Reconstructing The Job Market :A Post COVID-19 Market

There is no doubt 2020 has been a transformative period for the entire world. COVID-19 has effected every single one us. How has it effected the job market? You may hear varied news depending on the source. Some say, the job market is doing horrible, other say it’s best market for workers to negotiate. I think it’s a little bit of both. One of the greatest skills we’ve all acquired during this time is the skill of patience and multi-tasking. These skills have always been highly valued by hiring managers, and now more than ever, job seekers have a story to tell to highlight these skills in interviews.

So what are the transformations the job market has made and how does it effect the post COVID-19 world? Here are five job market trends we are seeing right now!

Flexible Staffing

Businesses have laid of mass amount of staff at the beginning of the pandemic. With the current staff available, they are looking for creative ways to meet the organizational needs, and goals. For this, businesses are looking to hire a combination of interim and full-time employees. They are enlisting the help of agencies to provide them with temporary, experienced professionals with one time projects or events. This helps stimulates the job market and gives opportunity for job seekers to gain project based experience.

Remote Work

Now more than ever, have employers changed their minds on remote work. Remote work seemed like a luxury afforded by employers. Work life balance was a rarely discussed topic amongst high level managers. In a post COVD-19 world, I predict remote work might give businesses a better opportunity to retain employees. It allows employees to chose their own work schedules and submit their deliverables on time. When push came to shove, employers had to give in and transform their organizations to fit the state of the world and keep their businesses running. We all know remote work can produce work and keep businesses afloat, I predict this will be a permanent change.

Staffing Agencies Are Thriving

The candidate pool for hiring managers is extremely full and diverse. That does not necessarily mean they have the candidates they are looking for. Companies are seeking to work with staffing professionals to help them find experienced professionals. If you are a job seeker, you might want to enlist the help of a staffing agency to help you target your job search and take advantage of a recruiter’s network. It’s a win-win for everyone.

Soft Skills Have Become More Valuable

Employers are looking for adaptable and creative employees to make their teams dynamic and transferable. Hiring managers are now focused on job seekers that bring more to the table than a list of technical skills. Some of these soft skills include innovation, problem solving, attention to details, and independence. As a job seeker, you want to ensure that these skills are showcased throughout your resume and highlighted in your interviews.

Key Technology Skills

We’ve seen a new appreciation for job seekers with technology skills and adaptation to automation. Some of the key technology proficiencies hiring managers are looking for include advanced excel, cloud based payroll and human resource information systems, and financial forecasting and modeling. The good news is, there are a lot of free resources for job seekers to access information and learning materials for technical systems used by companies.

The job market and business operations have completely transformed since March 2020. It’s important for job seekers to understand the evolution and adapt to the change. Companies have a new dedication to provide more transparency to their employees about business priorities, take advantage of this communication from key leaders in the organization. It will tell you exactly how you should prepare for your interview or even how to create your resume and cover letter.