​There’s nothing soft about power skills: hiring trends the 2022 job seeker needs to know about

In the last few years, the job market has experienced seismic shifts, uncovering opportunities for people’s professional and personal lives like never before.

It’s a candidate market out there and we predict the power will remain, for the foreseeable future, firmly in the hands of the job seeker. With an unwaning demand for talent, companies are getting increasingly creative, adapting their working practices and benefits and belief systems, to stand out from the crowd. This means for you, dear job seeker, there’s more opportunity than ever before to live and work how you want to.  

So, whether your ambition is to earn more, work less, travel internationally, work from home, prioritise family or take a leap of faith, it is essential that job seekers in 2022 are on top of current hiring trends to ensure they are finding, engaging, and negotiating the opportunities that meet their aspirations.

We look at the top four need to know hiring trends of 2022 and how you can leverage the current recruitment market to truly succeed for you.

Employment ‘gaps’ are now a thing of the past

It is becoming less likely candidates will have the perfect CV with the social and economic upheaval the pandemic brought. This means the idea of the ‘perfect CV’ is becoming something outdated and of the past. Recruiters recognise that COVID-19 shook the whole world and with that came furloughs, redundancies and people taking time to focus on their own mental health. They’re understandable and almost expected.

So, when it comes to career gaps be honest, take the opportunity to talk about transferable skills brought through a previous course or role and try not to let the unexpected changes hit your confidence! Use any potential ‘gaps’ as leverage, it can be time spent rediscovering, reinventing and growing as a person.

Organisations are struggling more to fill vacancies with some professionals hesitant to return to the workplace. 2022 will find companies focusing on what truly matters most when hiring: Power skills.

Power to the skills

Following the ‘great resignation’ of 2021-22, it is no secret that demands in the workplace are changing, quickly. Skill power is quickly becoming valued above the power of experience.

‘Covid shaped’ gaps in our CV’s are becoming a thing of the past and employers are now focusing on the ideal skills to source the ideal talent. Skills such as leadership, teamwork, communication, productivity, flexibility and wellness are critical and highly sought after. Our skills shape us and how we work; they provide us with the power to collaborate, the power to communicate and the power to innovate.

This has thus led to the reframing of soft skills to ‘power skills’, because they aren’t just a nice soft addition to pop on our CV’s, they are essential and are changing the workplace for the better. Often companies might use software to find keywords to ensure candidates fit the right role, so be sure to make your CV pop by including them where possible.

With first impressions being lasting impressions when it comes to your CV, let’s take a look at what are power skills and how best to include and get them noticed.

Power skills help us to interact with others, build effective relationships and help navigate us through social situations. They are skills more focused around the thinking and being such as, decision making, resilience, communication, empathy, mindfulness and giving and receiving feedback.

Including power words will instantly emphasise your accomplishments and create a lasting impact; include words such as:

• Achieved

• Cultivated

• Innovative

• Implemented

• Leadership

• Communication

• Adaptable

• Time management

• Resilience

When discussing your previous roles, you can also link these to outcomes and how your work impacted your team or business needs. So, get revamping your CV and showing off your accomplishments with those all-important skills!

Purpose over pay

Following the UK Governments announcement and the imminent increase of global warming, the average job-seeker is in search of a company they can work for and trust in. If you find yourself seeking a brand you can connect with, not only culturally but also socially and economically, now is the time to get picky and find the right business that aligns with your values.

With the high demand for talent, companies are now not only checking their remuneration and benefits packages alongside a new hybrid and flexible way of working, but they too are beginning to set their own ambitious targets to help tackle the growing issues of global warming. When searching for a role look for the companies that share your values and have an active stance, keep in mind your sense of purpose as well as your paycheque!

Take a look yourself! See the list of companies here who are already making a difference and aligned their company strategy and brand, to place net-zero at the forefront of their business.

Virtual hiring to become the norm…

Social distancing, daily testing and altered office layouts - some of the changes the world of work has seen throughout the Covid-19 pandemic are unlikely to remain in place as we approach a post-Covid world, but the prevalence of virtual technology in hiring and working is definitely one of the ones that will.

It’s easy to think that virtual hiring is something that was new at the start of the pandemic when in reality only the means by which it is done has changed. In previous years, virtual hiring was done through the means of telephone interviews, but modern technology has allowed these conversations and interviews to become more personal in the form of video calls. While previously phone interviews were merely an efficient way of getting a first impression of a candidate, the rise of the virtual call and the Zoom interview means that the focus has shifted and selling yourself virtually has become much more important. Therefore, in 2022 you can expect to see a continuation of this trend, with virtual events, interviews, workplace tours and presentations being a key part of the entire recruitment process, including onboarding.

In some instances, there might never be an in-person interview as part of the process, particularly if the role itself is fully remote. With that in mind, it’s crucial that your video interview skills are up to scratch:

Research the format: It’s vital that you know ahead of the session which format the interview will take. Live interviews are similar to traditional face-to-face interviews, where you will speak to a recruiter or hiring manager in the same way as you would if you were in the same room. In these interviews, try and talk as if you were in person, and build a rapport with the interviewer.
Sometimes, organisations use pre-recorded interviews, where you will be expected to film yourself responding to questions posed on screen and won’t speak face to face with anyone. These can be awkward if you aren’t used to filming yourself, so make sure you practice and re-take as many times as you can before submitting. The bonus of pre-recorded is that you can practice your answers as many times as you like, so take advantage of this.

How to dress: Even if your home office is in your living room, kitchen or bedroom, it’s important to dress for the occasion to give the right first impression. Dress as you would for an in-person interview and look smart!

Location and framing: Think seriously about where you position yourself, the lighting and the background of your video. Make sure you set up your call in a bright room and pay attention to the framing. Make sure the camera is set up at eye level, not pointing upwards or downwards towards you. Also, pay attention to what’s behind you… we all saw amusing cases of interviewees on the news being caught out with inappropriate objects behind them on shelves during the pandemic, so make sure you don’t become one of them.

…and so are virtual jobs

One of the other key changes in the employment world following the pandemic is a switch to more remote working, either as part of a hybrid model or entirely.

Remote working has opened the door for improvements in diversity and quality of hires based on the fact that all geographical locations are open to all businesses. For employees starting a remote working role for the first time, some adaptation may be necessary. Remote working has immediate benefits, such as a lack of commuting and the ability to be flexible with your working hours. However, some employees may feel isolated in a situation where they can’t meet their colleagues in person.

Make sure you know your management structure and communicate often with them to make sure you’re on top of your responsibilities. Speak often to your colleagues and peers and arrange non-work-related calls with them to build relationships.

Are you going to be managing others in your new remote role? Check out our handy guide to managing remote teams here

Change is something many of us reluctantly accept, but with this comes exciting opportunities. Despite the job market taking a huge hit from the pandemic, there are many reasons to be optimistic when looking to start a new career or role. Candidates are high in demand and provides a great opportunity for you to search for your ideal role with less compromise!

So, whether you’re looking for a more permanent move or just having a browse to see what’s out there, remember it’s a job seeker’s market out there, so it’s time to take charge.

Now you’re well prepared for what to expect in the job market this year, dive in to find your perfect role here!