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    4 Career Tips for Gen Z Job Seekers and Employees

    It’s rare to find a career-related blog or article today that doesn’t mention the Great Resignation in some shape or form. After 47 million American workers quit their jobs in 2021 with millions more following throughout 2022, 10.8 million U.S. job openings now remain, making it seem like a job seeker’s paradise. But as Gen Z transitions into the workforce, they do so not with optimism, but with uncertainty, anxiety, and feelings of unpreparedness. So why the disconnect?
    Despite a record number of job openings and seemingly unlimited opportunities, the workforce’s newest generation is plagued by doubt, consistently missing the on-ramp to the career highway where they can set their focus on cruise control. Considering how many bright young candidates are produced by top universities and internship programs, one has to wonder why so many feel unsure of themselves.
    Part of the reason may be that the job landscape has changed drastically in recent years – far faster than most educational or job training programs. If those with decades of work experience are having trouble adjusting, how can those with no work experience assimilate without a model or blueprint to follow? While there’s no clear-cut answer, there are some helpful insights that can point Gen Z job seekers and employees in the right direction. Here are a few career tips for our youngest generation of workers.
    We’re all new to this.
    As mentioned above, the job landscape has changed, and the post-pandemic workplace differs from the pre-pandemic workplace. As the first generation to start their careers post-pandemic, you have an advantage. Remote and hybrid work will be your norm, and Zoom will be your conference room. While the rest of us have struggled to adjust, it will be business as usual for you. This advantage will also come with disadvantages, as not all employers have figured out remote work, much less remote interviewing, hiring, and onboarding. However, once they do, you will be at home among several generations of tourists.
    It’s okay to spend your early career searching.
    Everyone knows a handful of people who had their career path mapped out from day one and achieved success quickly. But for many, there are several bumps in the road. Some employees are unsure of what path to follow early in their career. Some won’t discover their strengths until mid-career. Some will change jobs due to layoffs, and some will shift gears to follow their passion. It’s okay if your career takes you in a different direction than you had originally planned. Now is the perfect time to accept new challenges and discover new talents. Your goals may change, and experience will come with time. Remember that a successful career isn’t a race, and it may take several years and a few false starts to achieve.
    Prioritize employers that are willing to invest in you.
    Salary is important. So are benefits. But if these are the only things you prioritize in your career, you’ll likely be disappointed. A career is a journey, and hopefully a long one. In order to avoid disengagement and burnout, there must be progress and a record of achievement. Good employers will make this their mission, to identify and develop employees’ talents, provide training, learning, and growth opportunities, and celebrate workers’ accomplishments. Lesser employers will pay you for your work and consider that enough. Make sure to identify and target employers from the first group, and you’ll be glad you did, particularly after you’re no longer the youngest generation in the workforce.
    Networking and communication are essential.
    In the past century, the starting point for a job search has progressed from store windows to newspapers to online job boards to social media and online networking. As a result, a solid social network is helpful for a successful job search, and in some industries, it’s essential. Similarly, communication has always been considered a top soft skill sought by employers. Now that so many employees work in a remote or hybrid environment, communication skills are even more critical to building strong connections with coworkers and clients, and working effectively on distributed teams. Network with everyone, and prioritize clear and direct communication. There will never be a time in your career when both of these aren’t paramount to success.
    Every generation struggles to find its footing when transitioning from student to employee. However, Gen Z was thrown a curve ball when COVID-19 transformed the workforce just as they were entering. Now, they’re having to navigate employment with the same uncertainty that all first-time employees experience, while entering the new job landscape with the same apprehension that the rest of us have. But with these challenges comes opportunity; primarily, to be a part of the most significant shift the workforce has seen in the last century and help shape it. So a little advice for Gen Z job seekers and employees – it won’t be easy. (It never is for groundbreakers and trailblazers.) But the workforce is long overdue for some changes, and it’s a great time to be at the starting line. So go be great.
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    6 Common FAQs from Jobseekers: Answers to Help You Prepare for & Dive Into the Job Search

    How Hired Helps: Ask Me Anything: Pathrise

    Jobseekers asked and we answered! Hired teamed up with partner, Pathrise, an online program for tech professionals, to bring jobseekers an AMA-style discussion that addressed their FAQs about the job search. Hired’s Sophia Koehl from the Partnerships Team and Nate Becker from the Candidate Experience Team joined Morgan Beatty, a Pathrise Career Mentor to share their expert advice. 

