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    Ready to Find Your Dream Job? Start with Knowing What You Want

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    Searching for a new job, let alone a ‘dream job,’ may feel daunting, especially if you have been out of the market for a long time or weren’t expecting to need a new position. In our recently published blog series, “Recently Laid Off? A Jobseeker’s Guide to Bounce Back Better than Ever,” we dive into the steps you can take specifically after experiencing a layoff so you can set yourself up for a successful job search. 

    Whatever your situation may be, you are likely creating a mental list of things to do before navigating interviews. This might include updating your resume and LinkedIn profile, and starting to look at what opportunities are out there. The first and most important step in your job search, however, is to look within and take stock of what is most important to you in your next opportunity.

    Salary is important, but it’s not everything

    Loving or hating your job pivots first upon how you feel about your compensation. Nearly 3 in 4 workers who hate their job say they stay there in the meantime predominantly because they need financial stability while they search for something new — and 1 in 2 workers report they left their most recent job because the salary didn’t cut it.

    Besides being underpaid, the most commonly cited grievances by people who hate their job include lack of opportunities for growth, a lackluster company culture, and not getting along with their manager or colleagues.

    According to our 2022 State of Tech Salaries report, candidates would trade a higher salary for a flexible work schedule, PTO, and practical benefits such as health insurance and 401K retirement matching.

    Salary and benefits are incredibly important — but those factors are really the tip of the iceberg. A flashy salary is great, but probably won’t keep you happy day-to-day if you don’t click with the management philosophy or lack opportunities to grow on the job.

    Evaluate your wants & needs in a dream job

    Depending on what professional and life stage you are or will soon be in, your non-negotiables and ‘nice to haves’ may vary. Starting a job search requires reflection on your top priorities and deal breakers in your next opportunity. You should decide on these before speaking with a recruiter. What motivates you? What makes you tick? 

    Our study shows people who hate or feel iffy about their jobs tend to focus more on extrinsic factors — like better pay, work-life balance, and feeling appreciated for their work. On the flip side, once salary expectations are met, many people are intrinsically motivated by things like building mission-driven products and services they feel proud to have on their resumes, or opportunities to learn.

    The areas jobseekers should evaluate include (but are not limited to):

    Finances, such as preferred base salary, bonuses, equity or stock options, and total compensationBenefits and perksWork-life balanceTech stackCompany size, stage, and industryCompany cultureLocation, which would include considering if you’re comfortable with and able to commute into an office in a post-COVID world

    As you consider these areas for yourself, know that what you don’t want is equally important to what you do want. 

    Additionally, while it is important to showcase your skills and strengths, being able to identify what you are interested in learning more about will help you immensely. This is especially true in regard to your technical experience. You’ll be able to communicate those desires effectively in your online presence, cover letters, and interviews.

    Pro Tip:

    Moving forward, if you’d like to take a class on a new skill or would feel more fulfilled by spending 20% of your time on internal entrepreneurism, coach your manager on what’s important to you at this point in your career. Get in the habit of discussing your goals day to day — not just at yearly performance check-ins.

    Related: Looking to Land Your Dream Engineering Job? Stop Clicking “Apply Now”

    Empower yourself with data

    After you outline a list of your preferences, requirements, and deal breakers, you should empower and equip yourself with data and research on the role(s) you are interested in. Be sure to look into:

    Job requirementsCompensation for the title, level, and market the role is located inCompanies actively hiring, especially as they relate to your list of preferences

    Information on company size, stage, industry, location, and culture is often easily accessible online, especially on the company’s website. Thoroughly read up on this prior to even applying for open roles. 

    On the other hand, information on compensation, benefits, and perks might be a little harder to find unless you’re actively interviewing with that respective company. In these instances, it is especially important to know what you want so you can ask the right questions in your interviews. There, you’ll uncover the information to make the best decision. 

    In terms of compensation, while company-specific information may not be readily available, equip yourself with market research by using these tools:

    According to our 2022 State of Wage Inequality Report, what candidates actually expect to receive perpetuates the wage gap. This deficit is known as the expectation gap. This is consistent not only across gender but race, age, and markets too. Because their expectations are lower than their market value, tech workers are asking for less and getting paid less. 

