Much has been made about the state of finding a job, keeping a job, and feeling engaged, productive, and valued in a job over the past few years, and 2023 is shaping up to be another defining 12 months.
Today’s employment outlook is so vast and intricate that the soundbite-friendly phrases just keep coming — from the dawn of the Great Resignation and the “Why I Quit” Era that emerged in 2021 to the rise of quiet quitting, quiet hiring, and, yes, even rage applying that materialized this past year.
The truth is that these trendy terms can’t begin to explain the complexities of today’s employment situation, which has been characterized by the historic rebounding of the labor market over the past two years. In fact, 2022 will go down in history as the second-best year for job development on record (the first being 2021, demonstrating the lasting impact the pandemic has had on employment).
Further good news is that it is still a favorable time to be a job seeker in today’s economy, as evidenced by the 10.7 million jobs currently open in the US with only 5.7 million people looking to fill them. It’s apparent that there remains an unprecedented demand for talent. So, how does a proactive candidate stand out in an ultra-competitive labor landscape?
First of all, knowing how to use this volatile atmosphere to your favor is the key to a fruitful job search in 2023 and beyond. That’s where we’re here to help.
Why Quiet Quitting Matters for Both Employers and Employees
Quiet quitting — the act of doing the bare minimum at a job where you feel overworked and undervalued — has led to rage applying, or taking the “spray-and-pray” approach to finding a new role. These are not-new concepts, but they have taken on a different significance in today’s job market. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Quiet quitting is never the answer.
But the question remains: Why are workers feeling burned out and unable to change their circumstances and therefore acting out without a clear career plan in place?
The pandemic unearthed an array of grievances about the status quo that formerly existed in the world of work. Employees now demand more flexibility and better work-life balance, and the most progressive organizations are meeting those needs. For those that don’t, these are tumultuous times as labor market research shows workers are still not afraid to head for the door in search of greener pastures despite rising inflation rates and recession fears.
How the Larger Economic Picture Plays a Role
The headlines of layoffs at household-name tech companies is hard to avoid but easier to digest if you consider two aspects of the larger landscape: 1) The tech industry is largely correcting a pandemic-era hiring binge that saw companies like Alphabet, Amazon, and Meta bringing on new people to meet the needs of a shifting economy, and 2) Many of these tech workers (who represent just 2 percent of the U.S. economy) can and will be hired by other industries, such as hospitality, professional services, and retail, sectors that continue to bounce back.
Couple this with the recent less-gloomy economic news we’ve been receiving — the number of business leaders who think the U.S. will enter a recession this year is declining — and prospective job seekers can take today’s climate to heart. A successful job-seeking strategy now requires learning from these hard lessons while devising a strategy that demonstrates the value of their transferable skills and their unique abilities to help futureproof the organization where they work. A dedicated personal branding partner can help candidates leverage these qualities and capabilities to their full advantage to help close the deal.
Your 2023 Job Search Strategy Starts Here
The beginning of the year is always a good time to kickstart a job search, and this year, despite its inherent uncertainty, is no different.
With our unparalleled industry experience and insights, 20/20 Foresight is uniquely positioned to help job seekers maximize their job-seeking initiatives. We collaborate with you one-on-one to develop your own personal branding campaign, refining your résumé and online presence, expertly coaching your interviewing skills and — most impactfully — connecting you with the top recruiters and hiring managers at the companies where you want to work.