How We Worked Changed in 2020. This Year, How We Will Find Work Changes, Too

The way we all did our jobs significantly changed in 2020. And the way we find new jobs in 2021 will also depart from past conventions. 

The hiring market will change and evolve in a time of remote working and increased reliance on video interviews, and employees and employers should be thinking and strategizing around a shifting job market.

Shifting, in fact, will be a major theme, especially within organizations. A recent report by Deloitte predicts more and more employees will seek changing roles within their current organizations, and internal talent will be prized by hiring managers, Fast Company reported. That means companies will have a renewed focus on keeping internal hiring systems and databases up to date, and they will use iterative design principles to continue reworking and redesigning these internal systems.

A bank, for instance, launched an internal talent marketplace this year and found that, when it needed new staff to help fulfill an influx of small business loans, an updated internal talent database allowed it to find workers with complimentary job skills who may have traditionally been overlooked for the roles.

Employees and potential hires in particular need to focus more on digital presentation and presence, according to hiring managers cited in the Fast Company story. With more and more interviews and onboarding taking place remotely, it is more important to have an updated résumé and website. One piece of advice was to take the time to put together a professional videoconferencing setup.

In addition, employees should expand and curate their digital footprint; clean up social accounts, start a newsletter, and consider producing content, whether it is videos or blog posts, that showcase in-demand proficiencies and areas of interest. 

Finally, the reality of increased remote work means employers should be casting a wider net during talent searches. It is an excellent way to add more diversity, and talent will expect future employers to have more liberal policies around scheduling. Companies should revisit their policies on remote work and compensation to bring them up to speed before trying to attract new hires seeking increased flexibility around location and caregiving allowances.