    Know your worth 

    When you know your value, and it is backed by data, you can go into conversations about compensation and confidently ask for what you deserve in a dream job. By analyzing data from multiple resources, you can cross-reference the numbers. This gives you a good idea of an appropriate salary range based on your experience and skills.

    Don’t dilly dally — speed matters

    The longer you spend looking for a job, the less likely you are to believe dream jobs are possible. In fact, optimism drops 10% every 3 months you spend on the hunt. With tools like Hired, you can cut the length of your job search in half or more.

    Looking to hire talent seeking their dream role at your organization? Source active candidates on Hired. More

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      2022 Survey Results: Top 3 Benefits Ranked by Engineers (Besides Salary)

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      Last year was largely characterized by the Great Resignation but this year, in 2022, both employers and employees face uncertainty in the hiring market. This challenges employers to be more efficient when attracting, hiring, and onboarding new tech employees. To help you be more competitive when sourcing top talent, Hired’s 2022 State of Tech Salaries report reveals the three benefits ranked highest by engineers.

      Analyzing data from more than 907,000 interview requests across over 47,750 active positions, the process revealed insights from top tech talent and what they want in potential employers. 

      Potential candidates strongly factor benefits into their decision so this is important to your retention efforts with current employees. 

      Incorporate The Top Three Benefits in Your Recruiting Strategy 

      Hired’s 2022 State of Tech Salaries Report revealed engineers rank three benefits as most important to their job search outside of base compensation: flexible schedule, PTO, and physical health benefits. Are you an employer, recruiter, or hiring manager? Prioritize these benefits for robust recruiting and talent retention strategies and efforts. 

      1. Flexible Work Schedule 

      The pandemic forced companies to jump into remote work head first. However, as we adapt to the future of work, Hired found employees aren’t interested in fully returning to the office. Take a look at the response to our WFH questions. We found only 2% considered an in-office workplace most ideal. While over half (54.2%) would be willing to go back to the office if it came with more job security, they also reported they would search for other jobs with flexible remote work options right away.

      Note the flexible option to work from home is now the bare minimum. You need a comprehensive flexible work schedule. Here are a few trending best practices to consider implementing and promoting: 

      Shortened Work Week 

      Many companies are testing adaptable schedules, such as shortened work weeks. This model makes sense, especially for tech roles unnecessarily tied to the traditional, Monday-Friday, 9-5 work week. Companies adapting to a 4-day model see increased productivity and better work-life balance. 

      Family-Friendly Workplace 

      The pandemic also shined a light on the specific challenges faced by caregivers. For working parents or those caring for aging adults, it was overdue. It humanized a lot of working relationships and often provided a bit of levity. How many kids and dogs have you seen on video calls?

      As a result, reports found 57% of senior leaders plan to prioritize care benefits. When promoting flexible scheduling options, emphasize families may work around their responsibilities. Remember to be inclusive. Flexible scheduling isn’t only for working parents. Think of those who are in the “sandwich generation” or taking care of partners/parents. 

      2. Clear PTO Policies 

      First, it’s best to define your PTO policy. You won’t get far with candidates with vague mentions of “generous PTO.” What does that mean? Generous to whom? It’s all relative. Instead, clearly outline policies in your job postings. 

      Remember, asking employees to categorize their paid time off requests is passé. A solid and robust PTO strategy combines days for vacation, sick time, bereavement, and personal time in a single bank for employee use — no explanations for their use needed.

      Another hot-button topic for benefits is the debate over unlimited PTO. There are pros and cons to its implementation:

      Cons of Unlimited PTO

      Ambiguity actually makes employees take less time off. Branka Vuleta, founder of LegalJobs.io, explains: “In reality, people who have an opportunity to take as many vacations as they can end up taking fewer days off than those with a limited amount of days off in a year.

      In a nutshell, the unlimited PTO policy is a marketing trick supposed to lure people into applying for the job.” Employees new to unlimited PTO may not understand it’s not accrued, and therefore, isn’t paid out if they leave.

      Pros of Unlimited PTO

      Allows employees to take time off at their discretion and puts no caps on the number of days or hours used. This respects employees as adults instead of kids with a hall pass. This empowerment can be an attractive recruiting tool in a competitive marketplace.

