According to the International Labour Organization (ILO), many people are looking for jobs these days, including millennials as the number of unemployed people globally rose to 255 million in 2020, according to the International Labour Organization (ILO). It forecasts a pessimistic scenario of 130 million full-time job losses and an optimistic scenario of 36 million full-time job losses in 2021.
Gen Y or millennials are people born from 1981 to 1996. Hence, at ages 25 to 40, they make up a large portion of the workforce. It follows that many individuals who belong to this generation are among those who lost their jobs and are seeking new employment.
Vicki Salemi, a career expert at Monster in the U.S., states that people tend to accept jobs to survive during the pandemic, even if these are not the right fit. In the future, they will feel the need to move as new opportunities appear.
Research from LinkedIn Australia shows that 81 percent of millennials choose to stay in their current jobs rather than take a career risk. They prefer to receive a regular paycheck and have stable finances over possible career advancement.
However, more than a quarter or 29 percent said they are waiting for a better job market after the pandemic. The study shows that compared to other generations, millennials are most worried about debt and expenses.
It is beneficial to those currently unemployed if employed workers do not join the mass of job hunters. This limits the number of competitors, but the field remains fiercely competitive because other jobless applicants are also desperate to find employment.
Preparing for Job Hunting
When looking for a job, one of the basic starting points for job hunting is your network of contacts. Make sure you reach out to each of them because even if they do not have an opening for you, they might know of someone who does.
You must also think outside the box and keep yourself open to various jobs where you can apply your skills. For instance, if you are a researcher, you can apply for marketing research, social media research, or even offer your services to an investigation agency for missing persons to do online research.
Whatever industry you are in, it pays to develop soft skills that will give you an edge over other applicants. Several soft skills do not need training or further education to achieve, but you can also take online courses if you feel you need help with some of them.
Forbes cites at FlexJobs-PAIRIN analysis that shows that across various industries, the top soft skills employers seek are effective communication, relationship management, critical thinking, service orientation, stress tolerance, and social awareness.
Other soft skills identified in the list are interrelated. For instance, collaboration, teamwork, cooperation, enriching others, conflict management, and support go together. Accountability goes hand in hand with compliance and self-assessment. Creativity and originality are often a pair. Objective analysis and perspective usually come with problem-solving skills.
Influential leadership usually involves dynamism and assertiveness. Productivity is also a much-needed quality – the ability to plan, prioritize, set goals, manage work, and meet goals despite obstacles and pressure.
Live Career adds other soft skills that are not mentioned above. Writing skills are as important as verbal communication skills, especially in remote work. You must always ensure accuracy and corroboration or validation of data. You must have the ability to interpret data correctly.
You must be professional, responsible, efficient, punctual, well-organized, independent, and a fast learner. You must be innovative, flexible, and receptive to change management. You must develop strategic thinking and safety consciousness. You must be ethical, courteous, emphatic, and have a positive attitude.
Top Resume further adds soft skills for continuous learning, time management, decision-making, emotional intelligence, resilience, adaptability, and a coaching mindset.
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Continuous Advancement
It will benefit you to learn and master all these soft skills not just to aid you in your job hunting but also to prosper in whatever job you land. Employers will recognize and appreciate these qualities in millennials, and these will lead to your career advancement.
These soft skills are just as important as the technical skills you have and the new technical skills you will learn. Even if you decide to change jobs later or even transfer to an entirely new field or industry, these soft skills are universally praised. The better you get at them, the more valuable you will be as an employee.
Think of your current job-hunting journey as part of the full arc of your career. Whatever you do as a millennial to improve yourself now must contribute to your long-term success.
