The job search process so far has been like choosing a series on Netflix – you don’t know what to choose, because there are so many possibilities. Employers were standing on their heads so that the candidates would choose them, inventing new and more creative benefits. And the recruits? They did everything they could to meet the candidates’ tastes when they presented them with an offer. Qualified candidates seemed even spoiled by the number of benefits when choosing a job. But how did it all start?
Where did the employee market come from?
When the development of the economy gained more pace, more and more foreign investors became interested in the Polish market. This allowed, among other things, for the development of outsourcing – services performed in Poland turned out to be much cheaper despite the same level than in the countries from which their clients came from. In this way, we quickly found ourselves in the situation of creating more jobs than people who could do it – or at least in some areas. In addition, the whole job search process has become much simpler and more accessible than a few years ago.
Skeptics still claim that the employee market is a myth. After all, the employer still dictates conditions. Are you sure? When we analyze aspects such as location, size of the company, industry or competencies of the candidate, it will quickly turn out that the latter have the greatest influence on the current situation on the labor market. Why? An exceptionally long good period of economic prosperity has resulted in a decrease in the unemployment rate and an increase in wages. It also directly means increased expectations of employees. It was logical for the economists to predict that the economy will slow down. However, no one in the world thought that this would happen almost immediately – the COVID-19 pandemic pulled the brakes immediately.
How did the pandemic affect the market?
Huge fear, both among employees and employers, could be felt immediately. The first waves of layoffs took place, the fear of losing one’s job made the rotation of employees decrease. Nobody was going to risk a change of job when the recruitment processes were stopped. Some sectors suffered greatly from the need to suspend most of the activities they offered. These include such sectors as:
– Hotels and catering
– transportation and forwarding
– entertainment and recreation
– engineering and manufacturing
Unfortunately, it does not end there. Many employers, regardless of the industry, have seen their incomes fall and have been forced to reduce their jobs. As a result, job offers were significantly reduced and recruitment processes in the first half of 2020 in many companies were completely halted. What should people who have lost their jobs do then? How to look for it most effectively in such a way as to find a job matching our competences?
How to look for a job now?
The methodology of looking for a job has not changed much in itself. There are still job boards with job offers, although there are far fewer offers. Probably the worst is behind us – the biggest drop in job offers appeared in March, April and May. The most vulnerable industries at that time, such as tourism and catering, started to return to the pre-pandemic state. In the BPO/SSC industry the crisis came with a delay – at the end of the 2nd quarter.
Apart from the traditional search methods, it is worth following the trends from the world of recruitment. An example is the use of hashtags with appropriate keywords on Facebook and LinkedIn. When you post a job search post, it is likely that many recruiters will find you this way. If this is an industry you are interested in, use the newly discovered hashtags to find more posts that may contain job offers that interest you.
How to deal with the dynamic situation on the job market?
Changes in the current situation occur even faster. Therefore, one of the basic habits you will have to work out will be monitoring the job market. Know the situation related to both the pandemic and the economy – it is possible that it will open the way to a completely new sector, where you will use your competences! In the coming years the most desirable feature among employees will be flexibility. It is thanks to it that we will be able to adapt to the current realities and quickly adapt to changes.
What should you take care of as a candidate now?
Due to the increased competition on the labor market, it is crucial to be well prepared for the recruitment processes, so it is worth taking care of:
– A good CV, matching the job offer for which you are applying.
– clear profile on Linkedin with information that you are open to new job offers
– preparation for the recruitment interview
– good organisation of the search
– an action plan with specific targets and deadlines
– plan “B” – unfortunately, not everything can go your way
The time you are looking for a job is also worth spending on developing your soft skills as well as your more technical abilities. This will allow us to better prepare for the uncertain job market.
What is plan “B” in job search?
Plan “B” is, to put it simply, an alternative. In this case, it means readiness to completely change the industry and prepare for a new profession. Due to the dynamic situation, it may turn out that the industry, in which we have worked so far, has been very much affected by the crisis. Finding a job in a given sector can be much more difficult than before. That is why it is worth to consider other possibilities and broaden your search circle. On each position we gain a lot of universal competences, which we are able to use also on a similar position in another industry. Examples include customer service, sales, negotiation skills, management and many others.
If you are currently looking for a job – have a look in the tab – Offers. You will see our current job offers there.
Apart from the job offers, you will find here the possibility to support us in preparing for the whole recruitment process – details can be found at the address: talentplace.com/offers/
