Creative Strategies for Jobseekers

Navigating a Tough Job Market: Creative Strategies for Jobseekers

A recent article in The Guardian paints a bleak picture of the UK job market, with 1.5 million Britons struggling to find work. The article highlights the extreme competition, low pay, and mismatch between employer expectations and applicant skills that many jobseekers are currently facing. Some job seekers are calling this the worst job market they have ever experienced. Some of the key issues raised in the article include:

Extreme competition: With hundreds of candidates competing for each position, landing an interview, and especially a job offer, has become incredibly challenging.

Weak vacancies: Vacancies are at their weakest level since August 2020. Employer demand for permanent staff has been contracting for the last 17 months (according to a report by KPMG and the Recruitment and Employment Confederation).

Low pay: Many salaries are failing to meet current living costs, with employers increasingly seeking to pay less for more work.

Underemployment: Many skilled individuals are forced to take low-paying or part-time jobs for which they are overqualified.

Impact of AI: Some roles are being replaced by AI, reducing the number of available vacancies. Some of the most affected roles are: editors and proof-readers, copywriters, translators and interpreters, bookkeepers and accountants, graphic designers, customer service personnel, market research analysts and 
financial analysts.

Mismatch of expectations: Job seekers increasingly want or need remote, hybrid, or flexible positions because of living costs and childcare yet more employers are demanding that employees return to the office.

Creative Strategies for Jobseekers

Given these challenges, jobseekers need to think outside the box. Here are some creative strategies to help you in your job search:

Consider temporary or contract roles: When permanent positions are scarce, consider short-term contracts or project work to leverage your skills and experience and make ends meet.

Upskill and gain additional qualifications: Upskilling will make you more competitive in the job market. No matter what your budget is, there are plenty of ways to learn new skills. Identify any skills gaps and plug them with short courses or micro-credentials. See this blog post for online learning ideas: Best Online Learning Sites. You can also  access LinkedIn Learning courses if you have LinkedIn Premium (even on the free trial).

Identify roles outside of traditional job boards: Due to the large number of candidates competing for roles, it’s worth widening your search beyond job boards. Prioritise networking (both virtually and face-to-face), attend industry events and job fairs, and consider reaching out to companies directly. In times of job scarcity, employers can become inundated with too many applicants, preferring to rely on a trusted network rather than advertising roles on an open job board. 

Adapt your CV: Today, it’s more important than ever to customise your CV for each job application. Ensure that you highlight relevant skills and experiences to improve your chances of getting through AI tools designed to match candidates with role requirements. This means ensuring that your CV and cover letter contain all the relevant keywords that AI recruitment tools are programmed to identify. 

Be open to different roles: Some candidates succeed in switching to different types of work opportunities; for example, they may switch to a different sector, work on a freelance basis, or, as a last and temporary resort, take on a more junior role.

Develop and highlight your soft skills: Cultivate skills like critical thinking, complex problem-solving, creativity, emotional intelligence, empathy, communication, collaboration, and leadership. These can really set you apart from other candidates, but be sure you can evidence these well with examples.

Consider government and industry training programmes: In England, skills development programmes such as Skills Bootcamp and traineeships and apprenticeships can be a great way to secure training and/or combination on the job training and employment.

Consider remote work: Exploring remote job opportunities beyond your local area can expand your job options. Roles may be available in another part of the country or even internationally, where job openings might be more plentiful.

While the job market may be challenging right now, creative and persistent job-seeking strategies can help you stand out from the competition and find meaningful employment.

If you are being made redundant, ask your employer if they can provide outplacement support as part of your package. This is external support provided by a career coach to help you make a successful transition into your next role. Outplacement typically includes career planning, job search strategy, identifying skills and strengths, help with your CV, applications and more.

Need help securing your next role? If you’d like to learn more about career coaching or outplacement support, get in touch for a free discovery call to learn how working with a qualified and experienced career coach can help.