All over the U.S., business leaders are facing increased pressure caused by the uncertain economy. These rising challenges are changing hiring practices and long-term strategies for companies in nearly every sector. With many unknowns on the horizon, companies need to be agile and resourceful to stay ahead of the curve.
How are hiring managers and business owners preparing to navigate the volatile economic climate? Keep reading for insights on industry changes and what company leaders are doing to weather the storm.
<h2>Challenges of the Current Hiring Landscape</h2>
Best practices are changing at a rapid pace due to the impact of the pandemic. Early on, initial lockdowns, material shortages, and a boost in eCommerce sales led to a surge in the economy and overwhelmed many industries; while some teams were laid off, others were overworked and burned out.
Today, the pandemic fallout continues to have a huge impact on the workforce. A heightened number of Baby Boomers chose retirement, leaving many skill and experience gaps in the workforce. The <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2022/03/09/majority-of-workers-who-quit-a-job-in-2021-cite-low-pay-no-opportunities-for-advancement-feeling-disrespected/">Great Resignation</a> also included millions of workers who quit their jobs and changed career trajectories.
These events have caused a surge of challenges impacting nearly every industry.
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Looming recession: Spending is expected to slow and affect many industries.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Quiet quitting: Workers are mentally checked out and doing the bare minimum.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Heightened expenses: Inflation and material shortages impact profit margins.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Talent shortages: Fewer experienced workers are available to fill open positions.</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Uncertain profits: Many industries may not experience typical seasonal spikes.</li>
</ul>
<h2>How Hiring Challenges are Impacting Hiring Managers and Employers</h2>
Staffing and employment practices are directly impacted by the recession, inflation, worker shortages, and the Great Resignation. There are a few noticeable ways hiring tactics have changed because of these challenges.
<h3>Talent Managers are Hiring Faster</h3>
Many companies have open positions they need to fill. More than 10 million positions remain unfilled in the U.S., according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (<a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/jolts.nr0.htm">BLS</a>). As companies compete to fill positions, the process has become more streamlined in an attempt to snatch up talent as soon as possible.
The average job hunt for someone out of work took around three or four months to complete in 2021, according to the median duration of unemployment reported by the <a href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.t12.htm">BLS</a>. However, that number dropped significantly in 2022, hitting just over two months of unemployment on average.
Talent managers are finding ways to sort through applicants faster. The<a href="https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/business-solutions/Documents/Talent-Acquisition-Report-All-Industries-All-FTEs.pdf"> Society for Human Resource Management</a> says the average time-to-fill benchmark is 36 days.
<h3>Many Workers are Looking to Jump</h3>
There is a new trend of &ldquo;quiet quitters&rdquo; &mdash; or workers searching for new opportunities long before they make the leap. Burned-out and unhappy workers typically do the bare minimum at work as they search for new opportunities.
This trend means many working professionals are currently interested in changing roles or industries. According to<a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2022/07/28/majority-of-u-s-workers-changing-jobs-are-seeing-real-wage-gains/"> PEW Research Center</a>, 77% of workers who left a job in 2020 were either unemployed or leaving the labor force &mdash; only 23% left their jobs for a new employer. In 2022, the number of workers leaving their job to join a new employer rose to 34%.
PEW reports 22% of workers will actively look for a new job in the next six months.
<h3>Employers are Rethinking Qualifications</h3>
With many experienced workers leaving their jobs, hiring managers are slowly changing their expectations for prior experience. Rather than searching for workers with years of experience in the field, many hiring managers are looking for skilled workers with a solid work ethic to fill open positions.&nbsp;
Instead of expecting long histories in the industry and higher education traditionally required for these roles, hiring managers are starting to look for certifications that show workers are interested in changing fields.
<h2>Employers Plan to Adjust for Upcoming Recession</h2>
