The World Has Changed
As we approach the new year, it’s a good time to reflect on the past. 2011 was a tough year for many and 2012 is likely to be the beginning of a long-term transition for many job seekers and companies adjusting to all the changes that have occurred in the marketplace. Although unemployment in the U.S. started to shrink near the end of the year, job creation is still too slow and the economic conditions worldwide remain unstable. Many of the jobs lost will never come back. Hiring models have shifted with a rise in temporary workers and contract workers as a means for employers to improve their flexibility and productivity while cutting costs. Virtual work environments are also on the rise and with the continued growth of technology, employer’s are demanding more skills from the labor market. 2011 was the year of social media which has changed everything from marketing and job search, to employer recruiting and background checks. The world has gone from global, to social, and now is going mobile. The world has definitely changed and the future holds more to come.
How Job Seekers Must Change
What does this mean for all of us? Gone are the days that a person could stay in their career for 20 years and dust off their resumes only in the instance that they lost their job or decided to begin looking for a new position. Everyone is a job seeker and we are in the age of the perpetual job search. If the world has changed, we must change with it. However, change is continuous so we must constantly evolve or accept that we will no longer be relevant. When companies adapt to market conditions, they do mass layoffs, they outsource offshore, they invest in software and robots to replace human workers and whatever else is necessary to compete. If we want to be prepared at all times and be able to adapt, we must constantly develop ourselves, market ourselves, and monitor the market so we adjust with it. As logical as this sounds, many job seekers aren’t used to thinking this way and many others don’t care enough to invest the effort. I say, either realize we are in the age of the perpetual job search or accept that you will eventually be irrelevant like a VHS tape in a digital world. Dust only collects on what is forgotten or unused. Invest in yourself and you will always be prepared to respond to market conditions and you will always have a plan if you find yourself unemployed or wanting to move on from your current employment situation.
You may also want to read:
- Job Seekers: Habit Not Hope is the Key to Career Advancement
- 5 Reasons to Send a Thank You Letter After Interviewing
- HOW TO: Use Twitter to Build a PLN
- What to do After Landing the Big Job: 5 Steps to Standing Out
- Job Search 3.0 [Video]
- The Reverse Job Search
