Finding a job is getting harder. There are fewer jobs for an increasing number of job seekers. Many sectors of our economy and many lives are going through harder times than they ever thought possible.
That doesn’t mean there will not be any job openings at all. We see that online platforms like Amazon are hiring new employees by the thousands.
The online employment environment is also looking for many new workers so there are still opportunities. Some job seekers may have to take additional instruction and training to qualify for these new options.
The fact of the matter is that in particular retail and the service, hospitality, and transportation sectors have taken the most serious hits. Signing up for an online course is, now more than ever before, the appropriate and safest way to get the education you deserve and work toward a fulfilling career.
Finding a job in a recession
We’re not in a recession yet, but our economy has taken an extremely serious hit and the downturn is visible today. Let’s see what you can do about your prospects on the job market.
In a recession, all sectors of the economy will be hit, but the effects will most obviously be apparent in the job market. Basically, surviving times of recession will demand quite some dedication and perseverance. The number of jobs goes down, and that means that employers will get all the more demanding when it comes to hiring new staff.
They’ll set the standard unusually or even ridiculously high for new applicants. Well, luckily for you, that should not be a problem. Keep reading to find simple steps that will help to find a job
What happens during unemployment
As said earlier, in times of recession, there’s simply not that much money going around. This also means that most companies will not be able to afford to hire as many workers as under better conditions. Consequently, people will be laid off, and there’ll be far fewer new job openings.
And this not only means there are fewer job positions. It also means that an increasing number of qualified individuals will be out there without a job. They also will be looking to fill these fewer positions. Sad to say, but this will lead to a more and more competitive employment market.
Get prepared before looking for a job
People that want to find a better or a new job will go job hunting. But instead of immediately getting down to the usual job listings, there’s a number of things you need to do first.
Before you start out on your job hunting journey, create an action plan for yourself. When you want to find a suitable job, you really should take your time to consider what’s available and what sort of job you should be looking for.
Be realistic when you make your determination and be sure you understand what’s feasible and what sort of job you’d like to have. Be also aware that usually, an employment background check is part of the process.
When you’re currently unemployed and need a well-paying job to be able to support your family and pay the bills, the job type may not be as important as it could be when you’re for a position better than the work you currently have
How to go the extra mile
Under these circumstances, you need to understand, and this is important, that your education, your qualifications, your past experience, your degree, they no longer are a guarantee that you’ll the job you desire.
In times of recession, all these elements guarantee merely that you’ll have the opportunity to get a foot in the door. And that’s all! This just means that you need to more, you cannot be coasting simply on your credentials and training alone.
In times like these, you should really be able to offer something extra, something more than the next applicant. When so many individuals are trying to fill the few positions that are left, employers simply are not just looking for qualified candidates.
Qualified applicants are a dime a dozen. Serious employers will be looking for candidates who’ll be a boon to their companies. They don’t want just more qualified employees.
Soft skills vs Hard skills
In times of economic downturn, however, even the most experienced and qualified professionals compete with each other for any available position.
Well, also in times like these, the situation doesn’t need to be hopeless. It just means that you’ll need to be able to show more than only the right training, experience, and qualifications to secure the job.
In general, hard skills are easily inter-transferable between companies. Microsoft, Excel, and Google Analytics apply more or less the same rules regardless of where you work.
We can learn these skills in school, through online courses, or from reading instruction books, and on resumes, hard skills are looking so great because they are matching up well with lots of job descriptions and definitions.
An employer or hiring manager can easily verify if you master hard skills by asking for a certificate, license, or academic degree, or by giving you a test.
Some examples of soft skills include teamwork, communication skills, problem-solving, analytical reasoning, patience, resilience, persistence perseverance, mentoring, and leadership.
Also referred to as people skills, soft skills are usually not taught in schools. But soft skills are required to survive and thrive in our contemporary work environment. Soft skills have to do with the way we interact with and relate to other people.
Skills employers are looking for
Employers and hiring managers are looking for candidates with both hard and soft skills. And when more candidates meet the minimally required job qualifications, soft skills will likely determine who gets hired.
There is a tendency among job seekers to overemphasize their hard skills. But you shouldn’t overlook your soft skills and include them definitely in your resume.
If you refer to your soft skills in your job interview, you surely will improve the odds of getting hired. Highlight your skills. To be sure that potential future employers, recruiters, and hiring managers will be aware of your best skills, you should highlight these in your resume.
Additionally, be sure that all your skills are transparent and visible on all of your social media profiles and when salary levels are discussed and you’re on an hourly pay now, you use this paycheck calculator to see how that compares to annual or monthly earnings.
Resume tips to help you land that job
The applying stage of your job hunting process may well the most intriguing and important part. Often, you’re only asked to submit a job application form or send your resume.