Because of these changes, there are three major ways many companies plan to adjust their strategies.
<h3>Making Smart Hires</h3>
Choosing the right people for each job is crucial for companies that want to improve their workplace culture, stay fully staffed, and avoid unnecessary turnover. Companies need to understand their candidates' goals, objectives, and strengths before they make a hiring decision.&nbsp;
Making smarter hires means bringing in individuals who are more likely to be loyal to your company because they are entering a mutually beneficial working relationship. Workers are motivated if your company offers them better pay and professional growth opportunities they didn&rsquo;t have in their previous roles.
<h3>Improved Budgeting</h3>
Hiring managers need cost-effective ways to bring in talent without overspending in a volatile economy. One way employers can optimize a hiring budget is by looking for talent in unusual places. This may mean <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/rethink-qualified-changing-the-way-the-industry-views-employee-talent-development">changing your qualifications for talent</a>.
For example, selecting new hires that don&rsquo;t have extensive industry experience can lead to lower starting salaries. There are many motivated professionals willing to learn the ropes and gain the hard skills needed to succeed in a new industry.
<h3>Increased Insights</h3>
Achieving a faster time-to-fill rate helps avoid understaffing and improves productivity in the workplace. Relying on resumes alone has become an outdated tactic that often <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/impact">overlooks certain groups</a>. Employers are using better tools and platforms to sort through candidates and make more insightful hiring decisions.
For example, a single mother who left the workforce for a couple of years to care for her family might automatically be disqualified if the employer only scans her work history. Using tools that dive beyond the resume can help the employer consider valuable soft skills, like her incredible dedication and ability to work within a team structure. Employers can <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/employers/signup">use smarter tools</a> to help them consider relevant candidates they might otherwise count out.
<h2>Finding New People from New Talent Pools</h2>
As part of a cost-saving initiative, employers are starting to consider talent they didn&rsquo;t previously consider qualified &mdash; like candidates with large resume gaps or less than five years of experience.
Employers find they can often bring in talent with less experience at a lower cost while giving them an opportunity to change industries. This can really be a win-win relationship!
At CareerCircle, many of our members have completed certifications to help them change career paths. You&rsquo;ll find candidates working in unrelated fields that are well-versed in areas such as:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">UX Design</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Customer Service</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Project Management</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">IT Support</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Digital Marketing</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Data Analytics</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Programming</li>
</ul>
&hellip;and more!
Diving into a new pool lets you <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/build-a-diverse-candidate-pool-and-grow-your-talent-pipeline-with-careercircle">expand your talent pipeline</a>. But CareerCircle also helps streamline your process by making it easier to find qualified candidates, access instant insights, save favorite profiles, and post job openings.
<h2>It&rsquo;s Time to Rethink Qualified</h2>
If you want to prepare for economic unknowns, you need to make smarter hiring decisions and consider traditionally &ldquo;unqualified&rdquo; candidates.
You can find a diverse group of candidates motivated to change careers and perfect for your workforce through CareerCircle. Members can create 360&deg; profiles to showcase their skills, interests, and workplace characteristics, <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/how-the-360deg-candidate-view-helps-hiring-managers-find-the-right-fit">going way beyond the limitations of a typical resume</a>.
Are you ready to rethink qualified? We have the perfect opportunity for you!
Join us at the CareerCircle Job Fair!
CareerCircle Job Fair February 16, 2023 11 AM &ndash; 3 PM EST
<a href="https://app.premiervirtual.com/events/00a3f062-f997-4b35-a42b-3335f86fbdbb/careercircle-job-fair">Sign up for our career fair now</a> to find skilled and driven candidates ready to make a professional change. This CareerCircle Virtual Career Fair is FREE for hiring managers and employers.

