Job Seekers Need To Know These 4 Trends For 2021
So many things have been interrupted by the pandemic. It feels like you can’t even finish a sentence without it —
But that’s not the point. Because today we’re going to talk about some patterns that haven’t been interrupted by COVID-19!
There are 4 trends that all job seekers should know about. And rather than slowing down or fading away in 2021, they’re actually becoming more common each and every day.
What are they, you ask? Read on, and let’s find out!
Remote Interviews
If you’ve been laid off due to the pandemic and have been searching for work, there’s a pretty good chance that you’ve had a remote interview at some point.
Even before the pandemic hit, video and phone based interviews were becoming popular for the flexibility they offer both recruiters and candidates alike.
Are you a job seeker thinking about moving to a new city, and want to have a job when you land there? How convenient — you can meet potential employers face to face before you even pack your bags!
Or maybe you’re an employer who hasn’t opened up your new office yet, and are trying to squeeze in 15 minutes for an interview while juggling a hundred other tasks. Great news — now you can fit in that meeting on-the-go from almost anywhere!
Trendy job seekers should familiarize themselves with popular platforms like Zoom, Google Meets, Skype, etc. Run mock calls with yourself or a friend to make sure your tech works, and you get comfortable with speaking via screen.
You should also brush up on internet etiquette — things like making sure you are in a quiet, well-lit spot with a neutral background — and remember to still treat these as professional meetings, even if the format is less than traditional.
Online Networking
Facebook isn’t just for staying in touch with your high school friends anymore, or for reading your mom’s memes…
As the global community has agreed to put a pause on large in-person events for safety reasons, industry influencers and convention organizers are moving their duties online.
That means no more trade shows. No more job fairs. No more mass hiring events. At least for now.
So where do you go to interact with employers and professionals that can connect you to the opportunities you need? You follow them to the web!
Digital meetups are the new normal. Forums give you a place to discuss ideas; social media gives you a place to share your expertise. There are interactive workshops and webinars where you can work on your professional development while developing relationships with other professionals!
Don’t think that just because you can’t meet someone face-to-face that you can’t keep meeting people and making connections. Ride this trend’s wave, and surf the web when you need to socialize!
Proactive Self-Improvement
A good employer will support your professional development. But they need to know that you have the initiative to do the same.
While time might seem frozen as we wait for the world to return to normal, your self improvement doesn’t have to be. Now is the time to turn downtime into an upward trajectory for your strengths and skills!
The modern successful job candidate doesn’t just show up to a one day training course then sit down at a desk and work the same way for their entire career. A strong performer is one who actively works to improve their performance through professional development.
And when you can show that you’ve fostered that need to develop in your life, it’s going to resonate with employers.
Developing yourself doesn’t have to be as grandiose as going back to school for an entire PhD. It could be taking a 30 minute course on communication skills. It could be taking the time to write out your goals and making a measurable action plan. It could even be as simple as learning a new recipe, or trying a new sport.
The point is, if you are constantly finding ways to challenge yourself to improve then it’s going to become much easier to overcome the challenge of finding a great job, or building an amazing career.
The Changing Face Of The Workplace
Language is a great measure of trends in society.
And by simply looking at what buzzwords are being thrown around in the job market these days, you can start to see a new pattern emerge.
Remote work.
Flex days.
Hybrid office.
Work-life balance.
The list goes on.
The pattern here shows that society is ready to break free from an older pattern. One that dictated standardized working hours, and outmoded office layouts. Three piece suits in the summer, and well-ironed ties.
Flexibility is one of the top values that job seekers are looking for in a good employer. But it’s also one of the traits that employers value in potential employees.
After nearly every business in the world had to pivot quickly and stay agile just to stay afloat, employers want team members who embrace change. They want people who share a mindset that if there exists a better way to do something, then you should allow yourself to do that thing.
So be prepared for a linguistic overhaul to the definition of “office”. You’re going to start seeing more and more businesses that not only went remote because of the pandemic, but are going to choose to stay that way to some degree.
Conclusion
We all know that trends may come and go, but it doesn’t mean that they don’t affect our lives while they’re still around.
The trends we learned about in this article may even become something more — something permanent. But whether that’s the case or not, it’s certainly the case that you should keep them in mind as you navigate your job hunt in 2021!