1. Work on Your Skills!
Companies have learned that a skilled employee is much more valuable than a employee with a degree that lacks experience. While this is bad news for all those Millennials with massive student loan debt, this is great news for those that went into the work force immediately and now has years of experience under their belt.
If you are lacking real-life work experience, register with a industry-specific staffing company that can help you get placed in temporary positions that can build your resume and put you in front of hiring managers. If you are already employed, ask to be cross-trained for a position that interests you. There are many ways to gain attractive experience without going into student loan debt.
2. Talent Communities are Where the Jobs Are
Job posting spam is out of control these days on major job search websites such as Monster, Indeed, and Craig’s List. Job searchers are frustrated by having to sift through undesirable job postings and hiring managers are increasingly disappointed with the quality of candidates they get when they post on massive websites.
The new hiring trend for 2016 are talent communities. Talent communities are websites that bring together specific industries or job titles such as managers, marketers, and blue collar workers. A great example is the National Apartment Association’s Public Communities page. There you will find communities for CAM (Certifies Apartment Managers), CAMT (Certificate for Apartment Maintenance Technicians), and many more.
Find your industry’s talent community online and join the discussion!
3. Obamacare Is Coming, Full-Time Employees Beware
2016 is the year that Obamacare takes full effect, which means many companies will be laying off full-time employees in exchange for contract workers to avoid the hefty healthcare requirements. According to Forbes.com, in 2016 95% of companies with 100 or more employees will need to be insured, and companies with 50 to 99 employees will have to insure full-time workers. Blue Cross of North Carolina, for example, has already raised their rates by 35%. This means a switch to contract workers, or freelancers, will be a more prevalent hiring trend.
4. Telecommuting Is On the Rise
Offices are getting smaller as companies realize that the virtual work space can save them big bucks. Millennials, the largest group of workers today, have voiced that they prefer a flexible working environment and companies have taken that to heart. Coupled with a move towards contract workers, companies are set to remove geographic barriers to their hiring pool. The trend in 2016 will be to allow employees to work remotely, meaning the job searcher is no longer limited to open positions in their city.
5. Company Branding Is a Must
2016 looks to be the year that job searchers are catered to more than the hiring managers. Companies such as Amazon and Netflix have lead the way in branding their corporate culture in a desirable fashion, earning them a talent pool that is knocking at their door to be a part of what they have created. You will see many companies across multiple industries offering redesigned offices, tuition reimbursement, better maternity and paternity leave, and flexible schedules. You will also see companies getting more involved in charitable causes as the younger generation takes over management roles that the baby boomers are leaving vacant in exchange for retirement.
The job seeker in 2016 will make sure to highlight their volunteer experience and ask about the company’s culture and what makes it different from its competitors.
There you have it! This year will be a very exciting year for employment. Make sure to get yourself in line with what the 2016 hiring trends are and snag yourself a position with a company you will love working for.
