As a job seeker, you’ve probably heard about the “candidate-driven” market. You may have even felt it yourself: there are more jobs than ever, but competition is fierce and the process of getting hired is becoming increasingly complex. Though no one can predict exactly how long this trend will last, employers are increasingly taking into account what candidates want out of their careers when making hiring decisions. This means that if you’re ambitious and driven, there’s never been a better time to go after your dream job!
What is a candidate-driven market?
A “candidate-driven market” is when the job seeker has more power than the job offer. It’s not just about who’s in demand and who’s hiring, but also about how those factors interact with one another. For example, if there are too many candidates for a position and it takes longer than expected to get through all of them, then this could be considered a candidate-driven market. The opposite would be true if there were few qualified applicants for an open position: In this case, employers would have control over their selection process because they wouldn’t face as much competition in finding someone suitable for their needs.
In general terms, though, you can think of a candidate-driven market as meaning that jobs aren’t out there (or aren’t being advertised) because there simply aren’t enough people looking for work to fill them. So while some roles may seem like no brainers—like software engineers at Facebook or Google—the reality is that most companies don’t actually need all these workers; instead, they want them so badly that they’ll pay top dollar just to hire them away from competitors who do have openings!
What a candidate-driven market means to Job Seekers
- You’ll have more job openings to choose from. If you’re looking for a new job, you probably know that the number of available jobs is up this year. That’s good news for you!
- You’ll have more control over your next career move. When there are more job openings and fewer qualified candidates, it gives you an advantage in negotiations—because hiring managers become desperate for anyone who can do the work!
- You’ll have more opportunities waiting for you when the time comes to make that next step in your professional development journey (like getting promoted). In fact, some companies won’t even bother hiring candidates who aren’t already employed; they’ll just wait until current employees leave their positions so they don’t have to fight against other companies’ competing offers or pay higher salaries during negotiations with top talent already working elsewhere…which means less competition overall!
What a candidate-driven market means for Employers
You need to be more flexible
Fortunately, it’s the employer’s job to provide the tools and resources for transitioning into a new position. You should be able to ask any question at any time and expect an answer from your company representative within 24 hours. If you have questions about benefits or salary, don’t hesitate to ask! Showing interest in these details shows that you’re serious about your new role, which is an important factor when choosing between candidates.
Employers also need to be more transparent with their hiring process; otherwise it can appear as if there are hidden barriers standing in the way of potential applicants getting through all of their interviews successfully. It can seem like there’s something unfair going on behind closed doors if candidates don’t know exactly what they’re up against or how much effort is going into making sure everyone gets fair treatment during this process (even if it means being rejected). Employers should make sure that all employees are aware of what tasks need completing before moving forward with interviewing candidates so everyone has a clear understanding from start-to-finish–and no surprises along the way!
Why are we seeing a more candidate-driven market?
The economy is strong, and employers are willing to hire. Candidates have more leverage than they’ve had in a long time. It’s a win-win for both parties.
Here’s why:
* Employers are more willing to hire than they have in the past. The market is up, and that means employers are seeing success. They’re ready to invest in employees who will help them succeed even more.
* Employers are more willing to pay for talent. As the economy heats up, employers find themselves in competition for top talent. That leads to a greater willingness to pay higher salaries (even at entry-level positions) and offer better benefits.
* Employers are more willing to invest in training. It’s easier for employers to justify the cost of training employees when their revenue is healthy and growing.
What can you do to take advantage of the current job market?
Here’s how you can take advantage of this candidate-driven market:
- Be prepared to interview. If a recruiter or hiring manager is interested in your resume, they won’t hesitate to get in touch with you and schedule an interview ASAP. They’ll likely expect you to have questions ready for them, too—so make sure you do!
- Be prepared to negotiate. As long as everything checks out and the company has been fair with their offer, it’s okay (and encouraged) for candidates to ask for more money or better benefits up front—especially if they’re competing against several other candidates who are doing so as well. After all, what good is having leverage if you don’t use it?
- Employers should be ready to make a strong offer quickly when they find the candidate they want — but not so quickly that there isn’t time for due diligence on both ends of the negotiation process! This way everyone knows exactly what’s going on and where things stand before any final decisions are made about whether or not someone gets hired; otherwise everyone could end up feeling disappointed down the road when things don’t go according with expectations once again (which could lead some people into thinking that maybe there weren’t any serious intentions behind those initial offers after all…).
Follow the rules to get ahead in the hiring process
To get the most out of your job search and stand out from the crowd, you need to show employers you’re a good fit for them. To do this, you should:
- Be prepared to interview with more than one company at a time and be prepared to interview with the same company more than once (if necessary). Your goal is not just to land an offer; it’s also to find a position where you can thrive.
- Be professional at all times! That means no texting or using social media during interviews or networking events (and definitely no selfies). If an employer sees that kind of behavior anywhere on your resume, they may view it as unprofessionalism rather than enthusiasm.
- Be honest about what’s important to you in terms of work hours and location so that potential employers can make informed decisions about hiring decisions before making offers.* Make sure all of your references are willing and able before submitting them! In addition, be prepared when asked why they were selected as references by explaining how these people can help sell yourself as an employee since those relationships are very important when making hiring decisions.* The best way for companies today is through social media channels like Facebook/Instagram etcetera where there is always something being posted everyday 24/7 365 days per year which makes things easier for both parties involved.* You should know what differentiates one candidate from another so as long as there isn’t anything negative on record (criminal convictions etc.), then there shouldn’t be much concern about why someone wouldn’t hire someone else who has “less experience” but who has done great work elsewhere before coming here now hoping we would give him/her chance too.”
Even in a candidate-driven market, if you want to get hired, you still have to play by the rules.
But don’t think that because it’s a candidate-driven market, you’re off the hook. There are still rules to follow in order to get hired.
- You can’t just say “I’ll take the job that offers me the best package.” First of all, usually this means moving across country or international borders for higher wages (which is often not an option). Secondly, if you’re applying for jobs at companies with similar packages who are trying to stay competitive with one another then they may be able to offer more than one company out there. And thirdly…
- You should be willing to accept a lower salary if it means working with top talent and going on more exciting projects! But again – keep in mind what kind of work environment will best suit your needs and your interests as well as what kind of lifestyle you want before making any decisions about whether or not money should matter when considering employment opportunities in today’s world.*
Conclusion
If you’re a job seeker in a candidate-driven market, then you should have more luck finding a position that fits your skill set and career goals. But it’s still important to be proactive about your job search and know how to present yourself in the best light possible. If you don’t want employers to overlook you as an applicant, make sure you follow all the rules for applying for jobs: have a well-written resume, include relevant keywords from their job ad(s), tailor your cover letter appropriately (if applicable). And if any of these tips seem overwhelming at first—don’t worry! We have lots of resources on our website which can help guide you through this process with ease!