Now, because your personality cannot be shown and your face cannot be seen, your resume will have to do all the work on your behalf.
This is why it is so critically important that your resume looks professional and is catchy! We’ll share some tips that definitely will help you make your resume as good as possible.
Just keep in mind that your resume will be the first thing an employer will see of you. So to able to address things like your desired salary, having your resume up-to-date and appealing is key for staying in the application process.
Chances are that if you’re applying for a position that you saw listed online, you won’t submit your resume in person.
The fact of the matter is that usually, employers categorize applicants merely based on the resumes. So you’ll understand that thoroughly reviewing your resume is extremely important.
Often, the resume can make or break the chance of getting the desired job so be sure your resume is well-styled and up-to-date before you send it to a possible new employer.
A professional looking resume is key
When creating your new resume, or when reviewing your current one, the most important tip is probably, to pay attention to its appearance.
You want your resume to be standing out in a good, professional way. You should absolutely stay away from colored paper and also using some flashy, difficult to read print is out of the question.
You should also tailor your resume to the position or the industry you apply to. If, for instance, you apply for a position in retail, the objective of your resume could mention “interested in a retail environment position.”
If you tailoring your resume to any specific position, you may very well stay ahead of the competition. It is known that quite a number of hiring managers and employers are wondering if job applicants even read their job listing carefully before submitting their applications.
If you don’t want to be one of these applicants, make sure you won’t be outlining your qualifications for employment in the construction industry when you’re applying for a position in retail. This the fastest way to make sure your resume lands on the “don’t bother” pile.
How long should a resume be?
Another tip to remember is to pay attention to your resume’s length. Sure, you want to be sure your resume includes all the information you think is relevant, but you have to be careful it won’t be jam-packed with all sorts of information.
If possible, keep your resume one or two pages in length but make sure it includes all applicable and relevant information such as your professional work history, experience, training, and education.
When you’re outlining your education and previous work experience, make sure to just include the basic information. That’s all. Anything else may well be mentioned and further discussed in an interview.
Usually, employers and hiring managers really hate reading lengthy resumes, especially if the information is irrelevant.
So pay attention to these tips. They should help you with creating a professional and interesting resume. After all, you want your resume to be looked at, don’t you?
What is a cover letter?
When you’re not dropping off your resume in person, which is usually the case, you also should create a cover letter. Cover letters need to be short and strictly to the point.
Outline what job you’re applying for, list your experience and why you think you are a good candidate, and politely ask the employer or hiring employer to take a look at and read the resume you attached for additional information.
Applicant Tracking System (ATS) deletes 75% of resumes
When applying online for a job, your cover letter and resume are usually uploaded into a database before a person will be reading it. While in that database, specifically developed software, named the Applicant Tracking System or ATS, analyzes the information that’s collected in that database.
In general, this ATS (applicant tracking system) deletes some 75 percent of all the submitted resumes. Most commonly, the reason for rejection is incorrect keyword usage, grammatical errors, and incorrect formatting.
Once you’ve passed the resume stage of the application process, you may be invited for an interview. As said above, part of the process will generally also include a background check that may require some time.
Prepare your resume for ATS
Use keywords: The correct keywords to use are those that are related to requirements for that specific job. To be sure your resume will be filtered in the correct way, you should use the same keywords that are used in the job posting.
For instance, when the job advertisement is for an individual who’s experienced in graphic design, don’t use website design in your resume.
If a human would look at your resume, you might get a chance but the ATS might just delete this resume because you didn’t mention the exact keyword.
Don’t forget to also add your soft skills. There are certain soft skills that are important for each industry and the ATS will be looking for these skills too.
Keep in mind that the ATS will reject resumes that are overstuffed with keywords just as east as they would with resumes that contain insufficient or the wrong keywords. What matters is the right balance of keywords in your resume.
Use the correct resume format: Stick to a traditional resume format at all times and choose a reverse chronological resume format if you have a good work history. If you have large employment gaps or you plan on switching industries, choose a functional resume format.
Prepare your social media profiles
Social media plays a huge role, not only for job seekers who can easily increase their visibility but also for employers and hiring managers. Employers use social media for job openings and check a candidate’s background via social media.
Social media play an ever-increasing role in the work of hiring managers when it comes to finding and screening candidates. That implies that job applicants must have their social media profiles and presence in professional good order.
Putting it all together
All of a sudden, the job market went upside down and job seekers are faced with a new reality. Today, job seekers must act if they want to find a job and get a potential employer’s attention.
Finding a job is hard, so you need to act differently, become more active, and make sure all needed elements are in place. Make sure you utilize multiple job-search strategies, such as networking sites, employment agencies, career centers, job search engines, and social media, in addition to hiring events and job fairs. If you actively and realistically looking for a job, you will find it. It’s more difficult but it will happen.