It’s undoubtedly been a year full of ups and downs and as the dust begins to settle in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, shifts within the job market are forming on the horizon.
Companies were forced to embrace working from home structures and in many cases employ pivot tactics to every facet of business. Not only has the way we do our job changed but in many cases, entire roles have forcefully evolved at a rapid pace.
There’s sure to be growing pains when entering the job market at such a pivotal period however, amongst the uncertainties surrounding the future there are silver linings to be found in the 2021 job market.
Enjoy our list of what's hot and what's not in the job market!
Hot:
- Flexible working arrangements: If there’s one thing to be taken from the past 12 months it’s that almost any role can be remote if need be. Keeping an eye out for employers who offer some kind of flexibility can show you they are willing to change and are able to accommodate where required.
- Evolving job descriptions: Businesses grow and so do the roles of the people who work there. If a businesses is open to share how a role has changed over time, why it's vacant and how it will continue to grow will signpost a culture of transparency. Its best to leave this deep dive until the interview process commences and help you decide whether a role is right for you.
- Mental health support: You spend a lot of time at work and if you're not feeling your best, you're not doing your best work. Employees who understand this correlation and value the importance of mental health should earn a spot on your shortlist!
Not:
- Lack of culture (even if it is virtual): It’s difficult to create workplace culture via zoom and over email but in no way is it impossible! It might be difficult to judge this from a simple job ad however if you're truly interested in a role it’s worth spending some extra time looking through a companies social media or websites such as GlassDoor to find posts or signals of positive virtual culture!
- A job description that combines two or more roles: Many businesses have been hit hard from lockdowns and restrictions however you're still one person who can only do so much when it comes to work output. If a job description is asking for the usual tasks and responsibilities involved in your field, a sprinkle of admin and on occasion may require ad hoc tasks it’s worth digging deeper during the interview process to find out more of the role history and if you're up to the task!