11 Things Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 and Beyond
Before I landed my dream job here at Growbo, I was a man on a mission looking for a post-college marketing job.
I’m talking at least 10 applications a day.
But the numbers game was frustrating.
Then, one day I got a call from an agency I applied to.
So the first thing I did was head over to Glassdoor.
To my dismay, the employee reviews were a horror story.
With that, I decided to withdraw my application.
See, there’s just too many other options to choose from.
And I’m not going to risk working for a company that doesn’t value its employees.
Guess what? That’s how job seekers will feel about your company too if you can’t meet their demands.
Today, you’ll read about 11 things job seekers want from you, plus a bonus tip.
And by reading this article, you’ll come away with the following benefits:
- Become aware of the current hiring climate.
- Learn about the most important factors that top talent are looking for.
- See how something seemingly small to you can keep qualified candidates away.
Ready to start?
First, let’s talk about the current job-seeking trends.
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Current Job Seeker Climate
These days, people just aren’t all that loyal to their employers.
According to a study from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average person between the ages of 18 to 54 will have worked at more than 12 jobs.
Crazy, right?
Not surprisingly, 69% of employers report talent shortages and are finding it difficult to fill open positions, according to ManpowerGroup.
And from career advancement opportunities to relocation, there’s a lot of reasons for why people leave their jobs.
Although the data isn’t all that consistent, there’s definitely a consensus that the COVID-19 pandemic and spiking inflation has made job seekers rethink their current position.
An Indeed survey shows that 84% of workers would take a new job opportunity if it came along.
And research from Fidelity shows that 39% of all U.S. workers are seeking a new employer. For Gen Z, that number is up to 47%.
This new social norm of workers treating their workplaces as revolving doors is being dubbed “The Great Resignation.”
But even if someone isn’t all that concerned with leaving their current job, they’re still likely to be passively looking here and there.
When Zippia surveyed 500 workers across different industries, they found that 76% of workers are at least passively looking for new jobs.
So if you can’t deliver the goods, your employees will trade up for an employer who does.
Besides thats, there are also some aspects of your hiring process that could anger job seekers. (You’ll see those later.)
And if your candidates thought your hiring process was a negative experience, you can expect 6 out of 10 of them to share their sentiment with others, as found by Human Capital Institute.
Although job seekers switch employers at an alarming rate, this can be an opportunity for you.
You see, since so many people are seeking out new opportunities, you have a wider pool of talent to choose from if you can hit all the right marks.
Now, it’s time to look at the first thing job seekers want from you.
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #1: Good Brand Reputation
Just like in your personal life, a good reputation is everything.
With a good reputation, people will vouch for you. Or in this case, they’ll vouch for working for your company.
According to MRINetwork, 69% of job seekers say that brand strength is an important factor in evaluating a job offer.
And one of the most common places candidates will look is on company review sites like Glassdoor, which nearly 1 out of 2 job seekers use, according to Software Advice.
So what can you do?
Take a look at what people are saying on different review websites and see what changes need to be made.
Maybe some constructive criticism from candidates will help move things in the right direction.
In some cases, it might be as simple as making sure your employees have been given more training so they know what it takes to do what’s best for the company.
Perhaps your hiring process simply isn’t matching you with the right candidates.
But your brand reputation also goes beyond employee reviews.
If your company has been accused of any unethical behavior, that would turn away a lot of talented individuals too.
On a related note, having a good PR crisis management plan is something to always consider because you’ll know how to respond to any PR fallout in a way that limits the damage to your name.
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #2: Easy Application Process
Nobody enjoys having to apply for jobs.
From having to tailor a resume for each posting to writing a personalized cover letter, the process can be time-consuming.
Then there’s those companies that force you to re-fill out all of your personal information again on their website.
All the data shows that job seekers want easy application forms and short job posts from you.
According to The Society for Human Resources Management, 60% of jobseekers give up with an application form if it’s too lengthy or complex.
Research from LinkedIn finds that short job posts receive 8.4% more applications per view than average.
For reference, here’s how many words each type of job post contains:
- Short job posts: 1-300 words
- Medium job posts: 301-600 words
- Long job posts: 601 words or more
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #3: Quick Follow-Up
In sales, it’s a good practice to follow up with your prospects quickly.
Likewise, in recruiting, you need to do the same with your candidates.
What job seekers want from you is to respond to them shortly after the first contact.
In a survey cited by Inc. Magazine, 70% of people lose interest in a job if they don’t hear back from an employer within a week after the first interview.
Plus, it’s just kind of rude.
Job seekers expect the hiring process to be completed within a reasonable time frame.
Put yourself in your candidate’s shoes … After applying for a job, would you wait around for weeks just to hear back?
