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from our experts.

If you want a new job, you may be thinking that the economy is still “iffy,” so it’s best to wait until it improves.

While it’s true that the economy is up/down, inside out, and sideways right now, don’t wait for the economy to become perfect (as in “fully open”).

Why? Because right now – or at least according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ July jobs report that dropped in early August – there are 1 million (!!!) more job openings than candidates.

That’s right: it’s a candidate’s market. You practically could walk up to any hiring manager for a job for which you’re qualified and say, “Hi; I’m here,” and you’d be hired on the spot!

And chances are great that it will be REALLY easy to find work through at least the end of the year

Reason? Holiday season hiring.

Of course, you may want a full-time job, and holiday positions usually end after the holidays.

(But if you ARE looking for holiday work, apply today!)

Yet the great news is that many positions available are full-time, and they pay more than ever because employers are in desperate need of employees for the holiday season.

This in no way means you can slack off, come in late, or otherwise not give your best effort

 It does mean that if being reliable, positive, a team player, and good at your job is your usual way of being, you definitely are in demand. We can’t emphasize this enough.

• So if you’ve been unemployed for a bit, now’s the time to look for work.
• If you were laid off during the pandemic and are worried about the employment gap on your resume, now’s the time to look for work.
• If you’re unhappy with your current position, now’s the time to find another one.
• If you’re thinking of switching gears and going into a different line of work, now’s the time to look for it.

Dealing with a pandemic unemployment gap on an application or your resume

Unemployment gaps are typically something of a red flag to employers. Even if it is no fault of your own – you were laid off, you needed to return home to take care of a child, or an ill loved one, you had your own health issue, etc. – employers tended to skip over you and hire someone who was already working.

They don’t now. Really. They don’t. They get it: millions of people were laid off/furloughed or had a business close on them in recent months. Bam! Unemployed. Not their fault.

In fact, according to the article linked above, “employers are willing to forgive periods of unemployment stretching back about two years.”

How to “explain” this gap? Be honest about it. Add a note to your resume and/or cover letter that you were let go due to layoff, business closing, or furlough. Mention it on your job application.

That’s it: easy peasy.

The same strategy works if you quit work to stay home to care for children, someone sick, or if you were ill yourself: state it.

If you’re looking to change careers….

This is perhaps the best time to do so.

The pandemic has caused many people to rethink their lives and what they want to do with the remainder of their time on the planet. (The main reason to change jobs/careers appears to be the desire for a better work-life balance.)

If that’s the case for you, when you apply for jobs that are “different” from what you’ve done before, research the field considerably before applying and interview/talk to people who currently work in the field.

Once you’re confident this career switch is for you, mention why you’re changing careers and why the field interests you either in your cover letter or on your resume/application.

(Important:  be sure to write a resume that showcases how your current skills and past jobs will fit the new job/career.)

The job market – to rephrase a well-known saying – is now your oyster.

Go, shuck it!

Take a look at the many current opportunities – direct-hire, contract-to-hire, temporary, and holiday season – we have right now here at Hire Dynamics.

If you don’t see anything that looks good, don’t worry: we’re constantly getting new positions, and we often fill them before we post them. So make sure you register with us so that we can contact you quickly when a great job for you comes in.

Looking for your next job? Hire Dynamics has thousands of positions, including maintenance jobs, warehouse jobs and manufacturing jobs.