Job Search Trends for 2015

By Monica Wells

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Candidates rarely ever perceive job seeking from the perspective of the recruiter, but maybe they should. Together with changes in economy and culture come modifications of the job market and recruitment practices. It's safe to say that recruiters aren't using the same screening and selection strategies they used a decade ago – in order for your job search to be efficient, you need to embrace the new recruiting trends. Knowing what recruiters are looking is the first step to meeting them halfway and landing a great job. Here are 10 job market trends that will revolutionize the ways n which we all look for jobs.

1. Online profiles

A recent survey conducted by Jobvite makes it clear that the importance of social profiles will in 2015 be on the rise. As many as 93% of surveyed recruiters admitted they checked a candidate's social profile before making the hiring decision.

This increased interest suggests that your social media profiles should be just as convincing as your resume. Construct them to tell a story – one that reflects your career brand and resonates with recruiters.

Always make sure that the information included in your online profiles is accurate and there are no data mix-ups – if there are any differences between your social media profiles, recruiters are likely to spot them and, consequently, be less inclined to trust you and your brand. Profile photo is another matter – for some industries, casual is perfect, for others – formality equals professionalism.

2. Passive recruitment

One thing is clear – in 2015, recruiters will be more set on hunting passive candidates than ever. Souring passive talents will be especially important to the American market, where already 72% of companies go for this kind of hiring.

What does it mean for you? Essentially, you should be ready to dive into a great opportunity anytime and immediately. To make the most from this trend, you should have a great resume ready at all times – not just when you're looking for a new job. You never know when a recruiter is already checking you out.

3. Mobile recruiting

Since mobile is on the rise in literally every business sector, no wonder that recruitment follows this trend as well. In 2015, recruiters are more likely to use mobile environments to post positions, research and contact candidates and pass resumes between each other. According to Jobvite, 51% of recruiters plan to increase their investment in mobile recruiting next year.

What should you do? Follow this trend – others are already doing it. A Glassdoor survey found out that 90% of candidates plan to use mobile devices in their job search during the next 12 months. Make sure to meet recruiters in places where they're hunting – you can do that by extending your job-seeking activities to innovative digital technologies.

4. Job search outsourcing

Sounds strange, but soon we'll see more people paying individuals and companies to perform parts of a job search for them. In 2015, job outsourcing will become a full-fledged trend with an increasing percentage of job seekers delegating tasks to both national and international services.

That doesn't mean that candidates won't interact with recruiters at all – just that certain portions of the search, such as social media activity, company research, networking and relationship management – will be performed by someone else. If you find yourself too busy to look for the right opportunity, have a look around to see whether there are any experts who can handle it for you.

5. Social media presence

This goes without saying – 2015 will be the year of social media branding. Your presence on social networks will be more important than ever – and it's not just about profiles, but also your activity, network and status in the online community. Recruiters are already using social media for hiring purposes – at least 73% of them do, according to Jobvite.

The most important professional social network is LinkedIn, but it's not the only one out there. Facebook or Twitter might in certain contexts become equally valuable – they help recruiters to see whether a candidate is a thought leader of its industry and offers content of value.

6. Video recruitment

By 2015, videos used in recruitment will be ubiquitous. This means that if you're planning to use video in your job application, think twice – what will it take to be really original and offer something of value?

Be authentic and use videos in ways they've never been used before. A good idea is to attach a short video to your LinkedIn profile – the file can showcase your career brand, or present your professional experience by focusing on one serious accomplishment.

7. Online networking

This major trend is simply bound to bloom in 2015. Directly related to the previously mentioned importance of online profiles and social media presence, online networking will become essential for maintaining close relationships with professionals in all fields.

If you're not a big fan of online networking, consider this – lots of recruiters use social media platforms for hunting candidates and that should be enough for you to consider creating one. The favorite is of course LinkedIn, but Twitter, Facebook or Pinterest can be more valuable in specific industries.

Online networking is not just about having a profile and knowing lots of professionals – it's about the interactions and the value you add to the community. Be active and involved in discussions – don't be afraid to make your voice heard.

8. The importance of data

There's no denying it – data plays an increasingly important role in all business fields. Recruitment is no exception – in 2015, it's predicted to be more about data and metrics than ever. Recruiters will use data to support their hiring decisions – but not just the old and boring historical data. We're talking powerful real-time and predictive analytics, which will assist recruiters in making right decisions.

When looking for a job, you simply must realize that fact. If you don't receive a call back, it doesn't mean that there's something wrong with you – just that this particular instance of analytics algorithm clearly didn’t consider you as fitting the desired profile. This kind of depersonalization can significantly help candidates in coping with rejection.

9. Thought leadership

Another point closely related to the importance of social media presence for anyone looking for great opportunities. Content marketing is a leading branding trend and it's likely to spread to personal branding too. LinkedIn certainly supports it – the network recently launched a blogging platform to help professionals share their voice.

Blogging is a great strategy to drive more traffic to your LinkedIn profile – all LinkedIn-related content usually scores pretty high on search engine ranking. By posting and sharing great content, you can be sure to attract the attention of professionals in your industry, including recruiters.

10. Talents are outsourced

This point is important because it suggests a major global shift in employment tactics. In 2015, a large number of companies is predicted to outsource talent – by employing talented candidates as consultants, contractors, outside providers or freelancers.

This is something you should realize – maybe some of the best professional opportunities in your niche involve this kind of employment? If you'd like to see that for yourself, collect all the experience you have that can be marketed through consulting and enter this growing job market.

Recruitment practices are always changing and recruiters find new ways for sourcing and engaging talents. If you want to make the most from your job search, incorporate the crucial takeaways from this list of job market trends and try new tactics for landing the job of your dreams.

The article was contributed by Monica Wells of bizdb.co.uk.

 

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