aspects of an applicant other than the usual experience and job skills. Motivation, behavioural traits along with personality characteristics can be examined. Some organizations require applicants to take a personality test as part of the job interview process. This ensures the applicant’s personality gels with the company’s culture. It may be helpful to become more aware of various personality tests in case you are required to take one.
A diverse workforce is a huge, important trend in hiring and software assessment tools play a part in building these diverse teams. Hiring assessment algorithms assist in decreasing hiring bias. A computer algorithm eradicates the inherent bias a human brings to reviewing applications and resumes’. Many organizations utilize software that hides bits of an applicant’s information that could trigger hiring bias. For example, items such as an applicant’s name, address or college attended may be hidden in the online application or resume’ submission. The resultant decrease in bias levels the playing field for all candidates hopefully resulting in fairer hiring practices.
There is also a move toward “diverse team” hiring. A hiring team composed of persons of different age, race and gender are instituted in some organizations to decrease the bias factor. The candidate will be interviewed by a panel of diverse persons or have many individual interviews with these people. Due to this trend, job candidates should be prepared for more panel interviews. If you haven’t ever participated in a panel interview, research them to be fully informed of the dos and don’ts involved.
3. Computer Skills
Most jobs today have a data component. Increased use of workplace technology means there is more data to collect, track, analyze and report. Your new position will require some type of computer skills. If you haven’t interviewed in many years be aware of this trend. It may be time to brush up on or learn some new technology skills. Research the desired position to learn the specific skills you will be expected to perform. Include these skills on your resume’ as well as in the job interview. If you take a course to increase your technology skills be sure to expound on this during the interview. It shows you really are motivated to learn and do the job.
4. Non-Traditional Candidates
An interesting hiring trend receiving more press lately is that of companies wanting to attract non traditional or alternative candidates. More traditional paths to hiring are giving way to appreciating applicants who have talent and skills but did not conform to the four year college path. Seeking out only degreed candidates overlooks many people due to their untraditional background totally ignoring valuable skills many companies can use. A Forbes article states, “Indeed.com eliminated the college-degree requirement for 3000 + positions after internal research showed a degree was not essential for success in these roles.”
5. Work-Life Balance
We can thank the Millennial generation for beginning this trend and the Gen Z’s for enforcing it! Organizations now recognize that not all workers think of money first. Maintaining a healthy work-life balance is the priority now. The usual business construct of salary, insurance and vacation days have changed in some industries. Flexible hours and remote work allows the employee to maintain control over their lives. No longer are they slave to the 9-5 workday as was traditional years ago. Employees now are able to negotiate their perks as well as work schedules with some organizations. Companies also provide varied benefits to assist in a more balanced life like office gyms, day care services, free meals at the office, scheduled social events and tickets to local entertainment. This provides a larger sense of freedom and happiness for employees.
6. Active Recruiting
Employers are seeking skilled, talented workers. It’s an ongoing competition to find and seize these valuable resources. Recruiters are actively sourcing potential hires. You may not be looking for a new job but may receive one of these recruiter contacts. By all means, check it out! It could be your dream job! Keep your LInkedIn profile up to date in order to be visible and viable to these recruiters.
Opportunities are abundant in this booming employment economy. New recruiting trends are added constantly and they are as varied as the colors in a peacock’s feathers! It’s important to be aware of new hiring trends before you begin your job search. You don’t want to be caught off guard. If you would like to dust off your interviewing skills, contact me today. Together we will prepare you for your tomorrow.
I offer a completely free 30 minute introductory job interview coaching session. Contact me today to prepare for your tomorrow!