Know the Current Job Market to Get a Job

The amount of individuals across our nation searching for employment is astounding. The employment situation in America is a daily news discussion which has lots of people on edge. The current job market is the result of a lot of people being unemployed. The job market has changed and a number of people are not prepared for these transformations which leaves them out in the cold and without a job. Knowing what is in the job market will help people understand what they need to do to increase their chance of landing a job when they need it.

New college graduates cannot find jobs

Newly graduated college students unable to find jobs have astounded the public. When individuals graduate from college with a degree and are unable to find work we need to wonder what the issue really is. In all actuality before our current recession people with a college degree rarely worked in the field for which they were educated. Up to 65% of people worked in a different field than their college training prepared them for. Though, the job market was a lot different than it is today. A number of jobs didn’t require a college degree or training to get your foot in the door. A college degree was certainly an added plus, but not necessary.

Depending on your major it can be difficult to find employment. Imagine what sort of job you could actually receive if you graduated with a degree in Political Science and wanted to work in the field. Unless you were actually going to become part of the government or service to elections and related fields, you would find yourself in other positions totally unrelated. What about the person with a major in Art History? What sort of job would you actually be able to apply this degree to? This is why a lot of graduates cannot find work. They don’t have the necessary degree or training for the current job market.

Jobs are changing

Technology has affected the current job market. Jobs that were offered in the 70s and 80s have changed. The 90s were preparing us somewhat for the change that was bound to occur, but a lot of individuals disregarded what was on the horizon. With the software revolution jobs that required manual labor were decreased and technology jobs increased.

Software engineers and web designer jobs are rampant while pipe fitters and machinists are not. A lot of jobs that historically were manually done can now be done with technology. Workers that are unable to adapt to the new jobs or new way of performing a job are out of luck. Additionally, with the implementation of technology where 3 people were needed to perform a job only one is needed now. This is how the phrase “downsizing” initially began.

Competing globally for jobs

Along with the revolution in technology workers now compete for jobs globally. Instead of competition with the United States millions of workers, we compete with everyone around the world for the same position. Unfortunately, some of these jobs are lost because of the financial status of other countries. When an employer can pay less and offer fewer benefits, other countries win out over American workers.

Supply and demand for jobs

Supply and demand affects the job market. Business is the demand piece of the puzzle while workers are the supply. Not enough qualified workers affect the current job market. Companies have open positions for new jobs, but workers are not qualified to fill them.

Without enough workers to fill the demand that businesses have for jobs, several things will happen. One of these is wonderful. Companies will increase the amount of pay for open positions in order to entice workers to fill them. Along with more money benefits will also be better.

On the down side of the equation the supply of workers that are not qualified to fill the positions will mean a great number of people are out of work. There are actually jobs in the marketplace, but not enough qualified workers to fill the open jobs.

In conclusion

Know the current job market to understand how you can get the position you want and deserve. Job hunting can be difficult, but there are some things that can ease the pain. If the openings are for software engineers and web designers, focus your college education for where the market will be when you graduate. Following your passions and dreams of becoming a marine biologist is terrific, but will you be able to pay the bills after you graduate. A better course of action would be to invest in technology, engineering and related fields of study.

If you currently are out of work, consider retraining or education that can move you into the technology and jobs that are in our current job market. Researching business magazines like Forbes or Wallstreet will reveal what the market is offering and the direction of businesses that are hiring.

Job hiring sites or hiring job boards like Monster.com or Career.com also display what open jobs are hot. The web is a wonderful place to query what jobs are in demand. Do your research and get a job that can fulfill you financially and personally. The current job market has changed the way we do things for landing a job and we need to change with it.

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