Unsplash | Ludomił Sawicki
There are telltale signs that the tectonic plates of the U.S. economy are shifting, grinding, and releasing pressure as the country moves towards a post-pandemic future, and that means people are hiring again. The iron is heating up and you need to be ready to strike when it’s hot.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), as of March 2021, the major economic indicators show either minor gains or are flat, suggesting the ripples of a recovery have begun but the real wave is still forming. As the machinations of capital markets lurch forward, unemployment is creeping down, salaries are going up, and certain disciplines can’t find enough people to recruit – all signals the pendulum is swinging back towards a labor seller’s market.
The economic disruption was sudden and rapid because of Covid, and the short-term economic upturn will be rapid as well. Now is the time to position yourself to take advantage of our recovering fortunes.
Here is a quick checklist that may help you hitch your wagon to a rising star:
1. Update everything! Resume. Cover Letter. LinkedIn. Portfolio. Social Media Feeds. Websites. Referral information. Whatever you have, update it, and point it toward the role you see for yourself in the future.
2. If you want to cast as wide of a net as possible, post your resume on as many job boards as you can (and there are a lot of them). That means creating a new account on each job board, setting up a profile, taking skill assessments, and uploading your resume and any other documents that may be requested. Since each job board is different, a lot of time and effort may be required, but you want to make it easy to be found. Of course, if you’re currently employed, you’ll want to use a bit of discretion in terms of how public to make your efforts so as to not upset your boss.
3. Right now, Food Service, IT, Finance, and Accounting are sectors experiencing a surge in hiring, and those are just a few examples. Keep up on recent hiring trends as they are changing at an accelerated pace. If you want to think about your next move in the context of a long-term strategic career plan, The US Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Employment Projection 2019-2029 Summary characterizes the growth sectors this way: “The healthcare and social assistance sector is projected to add the most new jobs, and 6 of the 10 fastest-growing occupations are related to healthcare.” The other four are in Information Technology.
4. Hit the job search hard and hit it fast. Be aggressive. The rising tide will be rapid then recede.
5. Be flexible. You will have more opportunities and make more immediate headway if you are ready to leave the cocoon of work-from-home and go back to the office.
6. If you are unemployed, or are not worried if your current employer knows you are searching for a new job, tell the world you are ready to work. Activate the “Open to Work” feature on your LinkedIn profile and set it to, “Public”. A green circle that says “Open to Work” will appear around your very recent, very professional profile picture.
7. Make sure you have clothes ready that are appropriate for a job interview whether on Zoom or in-person. Look sharp!
8. As the job market improves, there will still be a higher-than-normal volume of applicants per position until the landscape starts to resemble its pre-pandemic self. Any differentiator helps and the most common one that job seekers skip is the cover letter. Even when optional, submit a cover letter.
9. You can always find a reason to skip to the next opening, but remember there is a 100% chance you won’t get a job if you don’t apply (so always apply).
10. Make responding to messages from potential employers a priority. A delay on your part will lead to the employer moving onto the next candidate.
Philip Roufail contributed to this article.
Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.