      Employee Communication Guidance

      No matter what you decide, the key is to disclose as much insight into your PTO policy as possible. The last two decades of the tech revolution coupled with the pandemic created a more fluid and open-minded environment. 

      Prospective and current employees still want to understand, however, how and when they can take time off, and what the policy will mean to them. Consider mentioning:

      Required PTO minimums: Explain how your company requires workers to take time off to avoid burnout. Assistance with PTO coverage: This is often an issue with the unlimited PTO policies. People can take off as much time as they want, but covering ongoing projects, deliverables, and duties is cumbersome. Have company leadership take this burden off employees’ shoulders and be sure to communicate this in your job posting. People-first strategy: Showcase your first priority is employee morale, mental wellness, and as much work-life balance as possible. 

      3. Physical Health Benefits

      Healthcare in the U.S. is more expensive than ever. Combined with the painful lessons of the pandemic, employees are more aware of the importance of physical health and wellness.

      So, health benefits play an integral role in recruiting and retaining employees. In addition, study after study proves healthier employees are happier and more productive — benefiting employers and their bottom line.

      Physical health benefits include medical, dental, mental wellness, vision, and other benefits relating to healthcare. But it doesn’t stop there. While it’s imperative to list your complete health benefits offerings, be creative when it comes to wellness coverage and perks. Use these innovative companies and ideas as inspiration:

      Platforms like Modern Health allow employees to enjoy a full spectrum of mental and physical health benefits via one app. Companies like Accenture provide confidential employee assistance programs with training and resources to help with stress, mental health, or substance abuse.A fitness reimbursement program can offer financial assistance for gym memberships, virtual exercise classes, or even personal trainers. For instance, Microsoft offers “$1,200 per year for employee-only wellness-related expenses that help you get and stay fit physically, emotionally, and financially.”  

      Refer to this exhaustive list of perks and stipends for more examples.  

      Want to Attract and Retain Tech Talent? Promote the Right Benefits 

      Competing for tech talent in this current hiring climate and job market may feel like a herculean task, but it doesn’t have to be. Just adapt your strategies to meet evolving expectations surrounding work-life balance, remote work, and other benefits. The good news is the work to make these shifts benefits your current team members and retention efforts, too.

      Remember to emphasize your attractive benefits (specifically flexible schedules, PTO, and health benefits) on your careers page, job postings, and even social media. Shout about them everywhere. Quantify and qualify them to put it into context for prospective candidates. Consider asking current team members to participate in testimonials, quotes, or case studies. 

      This is a difficult time, but you don’t have to go through it alone. Hired’s platform allows you to highlight benefits in your company profile and helps ensure they’re communicated to candidates (i.e., in email requests to interview).

      Hired also gives you access to ongoing real-time market data to tailor your outreach and optimize response rates. This ultimately saves HR teams time to focus on higher-level tasks like retention via employee experience.  

      Top Benefits Ranked by Survey Respondents

      Get even more details about what tech professionals like engineers want regarding salaries, benefits, remote work flexibility, and more.

      Related 

      Tracy Ring is a freelance writer and content marketer. She brings a real-life perspective to her writing from 10+ years of diverse experience, including HR, project management, customer and client relations, and admin roles. Connect with her on LinkedIn or Twitter. More

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      How to Maximize your Job Offer as a Remote Engineer

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      This article is reposted from one originally contributed to LeadDev.com and authored by Lawrence Barker for Hired… How can you get the job offer you want? And how can you feel confident you’re getting paid what you deserve? With so much confusion around salaries for remote roles, these questions are top of mind when you’re […] More

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      2021 State of U.K. Tech Salaries

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      What You’ll Learn U.K. tech salary trends based on role, industry, and years of experience How technical employees ranked non-salary compensation, such as benefits The impact of the Great Resignation on the demand for tech talent 4 Steps to accelerate your hiring process short term and develop a long term recruitment strategy to handle attrition. […] More

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      Survey Results: Top 3 Benefits Ranked by Engineers (Besides Salary)

