Due to the current economic slowdown, employers are less inclined to initiate large projects. They are more cautious about recruitment and think twice before hiring. After a grace period where the market favored candidates, they must now tighten their game.
Siva Martinez, CRHA, a specialist in employability and talent management, issues this first reminder:
During a recession (even a small one), the power dynamics between companies and job seekers change. Individuals looking for a new position are obligated to invest more.”
Sarah Mongeau-Provençal, a career and employability advisor, reinforces this point.
We continue to see many job postings. However, there are also many candidates applying for these positions. In a balanced market, there is a form of competition among candidates. The priority for the candidate is then to stand out from other applicants if they want to be invited for an interview.”
Here are some tips to stand out.
1. Clarify Your Offering
In a “balanced” market, Siva Martinez emphasizes the importance of being intentional and proactive in one’s approach.
If I could offer just one piece of advice, it would be to seek assistance from employability centers, orientation services, and private or public coaching, depending on individuals’ financial capacity. The goal will be to assess skills to find relevant offers matching the individual’s profile within the timeframe of the posted positions, and, through this exercise, better perform in interviews.”
2. Look Beyond the Usual
In a market where employers are less aggressive in advertising their positions, Sarah Mongeau-Provençal suggests revising one’s approach to seeking new job opportunities.
To stand out, it’s important to vary the places where you look for offers. Many job seekers visit generalist websites. I suggest visiting sites specialized by industry or professional function.”
This is also a moment to recall the existence of a “hidden” job market.
One way to explore the hidden job market is to make a list of companies that might hire us and submit a spontaneous application, explains the advisor. It allows us to anticipate the needs of a company.”
3. Personalize, Always
Gone are the days of sending out mass resumes. When seeking to attract an employer’s attention to your application, surgical precision is key.
We must create a precise, concise, and concrete CV – tailored for the desired position, says Sarah Mongeau-Provençal. No generic CVs, she insists. We create a different CV for each type of job we want to apply for.”
Depending on the context, it may be relevant to add a cover letter to contextualize our application.
In the social economy sectors, organizations tend to ask how we share the organization’s values and how we can contribute to its mission. We can also write a cover letter when we don’t have a typical profile for the position. For example, if we’re changing careers.”
This letter, she specifies, can also take the form of a “pitch email” or a message on LinkedIn.
4. Update Your Skills
If you’re not getting responses after weeks of intensive job hunting… don’t panic. Sarah Mongeau-Provençal suggests this:
By comparing the offers we apply for with the experience in our CV, we may realize that we need to update our skills. We can then take short courses on specific skills.”
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