5 Things you must prepare for in this market whilst you are job hunting
In the last blog we have talked about what you must do to prepare for your job search- here. This week the focus is on what to expect in this job market and how to tackle it.
To help make your job search easier, it helps to understand how the market has changed the last few months. Knowing what to expect or what to prepare for in your job search is key. Not only will this help keep your morale high but ultimately lead to that exciting new job offer.
Waiting for a response regarding your application
Be prepared to wait a few weeks to hear back from the company when you are applying for jobs in this market. It takes a while to hear back from recruiters in a good job market but right now it takes even longer. This is because the volume of applications for any job has drastically increased. A job which would get around 150 applications in a good job market currently gets over 500 applications.
Also bear in mind that a lot of recruiters were let go so recruitment teams are much smaller and can’t work as fast as they did before Covid. Lastly companies are taking time to decide if the new role they are recruiting for is business critical based on how the market will change in the future. Keep track of your applications and if you don’t hear back after a few weeks get in touch with the recruiter.
Getting rejected when your skill set is a ‘perfect match’
Whilst it might have been easy for you to get a job with your expertise previously, now you are getting rejections for the jobs you have the right experience for. This could be down to a few reasons. The high volume of applications and difficult job market normally brings a higher quality of CV for each role. As a result recruiters can be more selective in which candidates they put forward. Make sure your CV reflects the job description as closely as possible. If you still feel you are a perfect match got rejected, reach out to the recruiter and find out the reason why. It doesn’t happen often but sometimes the system or the recruiter could have made a mistake and reject you by accident.
Agencies not calling you
If you have used agencies in the past to get you a job, it is a natural step for you to contact them when you are back on the market. You might notice that agencies are not contacting you as much as they did before. With the few jobs around it is harder for agencies to get work from their clients and therefore they might only recruit for specialist roles for the time being. Companies currently recruiting normally advertise their jobs directly on LinkedIn and other platforms to save on agency costs. Make sure you are using your connections and letting them know you are looking for work to get yourself noticed.
No new jobs in your industry
If your industry or job role has been affected by the pandemic it is obvious that there will be no new jobs on the market or at least not in high numbers. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking you can’t apply for the same/ similar role in a different industry because you don’t have all the skills listed on the job description. There might be more competition and companies might be more selective but if you don’t try you will never know. Look at industries that are hiring, read the job descriptions, update your transferable skills and keep applying. Also, consider contracting for the time being. You will earn money and expand your skills even if the role you get is not your ideal one. The trick with the job search these days is to think outside the box. If the old way of looking for a job is not working, change it.
Dealing with ups and downs
It might take you longer to get a job than you planned but to be successful you need to see the light at the end of the tunnel. If you need a job to feed your family you will get it. There is no question about it. You have to work on your strategy, confidence and persistence every day. If you are stuck, get help, join networking groups in your industry, find a support group or get a job coach to help you. Get involved in charity work, build your connections – you never know who you will meet. Just don’t sit in despair. Remember you are not the only one going through this.
If you want to know more about job hunting in 2020 please read here.