How are you adjusting hiring to meet the current challenges of your industry? It’s time to be agile and rethink qualified.

Smarter Hiring Initiatives

Smart Hiring Initiatives to Weather a Recession, Talent Shortages, and Inflation

When you are on the job hunt, you might spend hours looking for jobs that align with your interests and experience. At CareerCircle, we streamline the process by allowing you to set up job alerts. As a CareerCircle member, you can set up multiple types of alerts focused on different positions, requirements, and more.
Our newest feature makes it easy to kickstart your notifications by setting up alerts based on your certifications.&nbsp;
Keep reading to find out how to get the most out of your profile. Never miss another job opening that fits your qualifications!
<h2>How Job Alerts Help the Job Hunt Process</h2>
When a job gets posted, applications often start flowing in quickly. So if you are looking for a new job, you want to get your foot in the door early on in the process. Our friends at <a href="https://community.themomproject.com/the-study/apply-to-how-many-jobs">The Mom Project</a> note it&rsquo;s best to apply to 10-15 jobs per week and recommend applying within 24 hours if possible.
If that sounds like a lot, then you understand why it&rsquo;s important to <a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/your-career-journey-learn-how-to-combat-job-search-fatigue-with-these-tips">combat job search fatigue</a>. It&rsquo;s really important to streamline your process as much as possible.
Job alerts can help you see open jobs faster while reducing how much time you spend on the hunt.
And 34% of CareerCircle members found their new position through a job alert.
Our alerts make it easier to discover jobs that interest you and fit your qualifications without completing redundant job searches every day.
<h2>How to Set Up a CareerCircle Job Alert</h2>
Setting up CareerCircle job alerts is easy! Here&rsquo;s a quick walkthrough of how to get started.
<h3>1. Create an Account</h3>
First, complete your CareerCircle profile if it isn&rsquo;t already done.<a href="https://www.careercircle.com/blog/post/building-the-360deg-view-of-you-how-to-develop-a-job-skills-inventory"> Your CareerCircle profile provides a 360&deg; view</a> so employers can see how you might fit into their open positions.
Put your best foot forward before you fill out any applications by completing this step. Pro tip: you can speed up this process by uploading your Certifications or resume first &mdash; CareerCircle uses the information to fill in your profile automatically!
Once your CareerCircle account is ready to go, you are ready to sort through available job openings and create alerts for new listings.
<h3>2. Open Alert Center</h3>
From your desktop or laptop, click on the dropdown menu under your profile picture in the top right corner and choose &ldquo;Job Alerts &amp; Settings.&rdquo; You can also access this menu on the blue bar where it shows &ldquo;Dashboard,&rdquo; &ldquo;Candidate360&deg;,&rdquo; &ldquo;Your Jobs,&rdquo; &ldquo;Your Courses,&rdquo; and &ldquo;Job Alerts &amp; Settings.&rdquo;
From the CareerCircle app, click on the bell in the top right corner that says &ldquo;Create Job Alert&rdquo; and then click the &ldquo;Create New&rdquo; tab.
<h3>3. Create Multiple Alerts</h3>
Not sure exactly what kind of job you are looking for? CareerCircle makes it easy to set up various alerts to help you see anything that might interest you. Here are three key ways to set up your alerts.
<h4>Using Keywords</h4>
Start by creating job alerts that center around keyword-specific queries. An alert keyword could include terms employers might use, like:
<ul>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Job Title</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Skills</li>
<li style="font-weight: 400;" aria-level="1">Industry Terms</li>
</ul>
As you start to type a keyword, we will suggest a list of commonly used terms. Choose one keyword per alert.
Each job alert will only have one difference from another alert. For example, if you want to see any listings that include &ldquo;IT Support&rdquo; or &ldquo;IT management,&rdquo; then you would want both alerts to have the same location.
<h4>By Location</h4>
But what if you are willing to relocate, want to see remote options, or are willing to travel a bit to a nearby city? You can set up alerts with the same keywords and different locations to make sure you are covering your bases. This means (using the example above) you could set up &ldquo;IT Support&rdquo; for &ldquo;Denver&rdquo; as well as &ldquo;Austin.&rdquo;
If you are interested in seeing remote options, make sure you click the &ldquo;Remote&rdquo; box. If you only want to see remote jobs, then check the &ldquo;Remote&rdquo; box and leave the location area blank.
<h4>By Certification</h4>
Finally, you can really kickstart your job hunt by incorporating your certifications into your alerts. With one alert, you can cover a lot of keywords! Just consider how many roles each certification could cover.
For example, creating a job alert based on your<a href="https://www.careercircle.com/course/google-it-support-professional-certificate"> Google IT Support</a> certificate would include postings for more than 20 distinct job titles, including Customer Support, Help Desk Technician, IT Assistant, and Technical Support Specialist.
Using your certifications for alerts allows you to cover a broader range of relevant job postings without creating an alert for every single keyword.&nbsp;
<h2>Set Up Your Alerts Now!</h2>
Your next role is waiting. Set up your job alerts now to stay on top of listings that match your qualifications and career goals.

On CareerCircle, you can set up alerts to help you discover new job postings that align with your qualifications and interests. Here's how...

