If you are like most of today’s workforce, you are probably open to new opportunities. But how do you stack up against fellow job seekers? You want to outperform or outshine your competition, and in order to do that, you need to know what other job seekers are doing.
Jobvite, a social recruiting platform, recently released their 2017 Job Seeker Nation Survey based on 2,000 U.S. workers to evaluate job seekers and get a pulse on employment trends. Read on to see some of their most interesting findings and to get insight on what you can do to better your job search.
[See: 25 Best Business Jobs for 2017.]
The year of the search. Eighty-two percent of those surveyed acknowledged they were open to new job opportunities, even though 64 percent are satisfied at work. Last year, the split was even, 74 percent were satisfied and 74 percent were open to new opportunities. This means that this year, more people are ready, willing and able to jump ship.
Will it be harder to find a job this year? Forty-six percent of the surveyed job seekers reported it was harder to find a job in 2016 compared to the year before. However, this may not be due to fewer jobs, but because of increased competition.
In order to stand out and get noticed by the right employers, you’ll have to be crystal clear in stating your skills. The skills you emphasize must be ones your dream job requires or the employer is searching for. Use those marketable skills in your LinkedIn summary and be sure you include them in your online profiles, too.
Open and accepting interviews. One of the best ways to assess your current work situation is to compare it with other jobs. In other words, be open to interviews, regardless of whether you want to leave your current role. Fifty-nine percent of younger workers said they pursue one to two positions a year to evaluate how other jobs compare to their current position, according to Jobvite. Older workers were less likely to evaluate new opportunities with only 30 percent accepting interviews for new jobs. There is one more factor driving people to look for a new job — the quest for passion. Younger and older workers are equally ready to pursue a job they are passionate about, even if it means taking a 10 percent cut in pay.
Job hopping is the new normal. Staying in one job for more than 10 years may be a concept of the past, or only seen in certain occupations. The reality is that 42 percent of job seekers will switch jobs every one to five years. This has increased since last year’s findings, and may be a trend to jump on. While younger workers change jobs frequently, there’s one group of people that isn’t changing jobs as often, and that’s older workers. Almost 70 percent of job seekers over age 55 stay at a job for more than 10 years.
Salary also has a lot to do with job hopping. In fact, 28 percent of low-earning workers change jobs every one to three years while only 16 percent of high earners do the same.
Changing jobs isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but you must be ready to explain your reason for leaving the shorter-term jobs. Your answer should focus on how the new job fits your career ambitions and always focus on the positive. It’s also important to note that the employee doesn’t always initiate job hopping. There are still companies laying off workers, especially as we move to a workforce that is more project-based. This means when the project ends, the job ends and this forces the employee to find new employment, due to no fault of their own.
[See: 10 Ways to Perfect Your Personal Brand.]
Get hired using a referral. A candidate who comes by way of a referral is less risky to an employer. Thirty-four percent of recruiters say referrals are the best source of hire, according to Jobvite. The data from this year’s Job Seeker Nation Survey found that referred applicants are five times more likely than average to be hired. The study also found that referred candidates outshine applicants from a job board and are 13 times more likely to be hired.
If you haven’t started tapping into the power and influence of getting referred, imagine how much greater your job search results could be. The secret is to find a job and then notify everyone in your network, especially people who work for the company with the opening, that you are interested in pursuing the job.
Learn about the company’s culture. Job seekers realize the importance of finding the right fit. Researching a company on LinkedIn and the company’s website is fairly standard. The newest trend is researching a company’s work environment through the photos shared on their Instagram account. Twenty-eight percent of younger job seekers use Instagram to evaluate companies they are interested in, according to Jobvite. If you want to gain more insight, try following companies and employees on Instagram.
[See: 8 Ways Millennials Can Build Leadership Skills.]
What does work look like today? The workplace of today looks different than yesterday’s. There are fewer boundaries between your personal and professional life. Forty-five percent of surveyed job seekers say they check their email after hours every day. It is also more common to have a side hustle. Twenty-five percent of job seekers reported having a second source of income outside their regular job. If you’ve been reluctant to start that side hustle, now might be the time. If you decide to take a new primary job, however, you’ll have to invest more time and energy into it, leaving you less time to put into your side project.
Become a better negotiator. It’s time to feel more comfortable and confident negotiating. Fifty-six percent of men feel comfortable negotiating versus only 38 percent of women, yet 87 percent of men said their negotiation led to higher pay, as did 80 percent of women. There is one thing you can do to increase your earning potential and that is to negotiate. Being comfortable doing so is the first step.
Don’t get passive. While most workers aren’t worried about losing their job next year, it doesn’t mean you should ignore proactive search strategies. Without a network, it will be difficult to hear about new jobs and gain the much-needed referral. The best insurance for an unexpected job loss is to identify companies you would like to work for and begin researching and meeting people who work there.
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How Do You Compare? A Look at Today’s Job Seeker originally appeared on usnews.com