    Keep reading for answers to questions you may have as a jobseeker. Scroll down to watch the full discussion. 

    FAQ #1: When is the best time to look for a new job opportunity?

    Nate

    If you have a Hired account, submit your profile and go live to companies approximately 30 days before your desired start date. This is quite optimistic but it is an ideal scenario. Following this, make sure your resume and LinkedIn profile are uploaded and up-to-date. 

    FAQ #2: How do I get started networking on LinkedIn? Do I need to be more active before starting? 

    Morgan

    While you don’t have to be very active before starting, we recommend you have at least 100 connections. You want to give the impression that you know people. If you’re looking for people to connect with, start with your university, previous employers, and family and friends. They will be able to help you in your network and your search before you start posting. 

    Is it good to be active? Most definitely. Do you have to start from scratch and write your own post? No, you can simply re-share articles relevant to your industry. This will showcase your passion for joining that industry. Don’t forget to follow companies you admire so you can keep up with the content you’re interested in. 

    Nate

    You can also set your profile status to “open to work” to show you are actively exploring opportunities.

    Connect your LinkedIn to your Hired profile to show you are intentionally looking and are ready to start a new role. This also makes it easier for companies to corroborate your experience. They love to do that! 

    Note: The Hired platform is a closed, curated marketplace in contrast to a public platform like LinkedIn. On Hired you cannot browse roles, search companies, or apply to positions. We work the other way around. Once your Hired profile goes live, we match you to available roles and suggest you for good fits. Then, our companies reach out to you to request an interview. From here, you can accept or decline based on your feelings toward the company, location, pay, etc.

    FAQ #4: How do I know if I’m taking the right approach for the role I am seeking?

    Nate

    Be mindful of the role you are seeking. Lay out a story of yourself you can frame on paper. If you are a Software Engineer, highlight your hard skills, technical skills, and tech stack as opposed to the soft skills. Keep a finger on the pulse of where your industry is going by considering:

    What are the hot skills? What are the trends?What are you seeing when you look at job descriptions?What can you add to your skillset to be more competitive? What certifications would benefit you? What skills do others in the industry have? 

    Related: Discover the latest trends and most in-demand skills for Software Engineers in Hired’s State of Software Engineers report.

    Morgan

    Remember, don’t just chase skills because they are popular. Cross reference it with what you have a genuine interest in. Find the sweet spot and then upskill based on that. Your skills are not just for show — it is far more meaningful to develop what you need. 

    FAQ #5: Should I apply for a job when I only meet part of the requirements listed? 

    Morgan

    We’ve probably all asked ourselves this as jobseekers, right? Millennials, especially, face imposter syndrome but don’t let it hit you here. If you meet at least 50% of the requirements, apply!

    When you reach the interview phase, the hiring manager wants to see if you can do the work. If you can get your skills and stories connected to that, who’s to say they would not hire you? Don’t doubt yourself. This is an especially important question to address because great candidates often don’t apply because of self doubt. 

    Nate

    If there are requirements you don’t meet, you can address them and point to transferable skills. You can say, “I accomplished this in the past and that would work here” or “I also do this —  have you considered how that could be beneficial to the role?” 

    This is also an opportunity to upskill again. If the requirements you don’t meet involve something you are interested in, explore ways to get certified or trained in those areas. At Hired, we have partnerships with organizations that specialize in helping jobseekers upskill and develop hard skills. Take advantage of these resources to broaden expertise, especially when you repeatedly come across a job skill in your search. That’s your cue to take action and look to our partners for some help.

    Related: 

    FAQ #6: Should I wait until I’m in the country I want to work in to apply to positions in my field?

    Morgan

    The most important aspect when thinking about location is being prepared to speak about the sponsorship. This includes knowing what you need to live and work in that country. Know specifically what you need before you begin your application process. Then, you will know what to say when a recruiter or hiring manager calls you. 

    Nate

    If you are prepared to speak on this, it’s crucial to act quickly — don’t wait. On your Hired profile, you can indicate your current location in addition to cities you’re interested in working in. 

    Even if you are seeking remote work, you would list your current location but be able to indicate you are searching for remote work in a particular time zone. With this, you can target companies looking to hire remote workers in another country and time zone. When we match you on the platform, companies are aware of this.

