The COVID-19 pandemic changed everything, including the job market. But with challenging times also came exciting and unique opportunities. Despite the disruption, the most important is that job seekers remain proactive in their employment search. Staying on top of everyone that is currently hiring, as well as which industries are experiencing a slowdown and which are not, is crucial for the time being – and the near future, even after the pandemic is over.
As the pandemic’s impact will be bigger and is expected to continue influencing the job market, you need to understand this and do your search for employment with direction and knowledge. Here are some data and statistics on how COVID-19 impacted the job search according to Hired’s 2020 State of Remote Work Report.
Current trends for companies
According to Hired’s 2020 State of Remote Work Report, 57% of companies expect remote work policies to remain even after COVID-19. Companies are becoming more and more familiar with the benefits of remote work for their business. This may mean that they continue to hire locally but expect fewer visits to the office or hire within the same timezone or even globally with a shift towards online work past regular hours to ensure continuous operations.
Tech jobs outlook
In the same report, 68% of the surveyed employers said they still hire actively, especially in cybersecurity, e-commerce, and delivery services, which are experiencing huge demand that is difficult to meet. All these services depend on technology infrastructure, and thus tech talent is in high demand.
Even with the trimming down in some industries and the lay-offs, tech jobs are still in demand because new startups continue to emerge and enter the scene. And other industries – such as telemedicine and business software solutions – experienced a huge boom during the pandemic and
Current trends for candidates
Nearly half of the candidates surveyed for the report are interested in remote work. The desire for flexibility is stronger than ever before. The report also finds that 43% of IT professionals are searching for a new job, and 35% are open to new opportunities. And less than 20% are concerned about video interviews, which is great news for companies as remote interviewing is not something to be worried about or affecting the decision.
How to be successful in your job search
Of course, the competition has increased because of the pandemic, and there is an oversupply of talent. So in order to be successful in your job search, you need to spend a bit of extra time and invest some effort in your digital footprint. This might mean hiring a coach, boosting your knowledge, making new connections, or reaching out to mentors. You also need to develop your brand across social media and job platforms such as Unicorn.io Do your research and do not be afraid to ask for help and speak up to stay ahead of the curve.