Probably not.
Instead, you’d likely prioritize other avenues of employment.
As cited in a report from CareerBuilder and SilkRoad Technology, 55% of job seekers aren’t willing to wait for two weeks or more to hear back from an employer.
Then there’s research from recruiting software platform Yello indicating that more than 1 out of 2 companies experience losing candidates before even scheduling an interview. That’s because good talent doesn’t last long.
And even when given an offer, 51% of them will continue the job search process during the background-check phase. Keep in mind that younger people are even less patient.
So, if you take too long with your hiring process, there’s basically a 50-50 chance your ideal candidate will move on.
More data backs up frustration about the length of the hiring process among job seekers.
A press release from staffing firm Robert Half found that the long wait to hear back after an interview is the most frustrating part of the hiring process for 57% of workers.
In case you haven’t taken the hint, you can’t mess around when searching for talent.
You must be decisive and follow up with candidates quickly.
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #4: Remote Work
One of the biggest things that job seekers want from you in 2022 is the option to work remotely.
If the COVID-19 pandemic has taught businesses one thing, it’s that workers have opened their eyes to the benefits of working from home.
According to FlexJobs, 58% of workers would “absolutely” leave their company for a permanently remote position.
And if you’re concerned about productivity plummeting, there’s really no reason to worry.
Companies have found that working from home hasn’t had any adverse effects.
In fact, many teams are getting even more done by working remotely.
As reported by the Harris Poll, 65% of workers believe they’re more productive working remotely.
Besides, employers can save, on average, $11,000 per employee every year if everyone works remotely just half the time, as per Global Workplace Analytics.
In addition to saving money, some other benefits of offering remote work are:
- Wider pool of talent
- Less call-ins
- No office gossip
- More productivity
- Higher retention
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #5: Career Advancement Opportunities
Anyone with an inkling of ambition will want training programs from you.
And not just the usual “get up to date with our processes” kind of training … I mean down the line, they expect you to provide them with skills to advance their career.
What’s sad is that only 32% of workers are happy with the career advancement opportunities at their current workplace, as found by CareerBuilder.
So you can really stand out if you can offer some skills training or something similar.
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #6: Transparency About Their Role
When someone’s looking at your job posting, what are they looking for from you?
Well, one of the earliest indicators is what they’ll be doing in the position.
It’s important to give candidates an idea of what their day-to-day will look like.
It may sound like common sense, but a study from the Allegis Group found that just 36% of candidates think they’re provided with clear job descriptions.
Make sure you explain everything the candidate can expect and how the role adds value to the company as a whole.
This also means discussing what the future of the company looks like, what growth opportunities are on the table, and what kind of work environment they can expect to be a part of.
When companies follow this rule, it becomes easy to make sure expectations are clear on both sides before anything is signed off.
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #7: Short Job Descriptions
Although you want to be thorough with your job descriptions, it shouldn’t be too lengthy.
Additionally, it should be easy to scan.
According to LinkedIn, job seekers will only spend 14 seconds looking at your job posting before making a decision to apply or not.
For this, bullet points and bolded highlights are useful.
And you should also include salary, perks and benefits in your posting so it’s easy for job seekers to gauge if your role is a fit for them. By adding a salary range, you can expect around 30% more application submissions, according to Forbes.
Below is a snapshot of a social media manager role we posted on LinkedIn.
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #8: Health Benefits
Not offering health insurance can be a red flag to many job seekers, especially top talent.
I mean, if it came between a job offer that comes with health benefits and one that doesn’t, it’s hard to say no to the former.
Really, you can’t put a price on peace of mind.
And that’s why, according to Harvard Business Review, better health, dental and vision insurance are the top reasons why job seekers would take a lower-paying job — with 88% of survey respondents citing this consideration.
What’s more is that 50% of employees would leave their current job for better benefits, according to Vantage Circle.
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #9: A Positive Culture
Culture fits aren’t just important to employers like yourself.
Job seekers want to make sure they end up in a work environment that they’ll take pride in.
After all, no one dreams of working for a cookie-cutter company with no personality.
As reported by CareerPlug, workplace atmosphere influences the employment decision of 90% of job seekers.
In other words, does your company give off fun and welcoming vibes?
Moreover, a Glassdoor survey in 2019 showed that 77% of job seekers factor in company culture before even applying for a job.
Some examples of showing off your culture are:
- Displaying transparency on social media
- Using some personality in your job posting or on your website
- Host team-building events and post them on social media
- Make a joke to break the ice during a interview
- Show genuine curiosity in a candidate’s career aspirations
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #10: Enjoyable Interview Experience
A poor interview experience makes 83% of candidates have second thoughts about a company they were initially interested in working for, according to LinkedIn.