    Go in understanding you will probably receive less interest than you would after you relocating. It’s important to not wait just in case you’re missing out on a great company that can support your needs and can work with you before you move. 

    Sophia

    The Hired platform is effective for getting candidates hired both locally and globally. Take advantage of the features that allow you to list out (in order) the cities you are willing to relocate to, and your preferred working hours and time zone.

    Related: Should I Stay or Should I Go? Workers Explore Relocation to Improve Quality of Life, Pay

    How to increase the chances of getting your Hired profile approved and showcasing your skills to employers

    Nate

    On Hired we see mid-level and senior-level talent achieving the most success based on the demand right now, as opposed to entry-level candidates. The platform caters to what active employers are looking for, meaning a smaller pool of skill sets are in demand on Hired as opposed to a public platform like LinkedIn. You’ll notice a more curated list of career path options to select from when you create your Hired profile. 

    When a particular area is not listed there and you find yourself having to click “other,” you will not go live on the platform. This means we currently don’t offer that skill set.

    We are focused on Software Engineers, Product Managers, DevOps, and QA as we see high demand for these areas. Be mindful that Software Engineering has the highest demand — it is like our bread and butter. 

    If you didn’t go live and you selected Data Analytics or QA, for example, there may simply be less demand for those skill sets at the moment. Resubmit your profile every 2 to 3 months to check if demand increased.

    A helpful tip is to focus your profile. We see a lot of folks list any employment they have ever had. However, if you’re targeting a specific field, keep it exclusive to full-time roles in that skillset. Hired does not support hybrid profiles so tailor your profile around a specific focus.

    For entry-level job seekers, you may fall below the two-year threshold that the platform accommodates. Make sure to keep your profile up-to-date with new opportunities or explore one of our partnerships, like a General Assembly to develop your experience. General Assembly graduates do go live on the Hired platform with less experience but still earn attention from employers.

    Related: Want More Interviews and Better Matches? 5 Key Tips!

    Watch the full discussion here.  More

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    5 Ways Using Social Media Can Help You Get a Job

    Depending on your age and where you are in life, odds are you use social media for one or two reasons– entertainment purposes, to keep up with your friends and family, or to share moments of your life. 

    When it comes to social media and finding a job, most people elect to keep those two worlds separate. But what many of these people fail to see are all the ways you can use social media to help you get a job. 

    As a company that specializes in helping people get jobs, we have identified various social media tips and tricks that can lead to employment. Today, we want to share them with you.

    In this career tips article you’re going to learn about the following:

    Using your profile as a digital resumeNetworking on social mediaSocial media as a jobUsing social media for educationLearning about employers using social media

    As a Digital Resume

    For better or worse, social media is a great way to understand what someone is like. And as many of us know, employers use this perspective to gain a better understanding of potential employees. For this reason, many people elect to keep their social media pages private. 

    But those same people are missing out on the opportunity to show employers a more personal side of them. Employers want to see a candidate who is interesting and impassioned about life, someone who has hobbies and meaningful interests.

    Social media is a great way to show the company you’re applying for that you’re someone who can get excited about things and someone people like to be around. So when you’re thinking about what pictures you should be posting or whether or not you’re profile should be private, keep this in mind.

    Networking on Social Media

    If LinkedIn showed us anything, it’s that networking on social media is very lucrative. But with so many social networking platforms in the world, why use only one? Every single day, people use the big three – Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram – to establish connections and help them find jobs. 

    While you can use social media as a means of contacting people directly, you should also use it as a way to interact and engage with them. For example, say the CEO of a company gets interviewed and he or she reposts it on their feed. Why not comment on it with an intelligent thought? 

    Or say someone from a company you want to work for posts something about an objective they met. Why not use that information to follow up with a question? The more you come to understand social media, the more ways you will be able to use it to establish meaningful connections and maybe even score a job.

    Social Media as a Job

    While LinkedIn showed us how to network on social media, TikTok and Instagram showed us how social media in itself can be a job. Even before the days of TikTok, people were using their knowledge of social media combined with their creativity and other skills to pursue careers in social media marketing and brand representation. 

    Whether it’s as simple as being an influencer for a company and posting a picture wearing their clothes or as advanced as running an entire social media marketing operation, the market is littered with jobs in social media.

    Depending on your knowledge of social media and the skills you have, you might be the perfect candidate for a job in social media. Browse tons of social media positions on our job listings page today.

