Attention Jobseekers: Get Ahead of the Curve for 2016

job search 2016Jobseekers have a lot to look forward to in 2016.  The job market has been steadily improving since 2009, when it hit an all-time low of -2%.   According to staffing agency Manpower Group’s Employment Outlook Survey for Q1 2016, job growth is expected to be at 17% this coming year.  Towards the end of 2015, companies were having a hard time finding candidates to fill the job openings they have.  So the new year is an excellent time to step up your job search, and it is likely you will have much more options to choose from than in years past.  But as the job market has expanded, so has the ways in which people search for jobs.  Here are some of the biggest job search trends taking place in 2016:

1)      More value placed on skills, less on education

While a college degree is still definitely a leg up for job opportunities, it isn’t the only determinant for employers, since both education and experience are favored in a candidate.  Also, much less attention will probably be paid to the level and prestige of the school the candidate attended.  This hiring trend also means that both employees and jobseekers should never stop learning new skills and advancing the ones they have to match what is needed in the job market and industry they work in.  It’s a good idea to look into continuing education classes you can take either online or at a nearby university, so you don’t fall behind in your skillset.  If you need help adding your new skills to your resume, check out Jobdiagnosis.com’s resume writing service.

2)      Start your search at the company where you already work

According to LinkedIn’s forecast for 2016 hiring trends, employee retention is expected to be of high importance to employers in the coming year.  It saves the company a great amount of time and money to train employees for a new position, as opposed to someone from outside the company.  So it is predicted that more employers will be promoting from within.  Along with that, employers are encouraged to implement more resources into training their employees so they are more motivated to develop and advance the skills they will need to do their jobs to the best of their ability.

3)      Mobile is growing in popularity

More and more job search engines are developing easy-to-use apps to help jobseekers search for jobs on the go.  According to a survey conducted by the Boston Consulting Group and Recruit Works Institute, 35% of job searches are done on a smartphone.  Mobile technology allows you to be alerted the second a job opens up that you are qualified for so you don’t miss any valuable employment opportunities.  To start your mobile job search, download Jobdiagnosis.com’s mobile job search app.

4)      Social Media Gives More Insight Into Company Culture

We all know to review a company’s website before a job interview, but the growing popularity of social media among professionals allows jobseekers to get an even deeper insight into a company’s personality and culture.  You can check out the company’s Facebook and Twitter accounts to get more information on their latest events, projects and discussions.  Also, get to know the people interviewing you, and see how they got to where they are in their career before you meet them by reviewing their LinkedIn profiles.

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Jessica Cody

Jessica Cody, a native of Fairfield County, Connecticut, has a background in online marketing and public relations. She is a graduate of the University of Connecticut, where she studied Journalism and Political Science. She is also an avid runner with a passion for the outdoors.

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