Setting Up Job Alerts

How to Set Up Job Alerts to Find the Right Job Postings

CareerCircle is focused on looking at the whole person to find where they best fit in the corporate world. We want to help our members find sustainable career paths that provide the value, wages, and benefits they need to live happy and fulfilling lives. In this blog, we will cover three incredible success stories that are extremely common examples of our work here at CareerCircle.
<h2>The CareerCircle Difference</h2>
It's important to realize that workers are often slotted into narrow categories early on in their careers, leaving them without resources or opportunities for growth. At CareerCircle, we are working to change the equation by using our platform to:
<ul>
<li>Change employer mindsets&nbsp;on diversity hiring and leadership representation</li>
<li>Encourage workforce development&nbsp;to reduce turnover for a future-proof strategy</li>
<li>Advocate for candidate groups&nbsp;who are often overlooked or passed over for jobs</li>
<li>Offer a 360&deg; candidate view&nbsp;to showcase the whole human &mdash; beyond the resume</li>
<li>Provide upskilling opportunities&nbsp;so candidates can advance or change careers</li>
</ul>
Our mission is to move beyond the equal employment opportunity (EEO) model into a world with <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.careercircle.com/impact" target="_blank" rel="noopener">true hiring equity</a>. Real people use our tools every day to find life-changing opportunities.
We take that pretty seriously.
Not everyone fits into a standard mold &mdash; but that doesn't make them any less valuable or capable. At CareerCircle, we believe in teaching the skills needed to fill the gaps with sales and tech certificates. But we also believe in calling out the important soft skills and personal attributes that often get missed, like drive, loyalty, timeliness, and more.
<h2>3 Success Stories from CareerCircle Members</h2>
Here are three examples of how&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.careercircle.com/courses" target="_blank" rel="noopener">upskilling through CareerCircle certificates</a> made a difference. These candidates made themselves more desirable in the current job market with a little support from CareerCircle's candidate tools.
<h3>Choudiah Brickers: Leaving a Toxic Work Environment</h3>
Choudiah Brickers was struggling to make ends meet in a toxic environment. After finding herself unemployed during COVID, she decided it was time to make a change. She had an interest in tech and wanted to pivot in that direction. However, she needed to create an opportunity without spending a lot of time and money on a degree.
Choudiah turned to CareerCircle courses with Google to become certified as a Project Management and Data Analytics professional. This allowed her to move into a new environment, finding a work-from-home software engineer job that bumped her from $18.50/hr to $25/hr.
<h3>Princewill Nwokeke: A Burning Desire to Grow</h3>
Discovering a professional passion for a field can drive interest in learning more. Even though he wasn't unemployed or facing a negative work environment, Princewill Nwokeke wanted to learn more about the IT field because he loved it.
He searched high and low to find a resource that would develop his skills without a huge upfront cost. For Princewill Nqokeke, the promise of a Google certificate in IT support was a good first step. "The Google IT Certificate has been a blessing to me," he said. "I became hungry to learn more and to grow. I am still on that journey, and I will keep the fire burning."
His move into the tech industry gave him an opportunity to leave his warehouse job and become a Sales Development Associate with a remote company. He continued to pursue professional development and is currently working at Dell Technologies as a Senior Technician Support representative.
<h3>Essi Amefia Monneus: Upskilling to Double Wages</h3>
Doubling what you earn can be a pivotal moment in your career. After Essi Amefia Monneus's husband lost his job, she needed to find a job that was in high demand and offered better pay to fill the gaps. A lot of research and motivation went into finding the right field and making the change through CareerCircle.
After seeing a YouTube ad, she decided to try the Google Project Management course to see if the material was interesting to her and if the role of a project manager would be a good fit for her soft skills. Essi wanted to make sure she wasn't wasting time on a course that didn't offer useful skills. She did a lot of research before starting the Google course, choosing it because it focused on developing in-demand skills.
With new skills on her resume, hiring managers were more interested in considering Essi for the job. After getting her certifications as PMP and Scrum Master, she got a job as an IT Project Manager. Upskilling made it possible for Essi to change careers, going from $27/hr to earning $55/hr at her new job.
<h2>Changing the Status Quo</h2>
Most workers are looking for opportunities that position them for a better future. Employers should take note and provide upskilling opportunities to their current workforce.
Did you know? Research shows:
<ul>
<li>94% of employees say they would&nbsp;stay longer&nbsp;with a company that invested in their careers.</li>
<li>74% of workers feel that the lack of professional development opportunities with their current employer is preventing them from reaching their full potential.</li>
<li>Access to professional development keeps employees 15%&nbsp;more engaged.</li>
</ul>
<h2>#RethinkQualified with CareerCircle</h2>
Whether you are considering a career change or trying to keep your workforce engaged, CareerCircle can help. We understand just how important skilled workers are in today's landscape, and we know many stellar candidates are being overlooked for all the wrong reasons.
If you are considering how upskilling could change your career trajectory, it's time to <a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.careercircle.com/candidates/signup?email=" target="_blank" rel="noopener">join our circle</a>&nbsp;and get started.
Or&hellip;
If you want to offer professional development opportunities for your workforce or want help filling roles with qualified candidates,&nbsp;<a class="editor-rtfLink" href="https://www.careercircle.com/employers#overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener">we'd love to help</a>.

These candidates made themselves more desirable in the current job market with a little support from CareerCircle's candidate tools.

3 Incredible Success Stories from CareerCircle Members

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Staff Writer

139 Articles

Smart Hiring Initiatives to Weather a Recession, Talent Shortages, and Inflation

How to Set Up Job Alerts to Find the Right Job Postings

3 Incredible Success Stories from CareerCircle Members

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