The Motley Fool, April 25, 2018 —
Technology plays a major role.
The job market is perpetually evolving, which means if you’ve been happily employed for the past decade, it’s safe to say that things are different now. The way people look for jobs, the interview process, and what employers look for are all slightly different now, although your time-tested job-hunting and interviewing skills will still serve you well. Read on to get a sneak peek at some of the major ways searching for a job has changed in the past 10 years, plus how you can work these shifts to your advantage.
1. It’s easier to find exactly what you’re looking for
Sure, online job postings were around 10 years ago, but job sites have evolved in some major ways. In addition to having a greater volume of postings available online, you can now filter your search — not just for basics like job title and location, but also for salary ranges, date of posting, and company size — using tools like Glassdoor’s job search feature. These filters allow you to avoid wasting time sifting through job descriptions that aren’t relevant to you, so you can make the most of your job-hunting time.
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2. Transparency is a priority
2017 was a prime year for whistleblowing at major corporations. While this might not seem relevant to job hunting, the spirit of transparency absolutely crosses over into this arena. According to Glassdoor’s “What’s Ahead for Jobs? Five Disruptions to Watch in 2018“ report, it’s likely that more companies will begin to implement transparent hiring practices in order to allow potential hires to feel more clued in during the hiring process. Johnson & Johnson is one of the first companies to make this kind of system a reality, using a new hiring platform that allows candidates to track their application from start to finish, suggests next steps, and provides helpful information about the company and role.
Of course, this also means that transparency is expected from candidates, who should be prepared to talk about their reasons for seeking a new job and the challenges they’ve encountered in past roles. And while embellishing your resume was never exactly encouraged, it’s an especially poor moment to try that tactic given today’s climate.
3. Being well-informed is crucial
Another major trend noted in the disruptions report is that recruiters are especially looking for candidates who have researched the company and are well-informed about the role and the industry they’re applying to work in. One Glassdoor survey found that employers prioritized informed candidates above all others, and that being a high-quality candidate essentially means being an informed one. How does this translate? Use your application and resume to show how much you know about your industry and the job roles you’re applying for, and you’re more likely to see heightened interest in your applications.
4. You can job search (and apply) right on your phone
Yes, it’s really that easy. That means you can work on your job hunt while you’re standing in line at the grocery store or during your train commute. Five minutes here and there really add up, so this can work to your advantage if you’re searching for a job but have limited free time.
If you have your profile complete on Glassdoor, for example, you can utilize the Easy Applyfeature, which allows you to submit an application without leaving the site or even uploading additional documents — a feature that isn’t available on all job sites. And research suggests that mobile job searching will be even hotter in the years to come. One 2015 Pew Research survey found that 28 percent of Americans have used their mobile phone for job searching.
5. Your skills matter more than your current job title
When updating your resume, it’s important to include not just the names of where you’ve worked and what your job titles have been, but also keywords that highlight your actual skills. Not only does this help recruiters pinpoint what you can actually do, but it also increases the chances of your resume making it to an actual human’s eyes when you apply for a job online. Many large companies utilize resume-scanning software that searches for keywords pertinent to each role, only passing the most relevant resumes along to HR for further review.
Plus, if there are skills you use in your job now that you enjoy using, you can use those as keywords for your job searches. This way, you might be able to find jobs with titles you hadn’t imagined for yourself, but in reality are a great fit for what you’re interested in doing next.
6. Hiring is hot — and not just for tech
You might think that the only way to find a new job these days is to become a computer whiz. It’s true that Glassdoor’s 2018 disruptions report found that healthcare and tech jobs are steadily increasing. If you work in either of those industries, you’ll have plenty to choose from in terms of potential roles. These trends probably aren’t too surprising, but what’s especially promising for job hunters in 2018 is that more traditional job roles (think: construction laborers, restaurant waiters, and truck drivers) are also in higher demand. While a decade ago it looked like computers, the internet, and AI would make traditional job roles redundant, they’re actually on the rise. The takeaway? Don’t let a lack of technical skills discourage you from looking for something new.
7. Feedback has become a major focus
You may have already experienced that annual performance reviews are becoming less popular, with many companies choosing to do away with them entirely. Now, many businesses are opting to encourage feedback on a more frequent basis through regular check-ins and structured learning opportunities. Once you make it to the interview stage, showing you’re comfortable with receiving feedback, learning new skills, and making changes to the way you work based on your organization’s current needs can set you apart from the rest of the candidate pool.
8. You might not have to leave your current company to try something new
Another rising trend, according to Glassdoor’s disruption report, is “role experimentation” programs. While only a few companies have formal programs that allow current employees to try out a completely new job role and eventually transition over to that role full-time (provided it’s a good fit), it’s expected that more will become keen on the idea. Research shows that one of the key reasons people leave their jobs is that their role no longer fits their skills or interests, and businesses are wising up to the fact that in order to keep their most talented employees — who naturally want to grow and change in their roles — they’ll have to be a little more flexible. If your company doesn’t have a formal program for career changers, check in with your HR department about what company policy on the matter is. You might be surprised by how open they are to role-switching.
This article originally appeared on Glassdoor.com.