If you or a hiring manager at your company comes unprepared to an interview, you’ll just annoy candidates.
And what if one of those candidates ended up being the perfect fit?
Instead, you must study your candidate’s application in-depth and already have a good feel for his or her skills and experience.
As a matter of fact, CareerPlug finds that having a bad experience with people during the interview process is the most common reason why job seekers decline a job offer.
Personally I’ve been in job interviews scratching my head as the interviewer asks me questions that are already answered on my resume. Even worse, sometimes it’s almost like the interviewer is just reading my resume for the first time.
A candidate wants to come away from the interview feeling positive emotions toward you and your organization.
And conducting an overtly long interview where you show a lack of respect (even if you don’t mean to) will be a direct contrast to a pleasant experience.
According to The HR Director, job seekers want an interview from you that has the following qualities:
- It’s ran smoothly and efficiently
- You are honest
- There is excellent communication between both parties
What Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 #11: Flexible Schedule
It may not always be what you want, but what job seekers are asking for more often is flexible scheduling.
And here you thought offering remote work was enough. No, that’s just one part of the equation to attract top talent.
According to FlexJobs, 54% of millennials want to work a flexible or an alternative work schedule.
All over the world, and of all ages, 40% of candidates say that flexible work hours is a top 3 factor in choosing a place of employment.
But that study was back in 2015. Nowadays, with higher standards among the workforce, that percentage is guaranteed to be much higher.
Even a USA Today poll revealed that offering a flexible schedule is the most popular tactic hiring managers are using to attract quality candidates.
For some, it means they can take care of familial matters without worrying about not getting paid. For others, it could just mean they can stay up later to go to that big game, or something else recreational.
Either way, what they really appreciate is when their employer takes into account that their personal life exists.
If workers need a few hours to do things like dropping their kids off at school or going to a doctor’s appointment, allowing them to do so without being penalized for it will be what job seekers appreciate the most.
That’s not the end quite yet.
Now, here’s a bonus tip on what to do when it comes recruiting in 2022.
Bonus Tip: Don’t Go Overboard With Asking for Experience
At some point, you’ve been on the other end of the recruitment process and were a job seeker.
Do you remember wondering why so many jobs asked for a ridiculous amount of experience?
It was disheartening, right?
I mean, even entry-level jobs require three years of experience most of the time.
This is something to keep in mind when you post your openings on job boards. Just think of how many otherwise great candidates are passing on you because they don’t think they’re qualified.
Remember, skills can be learned over time.
Now for executive-level and leadership positions, you might want at least 5-7 years of experience. Definitely.
And especially for really small startups where the margin for error is tiny.
But for the overwhelming number of positions, you shouldn’t be asking for too much experience. It’ll scare away potentially company-changing candidates.
After all, someone could be brilliant with the right attitude and perform a lot better than that applicant with 12 years of experience but no motivation.
One alternative to consider is offering paid apprenticeships or internships.
This way, you don’t have to make any long-term commitments until you feel that someone is up to the task.
And the workforce of some of the biggest organizations out there like the U.S. Congress, Facebook and IBM consists mostly of employees that started out as interns.
Take a look at the graph.
Conclusion
Download the “11 Things Job Seekers Want From You in 2022 and Beyond ” so you won’t forget to take action on it later. Click here to download it now.
As the world’s gradually crawling out of the clamps of COVID-19, there’s a lot of talent out there for your organization to tap into.
But the demands of job seekers are strict.
Luckily for you, we put together this list of 11 things that job seekers want from you in 2022 — that way, your entire hiring process is built with your dream candidate in mind.
To recap, some of the most common things that job seekers desire in 2022 include:
- A quick and clean hiring process that has minimal to no friction.
- Flexibility with when and where they work.
- Employers that have built up a good brand reputation.
- Work cultures that empower them.
Now, you have two options.
You can sit there and say job seekers are just being too picky.
Or you can accept the new reality of recruiting top talent and start working on accommodating these demands.
Unless you don’t care about hiring skilled individuals who will be highly engaged with your company, I suggest you choose the second option.
And if you’re looking for marketing talent in 2022, then you actually have a third option — skip the complexities of the hiring process and outsource all your digital marketing projects to Growbo.
Seriously, one of the biggest perks of our done-for-you services is that you save on the costs of hiring and avoid the headaches that come with matching your openings with the right people.
At Growbo, we already have the skills you need to scale your business.
If this sounds like something you’d be interested in, your next step is to try a trial for 7 days.
And before you go, let me ask you …
What things do you plan to pay more attention to when it comes to hiring in 2022?
Let me know in the comments below.
Keep Growin’, stay focused.
Mark
