Why Recruiters Should Be Excited About the Job Seekers of 2021

The events of 2020 rocked the professional world. As things get stitched back together, there is now a large group of professionals who are looking to either return to the workforce or branch out on a new career path. This new group should excite any recruiter in the country because they will get a crack at one of the most prepared, adaptable workforces in American history.

Looking forward, adaptation is the name of the game for most industries, your company should be reactive and be able to adjust the way it operates based on how the world changes. Many companies learned this the hard way in 2020 but with things beginning to come back together you now have an opportunity to stack your workforce with employees who have been through tough times and adapted to them.

The 2021 hiring class is filled with people who, at the drop of the hat, had to surrender an in-person office for a work from home space that might have been populated with a spouse also working from home and potentially kids learning remotely, they may have been suddenly downsized or had their industry disappear entirely, maybe they were on the verge of launching their own company but had to delay those plans and find work quickly. This was a monumental shift in the work environment but it built a group who can adapt to anything, who can communicate just as well in person as they can over a computer, and who will be able to handle the next challenge with composure.

The graduating class of 2020 and 2021 had its own challenges to overcome. Most college seniors and those in the final years of Masters or Certification programs also spent the last year learning, interning, and working remotely. Anyone who succeeded in this adaptation is now prepared to adapt again should things change once more.

The class of 2021 has dealt with these major changes and so are now prepared for the minor changes that occur during a normal working life. That could mean a team change, a relocation, a promotion, the redefining of a role, a new manager, or really any change to how or where they work.

This should be a very exciting time for any recruiter. In the past you could hire a candidate that seemed qualified but when faced with an adjustment to their work situation they crumble or simply fall short of expectations. Now you can hire someone knowing full well that they can roll with the punches and take on new challenges that face them. Adversity sharpens the will and focuses the mind, and this recruiting class is filled with sharp, focused people who have had a chance to assess what they really want and go for it with no fear of the challenges ahead.

While there are a lot of job seekers out there, know that you are hiring from one of the most unique candidate pools, one that has seen a massive fundamental shift in their professions and can now face any new obstacle with renewed confidence.