    Social Media for Education

    With all the garbage that exists on social media, there are still several outlets and pages you can follow to stay educated on job tips, career advice, and more. For starters, if you like a company, follow them on social media. More often than not, they will make a post when they have open positions.

    When searching for job tips and information on how you can get a job, social media becomes particularly useful. You can find tons of pages that provide information like resume tips, advice for interviewing, ways to dress, and plenty more.

    Our totally unbiased and personal favorite page for career advice, job tips, and updates on the job market is WayUp. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook if you haven’t already!

    Learning About Employers Using Social Media

    After using WayUp to find current job openings and discover companies that are hiring, take to social media and find the company’s profile. Get a feel for their branding, their voice, and their message then see if it aligns with a company you see yourself working for.

    Are their pictures of company culture? Do they promote similar beliefs as you? All of this and more can be better understood by examining a company’s social media profiles and presence. Just make sure the companies you’re looking at are hiring!

    Using Every Tool in the Shed

    While social media is a great way to help you get a job, we recommend using every tool at your disposal to help lock down that contract you’ve been looking for. At WayUp, not only are we a tool that helps students and recent graduates find jobs but we also talk about it on our blog.

    So no matter where you are in the job search process, whether you’re just writing your first resume or you’ve been searching for a job for years, we’re here to help. Register with WayUp for free and start getting matched with employers today. More

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    What Should Your Holiday Work Celebration Look Like This Year?

    Hard as it is to believe, 2020 is finally drawing to a close. The year has brought more challenges than expected, and most are far from over. But as the holidays approach, many are looking forward to a much-needed break, spending time with friends and family, and recovering from the most mentally fatiguing year in…
    What Should Your Holiday Work Celebration Look Like This Year? Undercover Recruiter – More

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    Why joining a virtual info session can change your career

    Why joining a virtual info session can change your career
    In the midst of a pandemic, typical ways of meeting recruiters and expanding connections through means such as career fairs have been put on hold. Information sessions that students and recent graduates are used to are not happening and finding an internship or a job has been more difficult than ever in recent months. This does not mean that companies aren’t sharing knowledge and opportunities with young talent. Virtual information sessions hosted by company recruiters, universities, or career sites like WayUp’s Lunch and Learn Series, are still connecting young professionals with mentors and career opportunities as well as providing information and knowledge that can change your future.
    Why Attend An Information Session?
    Attending an info session first and foremost shows that you are both interested in the company or subject, and are proactive in advancing your career.  They also provide valuable insight into the career that you are pursuing. For example, past guests at WayUp’s Lunch and Learn series included: Michael Seibel co-founder of Twitch and current CEO at Y Combinator, Cathy Polinsky, CTO at Stitch Fix, and Dan Rosensweig, CEO of Chegg.  At the top of their fields, these presenters and those to come next can share advice to help advance your current career path and expose you to a different opportunity you were not aware of before. 
    Information sessions with specific companies reveal what recruiters in a certain field are looking for in qualified candidates, and what roles are currently available. Most of the time, the company hosting the session will offer interviews to the attendees of the session! Even if an interview is not guaranteed after a session, you now have the knowledge and insight to bring to your future job application, use it as an interview talking point, or create networking opportunities through digital connections. This is especially important for recent graduates who are looking for that perfect entry-level position. 
    How Can I Prepare?
    Simply researching the company, and the individual speaking is the best way to get the most out of a virtual info session. You may not be able to speak one on one with the presenter since it is a large video conference, but being able to make connections between your research and the presentation is a great strategy. Come with a list of questions for a potential Q&A or just to even keep track of personally for potential future interactions or job applications.
    What About After?
    If a Q&A session does happen, be sure to ask well-thought-out questions.  A good question shows that you were engaged throughout the presentation and can help you to stand out for any future opportunities at the company. 
    Share your findings from the session on social media! Posting about the session and tagging the company or speaker, can help you stand out and improve your professional network. Lastly, remember to follow-up! Chances are the leaders volunteering to put on info sessions are open to connecting with young talent.  Use the notes that you took during the session to find what really grabbed your attention and start a conversation! Sending a follow-up email with questions about what interested you in the presentation or their career path can be a great way to build a new connection and grow your network.  
    Where Can I Find Them?
    Tons of companies are hosting information sessions over the next few months! We’ll be keeping the list below updated with all the different sessions hosted by WayUp—so be sure to check back here to see them all and apply! More