Has the job search process been disrupted?

I think the job search process has been disrupted in a significant way, and we as candidates and employers have not really woken up to it in a big way. There has been a lot of talk about the new normal of work, leadership and culture, but what is the new normal for the job search process? Here are my initial thoughts, and I would love to hear yours.

1. I think organizations have begun to focus a lot on the "employee experience" and are thinking about empathy and the human side of things. They are recognizing that these values are going to important to their culture going forward. But what I have not heard organizations talk a lot about is the "candidate experience", and bringing empathy and humanity to it. So many candidates are complaining about "ghosting" at various stages of the job search process by recruiters, hiring managers and organizations. I think there is a wonderful opportunity for organizations to impact their community by bringing transparency, humanity, empathy and communications to the hundreds of people who are applying for jobs. You don't necessarily have to have a job for everyone. Can we as organizations, recruiters and hiring managers put ourselves in the shoes of the candidates and understand that the heightened uncertainty brought about by the various world events has left candidates feeling anxious and extremely concerned. They see further layoffs coming and they get no response to hundreds of applications they submit. So lets do something about the "candidate experience".

2. We candidates, we need to recognize the changes also and adjust, adapt and up our game as well.

a. Instead of jumping into the application submission process, take a little time and do a self-awareness audit. What are you really good at and what what kind of companies and jobs would pay you for that. The job search might be a numbers game, but now more about the right numbers. It is said 75% of resumes are rejected before they reach the manager, and I believe this number will increase during and post covid if we don't change our approach. Get advice and help in understanding your strengths, talent and passion, and then align that with the right companies and jobs. You will increase your chances of getting an interview.

b. If networking was important before, it just got ramped up to another level. You cant play the game at level 2, when the game has moved to level 42. It will not matter how many Linkedin total connections you have, it will matter more if your connections are in the kind of companies where your skills sets match, and they actually are willing to help you. Building the right network, having the network being large enough, communicating with them regularly and you helping them in some way is going to be very important. It is said that 60% of the jobs are found through networking, I expect this to go above 80% during and immediately after Covid19.

c. There is a lot going on in the world. Social platforms allow us to react and respond to so many things in the moment. There is a lot negativity out there also. Increasingly, employers will seek your permission as part of the job application process to scan your social media profiles. A significant number of candidates are rejected because of their social media profiles. Who you say you are on a resume or during the interview, does that match your social media profile?

d. If the employers need to work on empathy and humanity to enhance the "candidate experience", we candidates need to build stronger resilience. The job and career landscape is going to continue to change and throw adversities. We need to be able to recognize these changes and adapt. I heard some where that 60% of the jobs that exist today, will not exist in 5 years time. Wow. All these jobs will be replaced by new jobs. So we need to think differently, think about new jobs and careers that have already opened up, and see which ones match our skills and strengths. What new skills and knowledge should we acquire?

e. And lastly, it is likely that our job search will take time. Three things we must do during this time.

i. Treat the job search process as a job and spend time on it daily.

ii. Second, learn and grow. There are so many free webinars and tools online, take advantage. Learn from other professionals.

iii. There are so many people in our communities that need help. Do something to help the community. Something that resonates with your heart. I guarantee you that it will position you well when you will talk to people about who you are.