In the aftermath of 2020, the most tumultuous year in recent history on a global scale, the state of employment has perhaps become a nerve-racking and touchy subject. It is evident that if you are currently in a secure and safe job, now is not the time to search.
However, if you have fallen prey to redundancies or contracts cut short, perhaps a few pointers may come in handy. We decided to consider the new potential factors to consider, to give insight into what may be expected from the fast-changing job market of 2021.
The first thing we asked ourselves was “what might employers and recruiters be looking for in 2021?”. 2020 was a challenging year for most companies. We saw clients adapting and applying the necessary digital adaptions required to support a mass workforce operating from home successfully. And now these foundations are bedded in for the work from home environments that we have now all become accustomed to.
It is to be expected that hiring managers will seek more rounded individuals, a stronger emphasis on those who are hybrid employees, able to better balance between their technology and business expertise. The desire for candidates with the ability to cover more than one base will perhaps make the market a little more gated. But if you boast the capability to balance the expertise required, now may be the time to search for a position that allows you to display this.
Equally, it is important for those looking that you be open-minded to the idea of blurring lines between departments, the search for a ‘one position fits all’ employee is underway.
Next, we considered the prospect of training and induction on a remote basis. Actually, this is the one area where we’ve seen the biggest changes. There’s been a greater emphasis over the past year from companies to tighten up their internal processes to cope with the demands of staff working from home.
Huge efforts have been seen for developing and improving intranets and their documentation. Slick and easy-to-use intranets combined with better documentation have played a vital part in the success of companies onboarding new hires seamlessly. This is all while making the induction process less time-consuming. Training has undoubtedly improved as clients have taken the time to better document their processes and solutions.
Some relief can perhaps be found in this notion, the assumed stress and reluctance to hire
without the face-to-face formalities may not be as much of a problem as it may seem. This bodes well for those browsing the job market, knowing that those recruiting have confidence in the ability to induct and train new staff.
We also felt it important to consider what qualities may be more or less desirable in the current employment market. The past year has been challenging and ultimately changed the face of business almost entirely. The attributes that companies undoubtedly have identified to be successful are quite different from 2019. The banking / IT sector has adjusted and moved online, with a greater reliance on technology.
Businesses are keen to attract employees who can:
• Thrive in the work from home climate
• Demonstrate flexibility during uncertain times
• Adeptly motivate themselves
• Display excellent problem-solving skills
• Show resilience and take heed of any changes and feedback
• Exercise levels of determination throughout the unprecedented moments.
The unique advantage of job hunting amid such a time is the ability to market yourself in regards to the personal traits that will best serve working from home. As discussed, the prime candidate to join an organization as part of an agile work team is someone who can manage themselves as well as accommodate anything that may arise while things are still unpredictable. Now more than ever there will be a focus on those who are both solidly independent, but very much prepared to roll with the punches as part of a weather-ready team.
2021 signals a time for resilience, compromise, and most of all flexibility. A prime candidate is willing and able to cover all bases and motivate themselves from home. It is paramount to be ready for changes to come, or rather malleable enough to hit the ground running should anything else unprecedented occur in the coming months (who knows!). However, it is also good to note that intranets and documentation allow new employees to be taken on board with few issues.
With all this in mind, we are confident that your perfect-fit role can be within your grasp, despite the current climate. Flexible, motivated individuals can take advantage of this time to move boldly forwards.