Employment has completely changed in the last decade. Whereas most employees had clear-cut, consistent, 8 to 5 jobs, the landscape is now constantly shifting. Even the routes that employees take to find jobs exhibit more variation. There is no longer a one-size fits all attitude. Here, we’ll be examining some of the recent, most important shifts in hiring and their effects.
1. Degrees
University and college education were once some of the most important qualifications in job applications. Specific universities were considered more or less prestigious and could seriously affect an individual’s chances of getting hired. Now, the world of academia seems to be just that. Academics are most important to those studying or teaching, but employers tend to place more weight on skills. Many employees have found alternatives such as becoming a mechanic through a technical school and some have even become a software engineer without degree. School can be important, but it is no longer everything.
2. Remote Work
Many employers are now looking to hire remote employees. Working remotely allows for greater flexibility on both sides. Employers can accommodate a wide variety of potential employees with diverse life circumstances. Their jobs are more attractive to potential employees, they can retain employees at a higher rate, and they can reduce office and maintenance costs. Employers can also find employees who may be willing to work the same job at a lower rate or are better qualified than local jobseekers. Employees can spend more time with family, adjust working conditions to better support their emotional and physical needs, and save costs on travel and commute.
3. Artificial Intelligence
Similar to the shift in working conditions that happened during the Industrial Revolution, advances in technology are reducing the number of people needed to work those jobs. Even some white-collar jobs are at risk as banks and call centers hire artificial intelligence alternatives for jobs traditionally worked by human counterparts. There’s no need to panic, however, as the job market will provide new tech-based alternatives for ousted employees. While fewer people will be needed to do basic jobs, more people may be needed to create and repair the software and robots performing them.
4. Small Businesses
Although many predicted the death of the Mom-and-Pop shops as we knew them, those that have survived have gone digital. The internet provides an excellent environment for small businesses to market through social media and to thrive. They often can charge higher prices for the same goods as they discover niche groups who are interested in their specialties. Online marketing often happens at a much lower cost with higher returns. The internet also allows small businesses to hire people that better fit their needs and their price range. This applies those starting a business as well.
5. Applications That Work for You
If hiring more people isn’t an option, there are always applications that can perform tasks that originally required a person. For example, several apps can schedule appointments for you, keep track of your incomes and expenses, or even generate random, creative ideas for you. Hire fewer, more-skilled people and have them utilize programs to reduce their workloads.
6. Marketers Are Key
The biggest challenge with the digital nature of the modern workforce is being heard on a platform with so many participants. It’s easy to get buried in the search for the best options. That’s why it’s important to hire marketers as an employer if you’re intending to “go viral”. It’s much more difficult to wait for the people to come to you, so hire marketers to help your team reach out to them either through email or social media. Find people who share the same vision as you.
To be successful as a business under the current circumstances, it’s crucial to know how to adapt. With the ever-increasing rate of innovation, adaptations must occur rapidly. Hopefully, the analysis of these various changes has helped you decided what adaptations you might want to make, either as an employee or an employer.
