According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 4.3 million people in the U.S. quit their jobs in August 2021 alone — the highest number since 2000. This staggering number is part of a movement now known as the Great Resignation.

As more and more workers evaluate their jobs and seek better opportunities, it’s opening up a market in which companies are desperate to fill positions. For the first time in a long time, it’s a job-seekers market, and the worker is in control. Let’s explore the top 5 reasons why the Great Resignation has created a Job Seekers market, and what it means if you are currently job seeking.

Why the Great Resignation Is Creating a Job-Seekers Market

While the Great Resignation continues to sweep across the country, the labor market is in uncharted territory.

What does this mean for those looking for a job? Now that employers are on the defensive with massive vacancies to fill, this puts more power in the hands of applicants. Here are some of the ways that the Great Resignation is creating a job-seekers market.

1. It’s Increasing Demand

Employment has always been ruled by a balance of supply and demand. When the labor force is crowded with few open positions, employers have the power to pick and choose the applicant they want. But when the balance switches, it’s the other way around.

For years, employers had the advantage, but job seekers are now in high demand. With more than 10 million job openings, opportunities are abundant for those looking to take the next step in their careers.

2. It’s Putting Job Seekers in Control

After enduring a long pandemic lockdown and its lasting economic impact, workers at all stages of their careers are taking a long, hard look at their jobs. Everything has shifted — mindsets, goals, priorities — and millions of employees are finding that their jobs just aren’t working for them anymore.

Many workers are asking themselves:

• Am I being paid what I’m worth?
• Do I want more recognition for my work?
• Should I have more opportunities for advancement?
• Is this job contributing to my well-being and fulfillment?
• Am I happy with the work I’m doing?

3. It’s Giving Employees More Negotiating Power

Now that employees have the freedom to ask for more, we’re seeing an increase in negotiating power. More than ever before, workers are reviewing their compensation and benefits.

With their skills and labor in high demand, they have the freedom to push for higher salaries, greater benefits, and other perks like paid time off and parental leave. A new report found that wages increased by a record 5.9% in December compared to the year before. Companies that don’t offer attractive wages and benefits will struggle to find and retain workers.

4. Job Seekers Are Putting More Emphasis on Value

These days, job seekers aren’t just looking for a good paycheck. They also want to feel fulfilled by their work and find meaning in what they do. Current job seekers will only invest n a company that also invests in them.

Although you still have to prove you’re a good fit for any given workplace, employers are going to have to work harder to impress potential job seekers. They have to prove that they truly value their employees — through words and actions.

5. It’s Offering More Flexibility to Job Seekers

As the world reels from the effects of the pandemic, the issue of remote work is also at play. After more than a year of remote work or hybrid work models, many employees found that they didn’t want to go back to the office.

Instead, job seekers started moving toward companies that offered greater flexibility in terms of where and when they could work. Companies across all industries have started prioritizing flexible and autonomous working to cater to this growing demand.

The Great Resignation is also giving many job seekers the flexibility to explore new, related career options available to them. Some job seekers are even looking into how the skills they possess may transfer into a new career entirely.

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Making the Great Resignation a Great Opportunity for Job Seekers

For the first time in a long time, the Great Resignation is giving workers the upper hand in the job market. Whatever happens in 2022 and the coming years, a seismic shift is happening in the labor force right now.

That can mean a lot for anyone who’s looking for a new job or a change in their career path. The rise of freedom, flexibility, and negotiating power can open up endless opportunities. So if you want to leverage the Great Resignation to find your dream job or make a big career move, there’s never been a better time.

Although opportunities are easier to find, you’ll still be facing stiff competition for jobs with high earning potential. Make the most of this opportunity by investing in a powerful resume writing service. At Capstone Resume Services, our industry experts are here to help you craft a resume that’s built to impress. Take the first step today and schedule a free consultation.

Switching careers can be a terrifying task, and thinking about how to make your resume work for your new career path can be even scarier. But, writing a resume for a new career doesn’t have to be terrifying. As long as you put the time in and do the research, crafting your new resume is very doable.

Don’t Use the Same Resume

If you’re pursuing a new career, it’s important to rework your resume to match your new career goals. If you’ve been a customer service representative your entire life and now decide you want to go into web design, obviously your resume will need a makeover. Things that were important to your customer service career can be reworked to align with desired skills sets in the world of designing websites.

When rewriting your resume, be sure to think about the position you are applying for and what you hope your resume will convey to a hiring manager. Come up with new objectives that match with the new career you are pursuing.

Make It Relevant

Make sure all information included in your resume is relevant to the new career and industry for which you’re applying. Eliminate information that is no longer relevant, as it won’t add any value to your resume and can be distracting. Make sure your achievements are relevant to your new job goals and new objectives.

Research, Research, Research

Research is key when reworking your resume. To fully understand what will be expected of you and what future employers want to see, you’ll need to understand what skill sets and functions are important for the specific position for which you’re applying. Speak with people in the field, study job descriptions and roles, and learn all you can about your new industry.

Learning about the skills and qualifications that are important for your new career will help you tailor your own skills to the new position. It’s important that you customize your transferable skills to the specific job you’re pursuing, and exclude ones that are no longer relevant.

The same goes for qualifications. What qualified you to be a baker is not going to be the same thing that qualifies you to be a web designer. Researching the industry will help you have a clear focus for your resume so that you know what to include and what to center your experience and skills around.

Find the Right Keywords

Keywords are important because they are how hiring managers search for candidates in resume databases. Job boards and sites like CareerBuilder and Monster use automated search tools to collect keyword data from applicants and match them to open positions. Having the right keywords in your resume is crucial, and the keywords necessary for your new career will be different than ones used for your previous jobs. Take the time to think about what keywords are important for your new industry and be sure to incorporate them into your resume wherever possible. If you’re stuck, browsing through job descriptions on job board sites and highlighting terms that describe the job or necessary skills is a good place to start. It will help you get an idea of what words are important enough to be incorporated in your resume.

Think About Your Experiences

When including your experience on your resume, it’s important to make sure it matches with the position you’re applying for. Of course, you might not have a lot of experience with web design if you’ve been a baker your entire life. But, chances are, you have at least some experience with it or else you won’t be making the career change.

You don’t have to include just professional experience in your resume. For a career change resume, it’s actually a good idea to include non-work related experiences. Include extracurricular activities that relate to your desired position, for example: volunteering, professional association memberships, and internships, to show hiring managers the full scope of relevant experience you have to offer.

It’s About Branding

Branding yourself is important. When writing your new resume, ask yourself: How do you want to be perceived by potential employers and hiring managers? Once you have the answer, you can go about branding yourself and tailoring your resume to your new career. Above all else, your resume should tell the story of you and paint a picture of who you are.

If you’re still unsure of how to go about crafting your resume for your new career, Silicon Valley resume writing service Capstone Resume Services can help! With years of experience in resume writing, our Certified Professional Resume Writers will have a one-on-one consultation with you to better understand your experience and your new career goals.

Contact us today to request a consultation, and take the first step toward your new career!