In the modern world, where job market trends are always shifting and things are changing from year to year or even from season to season, one needs to constantly be on the lookout for the latest news and developments. This applies in equal measure to employers and to potential job seekers – everyone needs to stay informed and to keep ahead of the game.
By researching the relevant literature and analysing employment statistics, as well as hiring trends from job aggregators like Jooble, we have compiled this list of the main upcoming job trends, expected for 2022:
- The use of Artificial Intelligence in the recruitment process will keep expanding. The biggest players in the job market are already using artificial intelligence to sift through the ever-increasing pool of candidates and resumes. On the other side of the process, job seekers are using AI (sometimes without even being aware of it) that is built into search engines and job ad aggregators, to help them find the most suitable vacancies, according to their own parameters.
What does this mean?
First of all, it means that resumes need to be built accordingly. Candidates need to optimize the contents of their resumes, by using proper structure and wording, to stand out in the “eyes” of search engines and AI. Otherwise, they risk being left out of the recruitment process altogether. The same applies to job ads – employers need to be careful with descriptions and keywords, or else their ads will not garner sufficient attention from job seekers. And last, but not least, when searching for a candidate, recruiters need to think long and hard on the parameters that they set for the AI, making sure that they fit job requirements perfectly, or they will risk missing a great candidate.
- Social Media will be the main platform for recruiting. It is easy to notice that major companies have started using social media for a lot more than just marketing and Public Relations. Social media has become the go-to platform for a company’s communication with most of its audience – customers, partners, even the press. Consequently, it will be the best medium for communication with existing and potential employees as well. While in the past social media has been used for employment mainly by freelancers and by certain industries, nowadays platforms like LinkedIn and Glassdoor have become central to the job market.
What does this mean?
It means that traditional ways of communication for the purpose of employment will slowly but surely go away. In the same way that most people already prefer using messengers over e-mail, or Zoom over in-person conferences, they will eventually turn to social media and messaging for their next job, if they haven’t already.
- Salaries will most definitely increase, but at varying rates across industries and occupations. As recent polls show, 49% of workers think that they are currently underpaid, with 31% stating that they would consider leaving their current job if they do not get a raise by year’s end. At the same time, 48% of employers are already offering signing bonuses, to encourage new employment.
What does this mean?
We can expect to see considerable salary increases in the economy as a whole, but more so in sectors of the economy where demand for employees exceeds the total number of suitable candidates – IT and technicians, skilled trades (electricians, carpenters, welders, plumbers etc.), transportation (drivers, mechanics), engineering and architecture, construction and mining, high-skilled medical workers, as well as scientists and mathematicians.
- Shifts in occupation and industry will become more commonplace. The times when individuals picked a certain profession and industry and then stayed in it for the rest of their lives, are fading fast. The modern economy can no longer offer the same job security and long-term stability that people had fifty, or even twenty years ago. The breakthrough progress of technology makes things change incredibly quickly, in almost all industries. Consequently, it is the individuals who are ready and willing to adapt that seem to thrive in today’s reality.
What does this mean?
As the pandemic has most recently demonstrated, versatility and willingness to adapt seem to be the main predictors of career success. Globalization has created a dynamic, free-for-all employment market, and job seekers need to act accordingly if they are to succeed professionally. This implies building a versatile resume and constantly striving to gain a diverse and multi-faceted work experience. On the other hand, employers need to embrace the new reality and start looking for candidates from less traditional backgrounds, or even from other industries altogether.
- The “Work from Anywhere” philosophy is here to stay. Something that we have all recently witnessed, is that after experiencing the advantages of working from home, or from remote work in general, employees seem reluctant to return to a more traditional work setting and schedule. Furthermore, even employers have started appreciating the advantages of remote work – most employees seem to be more productive in this context, there is less need for office space, there are no concerns regarding the commute to work and its’ impact on the schedule etc. Our prediction – not only will this trend persist, but it will become more and more commonplace.
What does this mean?
Both employers and job seekers need to prepare for this new work model. The increasing emphasis on work/life balance means that all urban centres will eventually embrace “anywhere working”, aided by technology. It also means that a company can look for candidates from all over the planet, and vice versa – an individual is not limited to a certain region or country when looking for a job.
