How did job searching change in 2023?

2023 was characterised by several economic challenges. Inflation and recession fears persisted and there were large layoffs in several key industries. However, many job seekers still have plenty of options, especially those interested in light industrial or skilled trades work. As a result, employers made their positions and compensation packages more competitive according to The Society for Human Resource Management.

For those planning to explore their career options, we’ve highlighted a few trends we noticed in 2023. 

Technological advancements

Artificial intelligence and machine learning have permeated the recruitment process more deeply in 2023. The technologies provide better matching algorithms that filter out irrelevant job postings, thus allowing job seekers to invest their efforts more judiciously. Because of this technological intervention, job seekers may find that they are applying to fewer but more targeted opportunities.

Application fatigue

The phenomenon of "application fatigue" has gained recognition in 2023. Applying for numerous positions without receiving positive responses can be mentally taxing. Recognising this, many career advisors and online job search platforms emphasise the importance of quality over quantity. This advice seems to be heeded, with job seekers demonstrating more caution and discretion in the number of applications they submit.

Upskilling/reskilling

The increasing importance of upskilling and reskilling in 2023 has made job seekers more aware of their professional needs and aspirations. Instead of applying indiscriminately, they are spending more time gaining additional qualifications to become more competitive candidates for specialised roles and improve their long-term career outlook.

How did job seeker motivations change in 2023?

Through our Job-Seeker survey series, we’ve learned what motivates job seekers to accept a new job. Pay has consistently been the lead motivator. However, job seekers also indicated that career advancement and job security were also important drivers.

3 Tips for job searching in 2024

We spoke with several Aerotek practice leads and recruiters to get their advice on how to best approach your next job search. They each have extensive experience in helping workers find opportunities that match their goals, skills and interests. Here’s what they suggest. 

1. Know what you want

Senior Internal Recruiter Ashley Allen has over seven years of recruiting experience. Allen previously explained how candidates can best answer behavioural interview questions. She recommends going into 2024 with a good idea of what kind of work you want to do.

“My advice for job seekers would be to know what you want. Have a few types of roles in mind that you are qualified for and would enjoy and try your best to keep your search dialed into those. Consistency works better than just applying to everything and anything. Also be persistent. Once you apply, don’t be afraid to follow up with recruiters and hiring managers. It shows interest and excitement for the role,” says Allen.

2. Be curious

Part of knowing what you want to do is exploring the possibilities. Sales Practice Lead Brandyn Keller has over 11 years of recruiting experience and recently spoke to us about how to best follow up after an interview. He emphasises being curious and working with a recruiter to identify the type of jobs that will meet your goals, skills and interests.

“My biggest advice to job seekers is to get curious, not every title or job at each company is the same. Partner with a recruiter who truly gets to know your goals and interests, then go out there and get the job that will fulfill your personal and professional goals,” says Keller.

3. Speak specifically about your skills

Once you’ve applied and get invited to interview for a job, you may find that more recruiters or interviewers want to know the details of your experience and skills. Practice Lead Mackenzie Frazier, who has over eight years of recruiting experience and recently highlighted which entry-level manufacturing jobs should be on your radar, suggests job seekers perfect how they present their accomplishments, and how they match the job opening.

“A piece of advice I’d give to candidates searching for jobs headed into 2024 is to be able to articulate your skills specifically. Yes, there are specifics in each job that any given company hiring is looking for, but I think a lot of companies are shifting towards hiring more green candidates that they can train so the more you can “tell your story”, the better off you’re going to be at landing an opportunity. You will obviously submit a resume to any given job you apply for, but I’ve found that managers want to know more specifics than just a bullet point on a resume. Whether it be from an associate’s program you completed, a co-op opportunity or hands-on experience, be ready to describe in detail what you did in alignment to the job you’re applying for. Sell yourself and your skills,” says Frazier.

2024 will likely bring further changes to the labour market. Job seekers will need to stay proactive and prepared to land the jobs that can move their careers forward. Our advice to job seekers — learn more about your ambitions, investigate the opportunities most relevant to those ambitions and then be able to speak to your skills to land the job here.

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Also published on Aerotek.com

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