Top 3 Skills You Need to Land a Job in 2022

January 26, 2022

by Gabrielle Christman

Are you thinking about starting up your job search this year? The pandemic has changed the job market forever. Many companies are offering remote and hybrid work options. This shift in how we work has changed the skills that employers prioritize in candidates.

Read along to find out what skills employers find most valuable, and how job seekers can showcase them.

Time Management

The most sought out candidates are the ones who can prove they take initiative, have the ability to distinguish between good and bad ideas, and can debrief a project. Employers need people that they can rely on to get projects done independently.

To showcase this skill, highlight specific examples where you took a leadership position to complete a project.

Another way to show employers that you have effective time management skills is to communicate your dependability. How do you handle falling short on a task? Did you blame others, or did you acknowledge the failure and continue to move forward to reach your goal?

Effective Communication

In a study of over 5 million job descriptions, communication skills was cited most often. Clearly, communication is key. If you fail to show a potential employer that you are an effective communicator, it could be a red flag for managers who are trying to fill remote and hybrid positions.

When applying to remote and hybrid jobs, be sure to note any communication software that you have worked with in the past.

If you have never used the specific communication software that the company utilizes, prepare by reviewing some online tutorials or YouTube videos before your first day.

Tech-savviness

Modern technology saved the job market when the pandemic hit. Employers now rely on numerous software platforms to function on a daily basis. If you are applying for remote or hybrid jobs, you need to have proficient skills in a wide range of programs such as Zoom, Microsoft Office, Google Suite, Slack, etc.

For the not-so tech-savvy individuals, there are countless tutorials on the internet to help get you caught up to speed. Websites such as YouTube, LinkedIn, Udemy, and Coursera offer free to low-cost courses on a variety of topics. The more you interact with technology on a daily basis, the more you will become familiar with it.

Final Thoughts

In the past, different jobs prioritized different skillsets. That still holds true today, but not on the surface. Remote jobs all require the same skills to a certain degree. The best way to plan for applying to jobs in 2022 is to stay on top of the skills employers are looking for.

Learn more about how remote work is reshaping today’s workforce.

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This year is off to a quick start. As nationwide labor shortages continue, many are left wondering about what the workplace will look like in 2022. Our team of recruiting experts are constantly talking to job seekers and hiring managers about their search. Here is what we are seeing in early 2022 job market.

Labor Shortages Left Companies Struggling to Hire 2021

In early 2021, we saw the demand for workers trend back to normal. At the same time, the amount of people willing to work stayed roughly low. These findings were demonstrated by this Washington Post Article. The high demand for workers and low supply of those willing to work has increased labor shortages in several industries. Companies were left with a staggering amount of job vacancies.

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, there were over 10.5 million total unfilled job vacancies in the U.S during Q3 of 2021.

This created an opportunity for job seekers and professionals to pose a potential career change, but it left employers scratching their heads on what’s to come in 2022.

Hiring Trends Are Looking up For Employers in 2022

Our website applies over the first two weeks of 2022 increased by 115% compared to the previous month. Overall traffic to the site is up 39% for the same period. As we enter into the 2022 job market, we expect these numbers to continue to increase throughout the busy hiring season of January and February.

“Early indicators are showing a bounce off the bottom. Candidates are slowly coming back into the job market,” Gabrielle Christman, CEO and President of Hunter Recruiting explains. “Our Recruiters are seeing this reflect in candidate applicant traffic and overall interest in our roles.”

One of the largest factors for job seekers getting back into the market is the inflated price of daily necessities. The annual inflation rate in the US accelerated to 7% in the last month of 2021, a fresh high since June of 1982

Before the pandemic, the U.S. personal savings rate reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) was 8.3%. In November of 2021, the BEA reported that the savings rate was at a year low of 6.9%. Disposable personal income is shrinking, putting Americans in a pinch to get back to work to earn a paycheck.

The 2022 Job Market Remains in The Candidate’s Favor

Following what many are calling “The Great Resignation,” job seekers utilized the tightening job market to demand more from employers. They are asking for greater flexibility and better benefits. In an October 2021 survey conducted by Future Forum of over 10,000 workers and managers, 76% of respondents want more location flexibility and 93% want flexibility with working hours. Employers are able to stand out to job seekers when they adjust to their needs.

It is safe to say the market remains strong for employees. Employers will continue to face real-time fluidity in the market that will reward the most agile and able to adapt. Our recruitment team will continue to keep a pulse on the trends that we are seeing in the market.

Learn more about our comprehensive workforce solutions and what it is like to #HireWithHunter!

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Studies have shown that, one in four Americans has a mental health or substance use disorder.

