What Employers Are Now Looking For

What Employers Are Now Looking For

According to a survey (from April 2021) by recruitment firm PeopleScout, the critical qualities that companies are now looking for are: 

  • The ability to work independently.
  • The ability to handle stress.
  • Being flexible
  • Communication
  • Being self-guided

Is this reflective of what the TeamJobs recruitment team are noticing? Vicki Reeks says, “I would say that client expectations have increased. This makes complete sense. By having access to a larger market with more people looking for jobs, there is a perception that just because there are more people available, there is an abundance of candidates for the available role. However, it doesn’t necessarily mean that the best person is in that immediate space.”

“What it does do though is open up the marketplace for companies who are encouraging remote working and the ability to work independently is a factor in that.”

A recent study by The University of Law Business School highlighted that 73% of surveyed businesses were open to hiring people from around the UK, rather than a talent pool that was available a lot nearer to home.

Michelle Mitchell recognises that whilst businesses have an increased expectation of transferable skills, if there is a mix of office and working remotely, self-motivation becomes a trait that is attractive to employers, “I believe that no matter where you work, people need to be looked after. Candidates have reflected how they have been treated during a troubled period and if they are moving on, there is an increased onus on self-motivation. This could mean balancing tasks and managing themselves. Working remotely is full of distractions, which is why a candidate who has a daily drive to their work is worth its weight to employers.”

At the start of the pandemic, many companies adapted to a survival mode. This presented a scenario that no one had experienced before. Over time the traits that companies are looking for have become beneficial to them. Resilience and energy are now a given, employers are looking for traits that maybe weren’t necessarily high on the radar a year or so ago.

What this presents is an adaptable and flexible job market. Remember that the ability to work independently and to handle the stresses and strains of working life is something that employers are looking for. Whilst the marketplace is competitive, it also provides an abundance of opportunities and progress for your next job.