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      Whether you’re navigating the “Great Resignation” or scaling your teams, you know it’s tougher than ever to attract, hire, and onboard new tech employees. To help you be more competitive when sourcing top talent, Hired’s 2021 State of Tech Salaries report reveals the three benefits ranked highest by engineers. Analyzing data from more than 17,000 […] More

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      How Employee Benefits Will Change Post-Flexible Working

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      Before the pandemic, flexible working was seen as the ultimate benefit. Whether it was the option to work remotely or to take advantage of a company’s flexi-hours policy, it was lauded as a fantastic perk for any role. Flexibility was offered to many, but not all workers (46% of UK workers weren’t offered any flexible working options in 2018), making it all the more desirable to those who were living without it. However, due to the dramatic shift we’ve seen in the past 12 months, this type of flexibility seems is undoubtedly here to stay. If it’s the norm, not the exception, what benefits should employers look at offering instead?
      We recently hosted a webinar with four HR experts: Founder and Managing Principal at IA, Mark Stelzner; Group HR Director at Reward Gateway, Robert Hicks; Founder of Play Consulting, Marcus Thornley; and Saskia Donald, an HR professional with over 20 years’ experience. They discussed the need for employers to shift their employee benefits to better reflect individuals’ priorities. Find the key benefits below.
      Wellbeing
      Wellbeing will remain a huge player in the benefits game moving forward and, as Robert explained, “firms [who] do wellbeing well will see talent stay, and those who don’t will struggle”. Due to the challenges brought on by the pandemic, employees are now more in tune with their personal wellbeing and will look to their employer to help them cope. It’s important your clients view wellbeing holistically, taking into account mental, physical, financial, and social wellbeing.
      In terms of mental wellbeing, companies looking to improve their offering can implement many different solutions, including training a mental health first aider, creating online resources, organizing structured training sessions, or even simply offering a subscription to a meditation app.
      However, it’s not enough to simply have these resources available – clients should also lead by example when it comes to looking after their employees’ mental health. Mark described a recent moment where he recognized his employees needed him to lead the way during a period of acute stress: “I immediately put a message out to my entire team [to]… cancel every meeting if you need to and take care of yourself and your family.” Your clients should understand their employees will need support in different ways at different times; by allowing them space to pause and reset, they will prove they care about their workers’ mental wellbeing.
      It’s essential to remember the other forms of wellbeing as well. For example, if your client is looking to promote physical wellbeing, they could implement a cycle-to-work scheme or hire a trainer to deliver virtual yoga/Pilates/meditation sessions. Similarly, by taking into account financial stressors and doing their part to alleviate them, employers could potentially offer a one-off stipend to help workers set up their home workspace, courses, and education around budgeting/pension funds, or access to a financial advisor.
      There are a myriad of different options for those looking to introduce these benefits – the important thing to get right is recognizing the need to do so. Simply put, according to Robert, workers will ask their employers, “what are you doing to help me with my job, be effective and help me cope with all of my challenges?”
      Learning and development (L&D)
      Throughout the past 12 months, many of us have turned to online courses to develop skills or learn something new. According to Marcus, he’s seen “a lot of uptake in our business around learning… [it’s] never been [in] higher demand as it has been through lockdown”. There are a number of ways employers can encourage their staff to learn. Some of the better examples include allocating an annual amount for a person’s L+D and allow them to use it as they see fit; making online training documents available via a remote HR platform; or identifying those in the business with strong skills in a particular area and asking them to lead a presentation or seminar. At Tiger, the latter has worked particularly well: consultants have presented to the wider business on a variety of topics, from Brexit regulations to the importance of personal brand.
      Remote benefits
      While it’s not surprising we’re seeing more benefits to help employees set up their home workspaces, this trend is here to stay. Many employers are now offering a stipend for workers to spend on better working equipment, but Marcus believes this benefit may evolve in the future to include “home utility grants – electricity, Wi-Fi, gas.” Not only will it appeal to those struggling financially due to the pandemic, but it will ensure workers feel truly looked after by their employer.
      Two months into 2021, the global pandemic continues to affect every aspect of our lives and work. As recruiters, our knowledge of this uncertain market has never been more essential. By remaining abreast of benefits changes, you’ll be in a better position to advise your clients and help them attract the best candidates moving forward.

