Just as we began to feel that life was moving towards a new normal, NSW hits Covid 2.0 which ultimately feels like deja vu. The question on all of our candidates and clients' lips is what does the HR market look like as we move through our second hard lockdown.
2020 saw a lot of uncertainty; candidates who were unhappy in their jobs were hesitant to make a move, many people knew others in their HR network who had lost their jobs, suffered reduced hours or even stood down. Jobs being advertised were mostly short term contracts, candidates were not hearing back from employers due to the overflow of applicants, there was also that question in most people's mind - is there still job security in my role?
The minority who were brave enough to consider a new job in an unknown market asked the question ‘are clients only looking to take candidates on a contract opposed to permanent?’
Covid 2.0 - 2021 seems different. Candidates who were considering making a move but were hesitant in 2020 are starting to come out of the woodwork and reaching out to us confidentially to discuss being kept in the loop around opportunities we may not have advertised.
It was only last week our team was taking six new job briefs on a Monday morning alone. These briefs have been for a variety of HR roles in the junior to mid market - Talent Acquisition is definitely the number one role in need of candidates, HR Advisor, HR Analysts, Health & Safety & L&D are closely followed with permanent roles and 12 month fixed term contracts taking the market.
There is definitely a new confidence in the market, and although the majority of candidates are being onboarded from home (which is okay!) businesses are running to a new normal and I am confident enough to say, clients we are speaking with are busier than ever.
So why are we in a candidate short market?
Companies were forced to reduce headcount back in 2020, by the end of the year, were bouncing back. We accepted a new agile working environment. This created new jobs, brought old jobs back on, and created businesses to reflect on their needs to perform at their best. Unfortunately, in our talent space we lost a lot of working holiday visas and overseas candidates.
three key takeaways
- If you are not currently working, now is the time to upskill yourself - enroll in an online course and be ready for your next opportunity to present itself.
- When looking at your next opportunity, don't be too industry specific. Right now, companies are prepared to invest time in their employees to learn a new space.
- Stay curious. If your stuck in the comfort zone, maybe it's time to have that conversation as to what's next for you.
If you or anyone you know are considering a new chapter in your HR career, reach out as we would love to hear from you!