What Job Seekers Employers Can Expect in 2016 - Walrath Recruiting, Inc.

What Job Seekers Employers Can Expect in 2016 - Walrath Recruiting, Inc. With each passing year the job market landscape continues to change thanks to the changing economy, technology and consumer needs. With 2016 here and underway we cannot help but wonder what this year will have in store for us, especially when it comes to the job market and hiring trends. Right now, it seems as though the job market will continue to improve throughout next year as it did in 2015. Ziprecruiter.com  has ranked the Albany-Schenectady-Troy area as number 4 in its list of top job markets for 2016 with its top 5 industries being Healthcare, Insurance, Retail, Events and Hospitality/Restaurant. We can agree there, and can add that we personally saw more Technology and Accounting jobs coming through our office in 2015 as well. The article mentions that “low job competition and unemployment point to Albany’s continued economic success in 2016”. While this may be true for some industries, competition in the job market for many job seekers is still tough. Companies want th e best employees, and in order to attain one of those positions job seekers will need to be presenting themselves as the best candidate out there. Many companies hire in the first quarter as a result of new hiring budgets; that has influenced many people who are currently employed to be on the lookout for new opportunities. Job seekers are more open to moving jobs today than they have been in recent years. They are not only more willing to look, but also more confident in their ability to attain a better job, even with a “skills gap” or a still rebounding economy. Due to this continued upswing in employee movement, employer branding will continue to be very important for employers in 2016. Job seekers are not desperately looking and willing to take the first bite, those endowed with desired skill sets, seek out the positions and employers that are more fitting to their values. To attain them, employers need to first attract them. The downside to this is that competition for job seekers is still very high and employers still want the best of the best. There is no real change here, but the means of acquiring employees with the skills and desired traits is evolving. Companies are shifting their hiring practices to find and hire talented employees that they can mold into top performing employees. Improving technology has continuous effects on the way we work (in all industries, things are changing and will continue to change), the ability to continuously learn and take initiative to grow is extremely important as a result. The motivation to learn and perform well now and for the future are important traits to have as a job seeker in 2016. However, this does not mean that employers are not going to be selective about who they hire; beyond skills, cultural fit is increasingly important in improving employee engagement and performance. As this past year has shown us, there has been an increase in the amount of time it takes to make a hire, which is likely to continue in 2016, as these traits are sought after by more and more employers. Employers and recruiters have been introduced to an increasingly wide variety of resources in which they can search for and acquire talented potential employees. Since both employed and unemployed job seekers are the ones using these resources to find their next best opportunity, there is continued need to improve personal branding online this year. Finding your niche and just staying in that little area will not cut it anymore. Branch out, become influential and resourceful to communities outside of your niche to broaden your horizons. Note that, referrals are still a top method used by employers to find quality people; it’s all about who you know or who your network knows. Don’t sell yourself short, back up that referral with what you have online, employers will be looking. If you are looking for a new job in 2016, be wary of casting too wide of a net as a job seeker. By doing this you may not find the best opportunity. This is not to say do not look in unexpected places, it just means to put in the work and apply to the best opportunities, customize your resume specifically for the job you are applying to, connect and communicate with employers and their networks. Do not just blindly apply to anything within reach. Look for the opportunities that can help you to grow professionally, that align with your career goals. 2016 brings a clean slate and a new hope to finding the perfect fit!