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      Here’s What Motivates Your Candidates in 2021 

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      As hiring activity across many industries slowed in the wake of the pandemic, we experienced several unique challenges in the recruitment sector. However, as we step into 2021, the new year has brought with it a renewed optimism! Not only is the vaccine roll-out in full swing; the Brexit trade deal and US election result have also delivered a level of certainty businesses have been craving for a number of years.
      As these global events start to influence the market in a positive direction, identifying and understanding your candidates’ motivations throughout this period is essential to being able to guide your clients in attracting the best talent.
      At Tiger, we’ve just released our Salary and Benefits Review 2021, a comprehensive report which collates data from over 2,700 workers and jobseekers. We asked them about their priorities and anxieties, as well as the benefits they’d look for in their next role. The information below will help guide conversations with your clients moving forward, allowing you to provide reassurance where needed.
      Candidate priorities
      The top priority for job seekers in 2021 will be securing a competitive salary, followed by job security and, thirdly, work/life balance. This is likely a reaction to the uncertain financial situation many workers experienced throughout 2020. Despite this, salaries have remained relatively stable (with a nominal increase in some cases) and 46% of our surveyed respondents expect a pay rise in the next 12 months. Therefore, if your clients are in the position to offer a competitive, regularly-reviewed salary package, this will help them attract top talent in the market.
      Flexible working is another huge priority for candidates, with 49% reporting this as the number one positive aspect to come out of the pandemic. When taking into account the money saved on commuting and the time this has given back to workers, their reluctance to give up this new-found flexibility is logical. As such, it’s essential that employers continue to offer some form of flexible working in 2021, whether through an ad-hoc or hybrid scheme or by allowing employees to work from home indefinitely.
      Candidate anxieties
      The majority of our respondents (73%) reported that their main anxiety concerned their career, rather than their health. In fact, just 35% are worried about catching the virus – it doesn’t even register in their top five concerns. This suggests that employees value the security of their job above anything else. It follows that roles that offer longer-term stability will be highly valued by top candidates. Therefore, it’s essential that clients are prepared to answer candidate questions about personal development and career progression, regardless of the role. This will ensure workers are reassured about their value and future prospects, which in turn will increase productivity.
      According to our survey, 38% of workers are worried that the pandemic will have changed the office culture. This may be rooted in a shift to home working, or social-distancing restrictions in offices. Other cultural influences, such as team lunches, after-work drinks, or similar bonding activities may also be affected. This is then another important aspect for your clients to keep in mind – any extra steps they can take to foster a positive working environment will be beneficial to their attraction and retention in the long run.
      Top benefits for candidates
      A good benefits package remains absolutely integral in attracting candidates, and businesses should adapt what they offer to reflect the changing times. For employers to truly stand out, benefits should take a tailored approach. Whether this is in the form of encouraging flexible hours for those who have caring responsibilities or organizing private transport to prevent commuting, it’s essential your clients understand the power of offering these types of benefits.
      The best examples we’ve seen of adapted benefits include the provision of ergonomic workplace equipment for home working, along with online access to mental health support and subsidized health-related subscriptions. The majority of employees (67%) believe their employer is adequately supporting their mental health and wellbeing, which is essential as we continue to work through uncertain times.
      In summary, while candidates may be more cautious about finding a new role this year, there are many tools your clients can utilize to encourage the best talent to move. At Tiger, we believe 2021 will bring with it an extremely positive change, and, as such, recruiters should be standing by!

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      4 Amazing Benefits At This Tech Company (That Make It Perfect For Recent Grads)

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      A benefits package is more than just health insurance options. It’s also a reflection of how a company views its employees and values their experience and engagement. A great example of this: the benefits package at CenturyLink. CenturyLink is a technology leader delivering hybrid networking, cloud connectivity, and security solutions to customers around the world. […] More

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      How to Ask Your Employer for Student Loan Benefits

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      If you’re under 30 and college educated, there’s a good chance you’re paying off student loan debt (a 49% chance, to be exact). And while earning more money is one obvious way to pay your loans off faster, the opportunity to increase your salary only comes around every so often—so you may be looking for […] More