There is no doubt that the global pandemic impacted the Canadian job market in many unprecedented ways. In Q2 of 2020, Canadian employers had to let go of many of their talented team members to curtail their operations.
Job cuts, strategic changes, and downsizing severely impacted the work community with more employees looking for work than positions available. Thankfully, many employees could still take advantage of the CERB to sustain themselves through difficult times.
Come 2021, as Canadian businesses are slowly returning to the new normal, there is an inverse atypical crisis dominating the job market – Canadian businesses are struggling to find the right talent for their teams.
"To begin, Boomers were always going to retire within the next ten years and with that take valuable experiences, knowledge , and skill sets that we were only beginning to replace. However, many Boomers took early retirement as a result of COVID-19 and the remote working technical requirements.
Many questioned if it made sense to learn new skills when life is fleeting, COVID is raging and retirement was so close. With the absence of this critical knowledge base, companies that had succession plans in their future but were not in play were left wanting.
As the pandemic took hold, immigration was paused, and the perpetual workforce that always rescued Canadian labour shortages was unavailable. Immigration continues to be slow as Canadian borders remain closed to full international travel. "
(Excerpt from The Talent Squeeze Report by Agilus Work Solutions 2021)
This paradigm shift is an excellent opportunity for job seekers to restart their job search. In spite of the changing job market, many job seekers are still feeling an understandable hesitancy around the idea of making a career change.
Some of the key reasons for this are uncertain financial times, fear of future lay-offs, market changes, the possibility of provincial lockdowns, the absence of key technical skills, and the list goes on.
While these sentiments are reasonable, the pandemic has given many of us pause in other ways. Over the last 19 months, we have been able to reflect on who we are, what we want, and what matters.
What better time to evaluate your current job offer and position? It is the time to reflect on:
1) What motivates you to get out of bed every morning? If this doesn’t align with current your role, ask yourself why?
2) Does your company’s vision align with yours?
3) Are you and the work you do valued?
4) Do you feel overworked? Or perhaps underutilized?
We are facing what many are calling ‘the great attrition’ or ‘the great resignation.’
Studies show that ~54% of the Canadian workforce prioritize the following in their employment. It is perhaps time to ask these questions to evaluate if you should be looking for a new opportunity:
Compensation
Do you feel your skills and technical ability are fairly compensated? Does your organization have a transparent salary/pay band in place? Is your compensation in line with the market? How to know what is the right salary for your role?
Work+Life
Is your work your biggest priority? Do you want it to be? Do you have a flexible work schedule? Are you able to work remotely when you need to? Is your life outside of work considered by your employer?
Company values and culture
Does your employer have clear values or pillars? Are they in line with yours? Is your workplace inclusive?
Future growth
Do you see future opportunities for skill development, advancements, or growth?
If you have answered ‘no’ to any of the above, the time to reflect and explore has never been greater! It may probably be the right time to find your dream job.
For many, getting started can be the most challenging part of changing careers. However, job boards, social media, and Recruitment professionals can be a great resource if you want to start your job search journey.
Job boards can help you identify what kind of roles are available for you. Social media such as Linkedin can help you gain insights on what are the conversations going around in your professional circle.
Engaging with a recruitment professional is one of the best ways to look for in-demand roles like project managers, customer service, etc. as they can provide you with detailed market insight, expertise in your skillset, and a deep network of potential employers to explore with.
