Job opportunities are way up. The number of candidates applying are down. Here are some of the reasons and what you can do about it to help yourself.
Companies that placed an ad on job web sites may have gotten 200 applicant before. Now they may be getting only 50. Why?
- Job seekers are reluctant to make a change until they have the full series of vaccinations to make sure they are protected
- Those without a job are receiving very generous unemployment benefits. They qualify under a federal health care plan. They’re not in a hurry to make a change.
- Some continue to be concerned about the health risks and financial uncertainty of changing jobs until the market settles down a bit more
- Parents of younger aged children can’t leave the home for a job that may require them to travel or commute to the office periodically. Family comes first.
- Those who are employed and working remotely have a comfortable routine they don’t want to disrupt. Why take the risk into the unknown?
- Procrastination or complete satisfaction with their current job.
What kind of strategy can you employ in order to stay on your career track or move to a better position in the near future? Here are some thoughts:
- Remote work has created a national marketplace. Rather than search for a better job by location, search the national data bases by function.
- Over 20% of online job postings don’t indicate an office location, up more than 10% since last year. That means your choice of a new job has dramatically expanded.
- People who know where the job openings are, are those who you know in the same profession. Expand and connect with your network to find new opportunities.
- Companies are penetrating their competition to find new talent who understand their industry. Contact them directly, visit their website or go through a recruiter who specializes in your field.
- Smaller businesses are having a more difficult time finding talent. Seek small to mid-sized companies for a less complex search and greater opportunity to advance.
- The drive for skilled workers and supervisory/management talent is in technology, software developers, cybersecurity, sales, customer service, finance, health care, legal, warehouse /distribution, trucking, human resources, recruiting to name a few.
- Experienced people who can effectively manage a remote group are in high demand. Be sure to emphasize not only your experiences, but the results attained.
The marketplace is heating up. Prepare for a surge in demand in your field, with a low supply of candidates. Whoever can position themselves for the surge in the next few months will be in the best position to accelerate and potentially advance their career. The job postings are up dramatically, but the candidate availability has not caught up with the demand. Be the first in line to target the opportunities, rather than the last.
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