4 reasons why candidates get overwhelmed in a job-heavy market

In this job-heavy market where candidates are firmly in the driving seat, it can be easy to get overwhelmed. So how do you avoid this?

On the face of it, it seems like a dream scenario. More job openings than you can shake a stick at; tech salaries soaring higher than they ever have before; and you’re getting offers hand over fist. Sounds good right? Well, in this job-heavy market where candidates are firmly in the driving seat, it can be easy to get overwhelmed.

How do you know which opportunities are the right ones? How do you identify the great jobs among all those ads? And how do you avoid getting sucked into applying for a role only to find out later that it doesn’t fit in with your personal priorities? That huge salary might look tempting, but if it’s coupled with non-flexible working hours and a culture that stifles you, is it really the one you want?

We’ve done a quick straw poll around the office and we think candidates get overwhelmed in a job-heavy market because of four key mistakes:

1. They haven’t sorted the basics

We get it – applying for jobs takes time. And when you’re already in a full-time role, fitting in Zoom interviews around getting the kids from school, the pre-prep sometimes goes out the window. Many candidates make the mistake of letting their CV and LinkedIn profile get out of date. Set aside some time every few months to get your experience down ‘on paper’. What new skills have you learned? What training courses or certificates have you completed in the last year? Having everything up to date could be the difference between getting seen first and missing the boat.

2. They haven’t fully considered their personal priorities

According to figures from the ONS, 85% of adults that worked at home throughout the pandemic want to continue with a hybrid approach when things go back to normal. If you’re included in that 85% and you’ve found that working from home has given you a better work/life balance, don’t give it up now. Think about what’s really important to you and use that to prioritise the roles you apply for. Don’t always be tempted to go for the role with the highest salary, think about all the other factors, too, like cultural fit, future growth opportunities, the type of team you’ll be working with, flexibility and so on.

3. They’ve been attracted by an EVP that looks too good to be true

As we’ve highlighted elsewhere on our blog, in the race to secure top talent, some companies will completely abandon their vision and values to create an all-singing, all-dancing EVP that looks great on the surface but with no substance underneath. You need to see evidence of what a company can offer – that they walk the walk, not just talk to the talk about diversity, training and development and so on. How do they communicate with you? Has their recruitment messaging been thoughtfully crafted for tech candidates or are they taking a more scattergun approach to try to attract everyone who could possibly work at the company? If it’s the latter, best to avoid.

4. They have unrealistic expectations of the market

Be realistic about what the market has to offer. This is where using a specialist recruiter is so vital. They can be across all industries and verticals and give you a good overview of what’s happening out there in terms of salaries, benefits and so on. They’ve got time to scope out market conditions, understand what you’re looking for and give you up-to-date advice so you can set your expectations accordingly. Not to mention give you access to exclusive opportunities you won’t see elsewhere. I find I’m able to work with candidates on an exclusive basis, which means I can tailor our search for them specifically and match them with relevant opportunities. You can effectively leave your job search in our hands!

In need of a specialist recruiter who can help you sort the good from the bad? Why not give us a call today!