Technology changes many facets of your job search due to what companies and hiring managers expect from candidates. This includes resume formats and applicant trackers, and showing off your soft skills during an interview. Many trends for 2018 are the same as they were for previous years; it's just that technology updates may alter them a little bit. Take a look at what's prevalent for 2018.
Personality as a Perfect Fit
The unemployment rate is as low as it's been in 10 years. Even though there are around 7 million people without a job, hiring is at a brisk pace. This means your job search is highly competitive as companies seek top talent, and many candidates who already have a job are competing with people who are trying to land a position. Top candidates probably have the same set of hard skills, such as a college degree, experience and certifications.
What sets your job search apart is your personality, soft skills and fit with the company culture. Reach out to a recruiter directly through Facebook or social media to make contact, and send your resume to the appropriate person. This shows you are motivated and can do the proper research to find out who is hiring. Make sure your cover letter and resume bespeak the fact that you understand the company culture.
Companies want to make quick hires, but they need to find the right fit. If you can plug into the corporate culture and show you understand what it takes to work at a company, you improve your prospects of landing a job there.
Prepared Resumes
Resume preparation services are becoming increasingly popular thanks to experts who work online and can polish your resume. There are plenty of resources that will point you toward the right type of service. More and more people turn to professionally prepared resumes because perfect documents stand out from the crowd. Sure, you can use grammar and spell checks to help remove any typos from your text. However, you still have to get the right format, look and presentation of your resume to make an impression. Candidates who don't have time to do that may hire a professional resume builder who knows current trends and understands what companies look for in a resume.
Digital Resumes and Portfolios
Posting your resume and portfolio online does several things. It puts your document out there for many hiring managers to see rather than having to send the same document to several people over and over. Instead of sending your resume to someone, you simply send a link. Create a professional portfolio on your own custom-built website to show employers you mean business. You still have to customize your resume to each employer, but your professional portfolio remains the same during your job search.
Social Media
Social media is already popular for companies and people on a job search. As many as 70 percent of employers vet candidates through social media, and around 57 percent don't hire someone without checking social media profiles first. Have your social media, especially Facebook, at the ready to win the day.
Your job search will continue to evolve going into the next year. Pay attention to these trends for 2018 if you're on the hunt for a better position.
Photo courtesy of everydayplus at FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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