Research done by Paychex and Future workplace found that, among 600+ full-time workers, financial and mental health well-being are the highest priorities for employees. During the week of March 15th in 2020, stay-at-home orders were put in place across the nation. In this same week, 78 percent of all antidepressant, anti-anxiety, and anti-insomnia prescriptions filled were new prescriptions (versus refills).

Mental illnesses have consistently been on the rise. Since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, cases of anxiety and depression have increased dramatically across the nation. Having an open dialogue around mental health is important, but it is no longer the only solution companies should turn to.

To combat the mental health crisis, employers need to create effective programs that will encourage employees to get the help they need.

Include Mental Health Services in Employee Health Benefits

The most common reason employees do not seek mental illness services is because their health insurance does not cover it. An hour-long therapy session can cost anywhere between $65 to $250. Employees are being forced to choose between affording necessities and affording care for their untreated mental illness. In a 2018 survey, 42 percent of respondents cited cost and poor insurance coverage as key barriers to accessing mental healthcare. However, we are starting to see companies everywhere invest more into their employee’s well-being.

Starbucks spent more for healthcare issues than for coffee.

Another great example is EY’s We Care program. This initiative was designed to provide employees with tools and resources for mental health. Similarly, other companies are offering free meditation apps and access to online stress management sessions to their employees. We are seeing that companies that make investments in employees well-being early on are saving more in the long run.

Mental illnesses can be an early indicator of physical health problems. A McKinsey study found that those who obtain an antidepressant increase their odds of subsequently receiving a drug for diabetes (by 30 percent), cancer (by 50 percent), and heart disease (by almost 60 percent). By investing in the mental well-being of your employees early on, you may be able to prevent more healthcare costs in the future.

Encourage Employees to Get Help by Implementing Mental Health Programs

The social stigma associated with mental health has caused many people with behavioral health illnesses to not receive treatment. Often, employees will choose not to disclose mental health issues because they are concerned it will threaten their job security, or they will be “viewed differently” in the workplace.

Implementing inclusive programs to promote mental health indicates the importance of mental health to employees. Here are some programs that other companies have adopted:

Free access to a therapist or counselor
Unlimited access to meditation/stress-management apps
Complimentary gym memberships
Monthly check-ins for each employee
Anonymous wellness surveys
Accessible self-assessment tools
Tools to learn about and treat different mental illnesses.

Investing in your employee’s well-being is investing in your company’s well-being.

When employees are supported to treat their mental illness, it allows them to be more productive and successful in their respective roles – benefitting the company’s bottom line.

Flexible Schedules Positively Impact Employee’s Mental Health

There is more than healthcare insurance plans and internal programs to support an employee’s mental well-being. A survey done by Benefits Pro found that 86 percent of respondents felt that having more flexibility in their work schedules would have a positive impact on their mental health. Offering hybrid, remote, and fully on-site options is critical to adhering to employee work/life balance. These options are now becoming a necessity for job seekers when considering potential employers.

More than half of Americans are willing to leave their current job for one that prioritizes mental health.

In the same survey, 78 percent of employees feel empowered to let someone at their company know when they aren’t feeling physically or mentally well, compared to just 40 percent in 2020.

Final Thoughts

These past two years have been challenging for everyone.

Before the pandemic, 8.5 percent of adults experienced elevated depression symptoms. In 2021, that number grew to 32.8 percent.

Work is a big part of our daily lives. Employers should strongly consider ways to provide employees with the necessary resources to take care of their mental well-being. When employees have a healthy mind, they’re more productive and successful. As a result, the company is more productive and successful overall.

Looking to grow in your role? Check out these 8 tips to advance your career.

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We are in a hiring deficit. As a growing number of workers are leaving their jobs, companies are struggling to fill open positions. This is resulting in uncharted challenges in today’s hiring market. The National Federation of Independent Business and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that approximately half of all employers can’t fill their open positions. Staffing shortages are forcing companies to re-evaluate the way they hire and attract candidates.

There were 7x more recruiter job openings in June 2021 compared to June 2020. Clearly, companies are growing their in-house recruiting teams, but how come we continue to see a decrease in hiring? If adding more recruiters doesn’t solve the problem, what will?

Specialization Outweighs Company Size

Small teams have shown more success when it comes to solving complex problems. Which is why we have created multiple recruitment teams that each have a specialized focus for a client. Having small recruiting teams, a robust internal candidate database and refined recruitment process allows us to find candidates fast without sacrificing quality.

When comparing to our client’s in-house teams, Hunter Recruiting submitted candidates 1.75x faster from 2019-2021.

At a large company there are more processes, approvals, authority levels, and potential roadblocks. Resulting in longer wait times for a candidate between the interview and the hiring process.

