Often, the fundamentals of job searches remain relatively unchanged. Candidates need to find suitable opportunities, submit applications or resumes, participate in interviews, and take similar steps to secure a position. Ultimately, that process remains today.
However, recruitment and hiring strategies are regularly in flux. Additionally, the technologies being leveraged shift frequently. As a result, candidates need to prepare for what lies ahead, ensuring they’re able to successfully land a role when they begin hunting for a new opportunity. If you want to be ready for what’s on the horizon, here’s what job seekers need to know.
Shifting Perceptions on Side Hustles
Generally, job seekers view side hustles as primarily net gains. They can earn extra income to achieve stability or reach financial goals and acquire new skills that can boost their careers or prepare them for a new direction.
However, employers may see side hustles in different ways. Some consider it a sign that a candidate is highly self-motivated, which is a positive. On the other side, they may wonder if the side gig is a potential source of disruption, preventing the candidate or employee from focusing appropriately on the position they’re hired to handle. At times, a company may even worry that a worker will leave if the side hustle takes off. In turn, they may hesitate to hire a candidate that’s highly passionate about this extra work.
The concerns may be even greater for remote roles. When an employee is working from home, managers have limited oversight into how they’re actually using their work time. If there’s a side hustle in the mix, they may fear that the employee will work on those tasks when they should be focused on their responsibilities to the company.
While this doesn’t mean avoiding a side hustle is best, it’s critical to understand the potential implications. That ensures candidates can present information about their side gigs in a manner that provides peace of mind to employers, increasing the odds that those activities won’t be viewed as a potential issue.
Economic Uncertainty Will Impact Hiring
In 2023, there’s still a significant amount of economic uncertainty. It isn’t clear whether inflation or supply chain issues will remain long-term, but companies are largely planning as if they’ll be a hindrance for the foreseeable future. Similarly, a recession may still occur, and that influences employers’ decisions.
Today, candidates need to showcase exceptional value during the hiring process. The willingness to go above and beyond is an increasingly critical differentiator, particularly as companies are having to consider how they can do more with less.
Additionally, if layoffs occur on a larger scale – similar to what’s been seen in the tech industry – competition for positions will increase. While it’s a candidate’s market currently, that landscape shifts if labor becomes more available. As a result, job seekers should ensure that they account for that possibility, as it could mean a transition to an employer’s market.
The Rise of Skills-Based Hiring
Many companies are rethinking their job requirements when it comes to college degrees. Making a degree mandatory means limiting their access to talent, and that makes labor challenges even more difficult. As a result, there’s a shift toward skills-based hiring, a strategy where employers are more concerned about capabilities than formal credentials like degrees.
This change works in favor of many candidates. It can make landing a position that aligns with their capabilities easier, even if they don’t have a traditional education. It may also simplify career changes, allowing candidates to pivot with greater ease.
Ultimately, the job landscape is changing, and candidates should prepare for the potential impact. If you’d like to learn more or are seeking out new job opportunities, The Squires Group wants to hear from you. Contact us today.
