Is one of your 2023 career resolutions to dive into job hunting waters? Despite an impending recession and inflation’s sting, you can find a new position. You just have to apply some innovative thinking to the problem of getting noticed.
Until fairly recently, the job market was bullish from the candidate’s perspective. Positions were plentiful, and applicants frequently had their pick of opportunities. But like all pendulums, this one is starting to swing toward a bearish landscape. That’s why you need to rethink your job-hunting skills if you plan to seek new employment in a tougher environment.
Doesn’t feel like a recession yet? According to experts, this may be the calm before the storm. Despite the economy’s gain of more than a quarter-of-a-million jobs in November 2022 and unemployment holding steady at 3.7%, inflation is expected to have its say. According to the president of the Federal Reserve Bank of New York, higher unemployment will be the result, stretching toward the five-percent mark.
In other words, if you earmarked 2023 as the year you were going to switch employers, you can’t afford to take a lackadaisical approach. Instead, you need to activate some of the following strategies to remain competitive and appealing as an applicant.
1. Be on the lookout for “hidden” jobs.
Around six out of 10 job seekers recently told Joblist they are feeling the push to find roles fast before conditions worsen. Typically, that sense of urgency can lead candidates to apply for every job possible—and that’s not the type of candidates companies want, especially during recessions.
Although employers will still need to fill vacancies, they won’t want to be bombarded. That’s why you can expect to start seeing fewer advertisements. Make no mistake, though: The positions are there for you to find if you sleuth a little.
J.T. O’Donnell, founder and CEO of Work It Daily, explains this phenomenon. “In a recession, companies will not post open jobs on all the big job boards. Instead, they’ll share the job description on their company website and then ask existing employees who they know within their network that could fit the job,” she says. “Nobody wants to tell all those people they’re not getting hired. It’s bad for business. So, keeping job openings essentially hidden so the applicant pool stays small is the solution.”
How can you unearth these “hidden” gems? First, build your online professional network and make it clear that you’re interested in hearing about what’s out there. Second, think beyond your current industry. You may find a great match in a different sector that would value your transferable skills. Finally, focus your scrolling on positions in recession-proof fields like medicine, academia, and construction, which are almost always hiring.
2. Improve the quality of your “paper persona.”
Your résumé needs to come alive if you hope to snag attention from hiring managers or even recruiters. One method to add new fire and excitement to your paper persona is by upskilling and reskilling. Adding new abilities will only make you seem more interesting and relevant, as long as those abilities are useful for the jobs you’re seeking.
“Making a career change might require skill building—even if you’re looking for positions in the same field or with the same job title,” writes Genevieve Carlton of ZDNet. “Learning new skills can help boost your chances on the job market. It also shows hiring managers that you’re committed to expanding your skill set.”
The good news is that you don’t have to take on more student debt to beef up your know-how. There are plenty of free webinars, courses, and even certifications that can help you add polish and shine to your credentials. To figure out which classes to take or events to attend, look for trends in the keywords for your industry, and think about your skills gap. What abilities would be useful for someone in your line of work?
Once you’ve named the skills you’d like to learn or develop, start exploring platforms. Don’t be afraid to ask for advice on your social networks. And be sure to update your LinkedIn profile every time you earn a new certification or, in the case of a formal program, a diploma.
3. Limit the hours you look for work.
Hitting the pavement as a job seeker could be a full-time job in itself. Even if you are currently without work, be careful not to burn yourself out. Going full force all day and into the night will only leave you depleted and possibly make you feel overwhelmed, depressed, and anxious.
To ensure you’re conserving your mental and physical energy, schedule your job-hunting activities, recommends Marti Willett, president of Digital Marketing Recruiters, a leading digital staffing agency that aims to find high-quality candidates that will enhance a marketing agency’s culture and grow with them.
“Set aside specific times during the day to job hunt. Providing this structure will ensure you are consistently putting in effort but avoiding the burnout of overdoing it,” Willett says, adding that it’s important to keep a positive attitude no matter what. “The right opportunity will work out if you maintain faith and put in the effort. And if you work with a recruiter, they can be a buffer and provide a lot of guidance and support throughout the process.”
What should you do with the rest of your time if you’re unemployed? You could always take up a side gig or hobby to occupy your mind and to keep your resume robust (and to make a little extra on the side). If you’re working, do your best to give your boss 100% effort every day. Leaving any employer on a good note is smart. Who knows? You may end up becoming a boomerang, returning to your current company after spending time elsewhere.
Finding a job might be more challenging in 2023, but you can overcome those hurdles with the right strategies.