Our recruitment teams are made up of highly-skilled recruiters whose main objective is to find top talent candidates for the jobs clients provide us.

recruiter sitting at desk with headset on

This means less processes, approvals, authority levels, and potential roadblocks. Our recruiters use the time it takes to make valuable connections with potential candidates. This, paired with industry expertise from our recruiters, leads to a quick understanding of a candidate’s qualification for the role and company before we refer them to be interviewed.

Quality Candidates Are Scarce

The biggest challenge companies face when looking to fill a role is finding talented candidates. It is easy to find candidates that fit the requirements for a role, but to find talented candidates is not an easy task.

Highly qualified candidates are most likely interviewing for more than one job at a time. If your company has a slow, inefficient hiring process, this will deter any top talent candidate from moving forward in the interview process.

If your company does not offer an efficient hiring process, you could lose the perfect candidate.

Sourcing and retaining top-talented candidates requires knowledge of how to attract them. Majority of hiring departments do not adapt to the job market to find top-talent candidates. During a hiring deficit, it is key to stay on top of what candidates are looking for.

Fortunately for those companies, there is a quick solution: recruitment firms.

In the past, recruitment firms were considered expensive services that could be done in-house. Well, not so much anymore. Companies are beginning to see significant value in partnering with recruitment firms to fill important roles.

Customized Solutions

Staffing firms often have one solution process that they stick to for each client. Not at Hunter. We take time to connect with our clients and understand exactly where their hiring pain points are.

Clients only pay for what they need when we create a customized solution for their hiring pain points.

two employees looking at data on the computer

Staffing and recruiting firms have had a stigma of being overpriced and unnecessary. While that could be true for some, it is not true for all. Recruiting firms offer more than just sourcing candidates, and we can prove that with our clients.

Keep up With Hiring Trends

Job seeker’s wants and needs are constantly changing. You could do a quick google search to find out what those wants and needs are, but this won’t give you the specific insights needed for your industry.

As a recruiting firm, we are talking to and hiring job seekers all day.

We know what:

Pay candidates expect for each level of position
Benefits are most sought after
Questions are most asked about each company

And more. (but you’ll have to contact us to find out)

employee sitting at desk smiling while talking to other employee

If a company has a position they are struggling to fill, our recruiters will find the gaps and fill them based on what the job seekers in the market are saying. Sometimes this could be as simple as re-wording the job descriptions. Other times it may be more complex if the feedback from most candidates has to do with the pay and benefits offered.

Our account managers work with clients one-on-one to communicate these gaps and come up with solutions.

Final Thoughts

Today’s hiring market continues to be in a candidate deficit. Too many jobs are being left unfilled. We believe it is because companies are lacking in their hiring and recruiting process for today’s job seekers.

To learn more about what Hunter offers, or to get in contact with us to talk about a potential partnership, visit our website at https://www.hirecruiting.com/

Looking to advance your job search? Checkout this article on how to through LinkedIn.

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Remote Work is Reshaping the Workforce

Diversity in the workforce has been a growing area of focus for companies. After COVID-19, the way companies hire and function dramatically shifted. For some, this shift has been a blessing in disguise.

Remote Work Removes Location Boundaries

Hiring practices play a significant role in diversity and inclusion efforts for a company. Depending on how the company hires, they may be vulnerable to an unconscious hiring bias. Who do they have looking at resumes? How do they decide to move a candidate forward? How are other factors taken into account when deciding to move a candidate forward? Depending on these answers, there could barriers for talented diverse candidates.

The best way a company can diversify their workforce is by diversifying their recruitment channels. After 2020, the way companies recruit and hire candidates changed forever. Technology became critical for the interview and selection process. Additionally, the shift towards remote work widened candidate pools beyond geographic restrictions.

Still, keep in mind, most companies may need candidates within the same time zone as them. Even with this factor put in place, there are still many states that share times zones.

Having a Diverse Workforce Pays Off

Companies that have a highly diverse workforce are achieving better business results. In a McKinsey study, researchers found that gender-diverse companies perform 15% better than those who lack gender-diversity. Another key finding showed that ethnically diverse companies perform 35% better. Not only does diversity yield better business results, it also forces companies to re-examine their policies for inclusivity.

Companies with a diverse workforce are more likely to understand challenges faced by people from all different backgrounds. This leads to changes in HR protocols, workplace practices, culture changes, etc. If the company listens and adapts to employees’ needs, a diverse workforce will ensure an inclusive workplace.

Working Remotely Brings New Opportunities

When a company embraces remote work, they open themselves up to broader candidate pool. Without remote work options, employers are missing out on talented professionals who prefer to – or can only – work from home. These candidates deserve an equal opportunity to grow in their careers.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in 4 U.S. adults live with a disability that impacts major life activities. The most common being, mobility. Mobile disability impacts 1 in 7 Americans. Remote work removes this barrier.

