Published December 26, 2022
With the New Year approaching, layoffs and recession concerns have dominated the news, and many will be looking for new positions to start 2023. While a daunting task, the job market remains strong for the time being. Now is the perfect time to look for new opportunities, according to one workplace authority.
“Job cuts are certainly occurring in the Technology sector, and with an imminent downturn, beginning to spread to other sectors as well. That said, the economy continues to add jobs each month, and there are still over 10 million job openings,” said Andrew Challenger, Senior Vice President of global outplacement and business and executive coaching firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.
“Even in the strongest economy, finding a job is never easy. Those who believe they can simply send out a bunch of resumes and check their emails for offers will be sorely disappointed. The job search requires a lot leg-work to uncover the best opportunities. It requires networking, cold-calling, asking for people’s time and support, and the ability to persist in the face of rejection,” said Challenger.
Unfortunately, many fewer employers report they expect to add worker in 2022 compared to 2021, according to Challenger’s Holiday Survey of 252 companies across the country conducted online in October and November. Nearly 39% of companies expect to continue to add workers in 2023 compared to 63% who said they did in 2021. Another 17% report demand is soft, compared to 2% the prior year. Another 18% report current uncertainty makes it difficult to predict hiring for the New Year.
Meanwhile, more companies report a decline in business conditions. Nearly a quarter of companies report business conditions have improved as we enter 2023, compared to 56% who reported this at the end of 2021. Another 27% report conditions are worse than last year.
“With all the uncertainty on the horizon, and with companies seemingly planning for a harder 2023, job seekers should come up with and begin to execute on a job search strategy right now. The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is a great time to start advertising that you are looking for a new position and scheduling coffee or lunch meetings with professional contacts for January,” said Challenger.
For those entering the job market for the first time, those reentering the market, as well as for those in-between jobs or seeking to change jobs, Challenger offered the following steps to improve your chances for job search success in the New Year.
Tips for a Successful Job Search
Get involved with community service group. This is a great way to build your network as well as hone your professional skills.
Join a professional/trade association. These organizations can provide training and education opportunities and most hold several networking functions every year. The dues are worth their weight in gold if you meet a person at an event who can help you find a new job.
Audit and update your social media. Recruiters absolutely Google their candidates. How do you appear in search results? Having questionable or controversial content is sometimes just as bad as having nothing. Use your social media profiles to tell your professional story. Post articles or news items that are relevant to your role or industry. Talk about your or your colleagues’ professional accomplishments. Include posts on personal hobbies or causes, such as running marathons, links to fundraisers for your local library or disease research, or that great photo of your last vacation.
Have lunch with at least one new contact each week. Obviously, networking is an essential part of finding a job. Blindly adding new people to your LinkedIn contacts list is entirely ineffective. It is vital to meet with people on a regular basis. Lunch or even over coffee is an ideal setting, because it is more relaxed. Building these relationships may help you in your current position and they will definitely help when you enter the job market.
Rev up your skills. Continued education, whether a new certification or completing classes relevant to your role, is a huge plus to employers. Explore online courses and certificate programs to broaden your industry knowledge, increasing your marketability to a variety of employers.
Look beyond your industry. Just because you have been working in the same industry for a certain number of years, does not mean that you must stay in that industry. Your fundamental job function is the primary skill set you are selling to employers, not your knowledge of a specific industry. Your skills as an IT professional in the financial industry are certainly transferable to the health care industry, for example. Job seekers can greatly expand their chances of success by expanding the number of industries in which they seek opportunities.
Call the Challenger Hotline for additional tips. Each year, Challenger hosts the Challenger Hotline, offering free job search advice to callers nationwide. The 2022 event will be held Tuesday and Wednesday, December 27th and 28th. To access the service, call 312-422-5010 for English or 312-422-5020 for Spanish between 9am and 5pm CT to speak with one of our expert job search coaches.
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Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. Job Hotline Offering Free Career Counselling
A new job may be just a phone call away. Career consultants from coaching company Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. are accepting free calls Tuesday and Wednesday. NBC 5’s Kye Martin reports. Watch below or head here to see it on nbcchicago.com.
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