More now than ever, parents are opting to stay home instead of paying for childcare. Not only to save money, but to be closer to their kids during their formative years. A study from Pew Research found that stay-at-home moms and dads now account for almost 1 in 5 U.S. parents. The study also found that 29% of stay-at-home moms have a college degree. For stay-at-home dads, about a quarter of them have college degrees. Remote work gives these parents the ability to have their preferred home and work life balance.

Final Thoughts

We are aware that not all companies have the option to implement remote work options. There are a lot of jobs that can only be done in person. Regardless, there are still thousands of jobs that can be done remotely. With the increase use of technology, it is safe to assume that the number of remote jobs will only be increasing in the future.

When looking at increasing diversity and inclusion, the shift in the way we work after 2020 showed us how technology can add to this initiative. With a dramatic increase in remote work, companies have opened doors to their most diverse candidate pool yet. Locations are no longer a boundary and workplace accommodations can be tackled with remote options.

Top 3 Skills You Need to Land a Job in 2022

Read along to find out what skills employers find most valuable, and how job seekers can showcase them.

Time Management

To showcase this skill, highlight specific examples where you took a leadership position to complete a project.

Effective Communication

When applying to remote and hybrid jobs, be sure to note any communication software that you have worked with in the past.

Tech-savviness

Final Thoughts

Similar Posts

How do Executive Search Retainers Work?

6 Common Misconceptions About Direct Hire Staffing

How to Recruit Engineers Effectively in 2025

Let's Connect

The 2022 Job Market Shows Candidates Are Back

Labor Shortages Left Companies Struggling to Hire 2021

According to the Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis, there were over 10.5 million total unfilled job vacancies in the U.S during Q3 of 2021.

Hiring Trends Are Looking up For Employers in 2022

“Early indicators are showing a bounce off the bottom. Candidates are slowly coming back into the job market,” Gabrielle Christman, CEO and President of Hunter Recruiting explains. “Our Recruiters are seeing this reflect in candidate applicant traffic and overall interest in our roles.”

The 2022 Job Market Remains in The Candidate’s Favor

Similar Posts

How do Executive Search Retainers Work?

6 Common Misconceptions About Direct Hire Staffing

How to Recruit Engineers Effectively in 2025

Let's Connect

Mental Health Addressed in The Workplace

Studies have shown that, one in four Americans has a mental health or substance use disorder.

To combat the mental health crisis, employers need to create effective programs that will encourage employees to get the help they need.

Include Mental Health Services in Employee Health Benefits

Starbucks spent more for healthcare issues than for coffee.

Encourage Employees to Get Help by Implementing Mental Health Programs

Free access to a therapist or counselor

Unlimited access to meditation/stress-management apps

Complimentary gym memberships

Monthly check-ins for each employee

Anonymous wellness surveys

Accessible self-assessment tools

Tools to learn about and treat different mental illnesses.

Investing in your employee’s well-being is investing in your company’s well-being.

Flexible Schedules Positively Impact Employee’s Mental Health

More than half of Americans are willing to leave their current job for one that prioritizes mental health.

Final Thoughts

Before the pandemic, 8.5 percent of adults experienced elevated depression symptoms. In 2021, that number grew to 32.8 percent.

Similar Posts

How do Executive Search Retainers Work?

6 Common Misconceptions About Direct Hire Staffing

How to Recruit Engineers Effectively in 2025

Let's Connect

Four Benefits of Staffing Agencies in a Hiring Deficit

Specialization Outweighs Company Size

Our recruitment teams are made up of highly-skilled recruiters whose main objective is to find top talent candidates for the jobs clients provide us.

Quality Candidates Are Scarce

If your company does not offer an efficient hiring process, you could lose the perfect candidate.

Customized Solutions

Clients only pay for what they need when we create a customized solution for their hiring pain points.

Keep up With Hiring Trends

As a recruiting firm, we are talking to and hiring job seekers all day.

Our account managers work with clients one-on-one to communicate these gaps and come up with solutions.

Final Thoughts

Similar Posts

How do Executive Search Retainers Work?

6 Common Misconceptions About Direct Hire Staffing

How to Recruit Engineers Effectively in 2025

Let's Connect

Remote Work is Reshaping the Workforce

Remote Work is Reshaping the Workforce

Remote Work Removes Location Boundaries

Having a Diverse Workforce Pays Off

Working Remotely Brings New Opportunities

Final Thoughts

Similar Posts

How do Executive Search Retainers Work?

6 Common Misconceptions About Direct Hire Staffing

How to Recruit Engineers Effectively in 2025

Let's Connect