Category: Recruitment

It’s fair to say that nobody enjoys being criticised. Regardless of who the critique comes from, being a boss, partner, friend or family member, nothing makes hearing the often harsh truth easier.

As an inevitable part of life, there will always come a point in time where you will need to have a meeting with your boss where they have to give you feedback on your performance, actions and behaviour. 

While this can be very daunting and hard to deal with even if you have a fantastic relationship, we like to try and turn a negative into a positive. Dissecting what can happen while receiving feedback, we’ve put together some of the best ways that you can take the constructive criticism from your boss and deal with it in a positive manner. Being able to then learn and grow from that experience and the feedback you’ve been given. 

 

  • Stay Calm

This one may be easier said than done given nobody enjoys being criticized. It’s very easy in the heat of the moment to either lose your temper, become overly emotional or say something that you should’ve thought about before saying. Stop your initial reaction and think about just how you should react appropriately in the situation before you regret it later (Lindsay 2020).

It’s not uncommon for your heart to beat rapidly or to become sweaty and flushed in this type of situation. When this happens it’s important for you to breathe deeply and at least appear calm. Taking this approach will hinder any aggressive tendencies from either party and also likely calm the person you’re speaking to as well (Psychology Today 2018).

 

  • Have Empathy

While perhaps not the first thing that you think of when considering how to deal with constructive criticism, try and think about the situation from the other person’s perspective.

Try and have empathy for them as this is likely very hard for them to deliver and bring up. In a somewhat awkward situation like this, the person delivering the feedback may be nervous and coming across differently to how they had hoped or planned (Psychology Today 2018).

If they’re coming across as rude or aggressive (especially if that’s not how they usually act), it’s completely fine to not respond to the critiques immediately. Rather saying that you need time to think about what they’ve said in-depth.

This is also an opportunity to perhaps deescalate the situation and continue the conversation after you both have had time to think and react more appropriately.

 

  • Listen

It can be very easy to hold onto one minor thing and begin to overthink it while in this situation. Doing this isn’t productive and can actually make you miss important other parts of the conversation, or misconstrue how or what information is being delivered to you.

Be sure that you’re actively listening to every detail the person is telling you. This will help ensure that you’re not focusing on one small negative section, or missing other parts which could actually be positive and constructive. If you need to take a notepad and write things down also, thats more than fine.

 

  • Take it as an opportunity

So we’re not saying that the situation is anything but awkward and awful, but it is an inevitable part of working in any role or company. It is however completely up to you how you deal with the situation during and after. We fully believe turning a negative into a positive is the healthiest approach to dealing with any situation when you’re recieving constructive criticism.

When you’re being delivered feedback, remember that you have the opportunity to learn how you can improve. Even if you don’t completely agree with every critique being given, at least you now have the information to know how others may perceive your abilities or behaviour. This is a chance to at least have an opportunity to address the critiques or improve on them (Zenhabits).

The best outcome when being given feedback by your boss is that you have the opportunity to become a better worker. Never forget the benefits of being given feedback or the possibilities of what you can learn from it (Lindsay 2020).

 

  • Follow Up and Give Feedback

Being given feedback isn’t a one time occurrence. This is especially the case if you were unsure or didn’t necessarily agree with the feedback you were initially given. After a feedback meeting with your boss, make another time on a seperate day to go back over the feedback you were given (Forbes 2012)

This gives you the opportunity to seek specific examples to perhaps help understand the key issues they have raised. You can also acknowledge the feedback and seek specific solutions they’d recommend.

Following up after is also an opportunity for you to give your boss feedback and peer critique on how they delivered that information. If the way they spoke wasn’t constructive, or was too harshly delivered this is a great opportunity to give them feedback on this.

Being able to give feedback constructively and positively isn’t often an easy or naturally occurring skill, so during this process you have the opportunity to mutually be able to help each other be better and improve your working relationship (Harvard Business Review 2019).

Hiring new staff is one of the most important times for a business. The people that work for your organisation are a direct representation of your company’s values, culture and morals. Thats why when it comes time to pick a Recruitment Agency, it’s important to find people that not only are able to do the job that you’re hiring for, but also align with your business and wider team. 

So whether you’re a start-up looking to grow your team, or an enterprise business needing help to scale, finding a recruitment agency that can fit in with your unique business seamlessly and help match the right people to the roles you have is vital. 

As experts in recruitment with decades of agency experience, we’ve put together some of the key things that we think you should think about when it’s time to pick a recruitment agency to work with. 

 

Ensure their expertise aligns with the roles you’re looking for

Firstly, you want to make sure that the agency you’ve approached specialises in the area of recruitment you’re searching for. You can do this by looking up their previous experience and service areas to check that you’re both matched. 

Additionally, make sure they’re across what’s happening in that specific industry. Especially with anything technology based, it’s super important to make sure that the agency and individual recruiters understand the trends, market shifts and what’s happening in the market. 

At Discovered People we offer full recruitment, screening, processing, payroll, and onboarding services. Our professional consultants have robust networks in Cybersecurity, Data and Analytics, DevOps and Cloud, IT Leadership, Software Development, Software Sales and UI & UX sectors. 

 

Find a Cultural Fit

While finding people with the skills to do the job is obviously important when hiring new staff, it’s equally as important to find people that can match your company’s culture. If culture is important to your business, you should ensure the recruitment agency you work with has a complete understanding of your business inside and out. Actively seeking to find people who will match your existing team vibe. 

It’s been proven that cohesive teams collaborate better, are happier and deliver more. At Discovered People we go extra lengths to understand your team, embedding ourselves in your culture. The focus is on people, finding individuals who fit your team and organisation.

You should make sure the agency you select takes the time to learn your values, culture and what makes your business tick. This ultimately means less staff turnover, happier teams and a better company culture. 

 

Assess the quality of Candidates they can provide

As you’ll know by now, people are your company’s most valuable asset. Any agency you work with should assess candidates to ensure their values and skills fit your unique business needs. In addition to technical expertise, they need to look for success characteristics like curiosity, good communication and a willingness to tackle challenging problems.

You should be assured that your recruitment agency always goes the extra mile to get you the best outcome – whether that’s finding people to fit your team or championing your cause. 

At Discovered we follow a talent centric approach to recruitment. That means we care about individuals more than we care about revenue and put people first.

 

View their client and candidate feedback

Perhaps the most intuitive of all things to look for when picking a new recruitment agency is their reviews, feedback and responses from previous clients and candidates that they’ve worked with. 

Be sure to do this from both perspectives of the recruitment journey as it’s important that both your internal team and any potential new staff applying through your agency have a positive experience. 

At Discovered People, people always come first. That means we go the extra mile to achieve the best outcome – for you, your business and the individuals you hire. More than a partnership, we build lasting friendships and we have a laugh along the way. You can see all our reviews here. 

 

Ensure they give new hires a good impression of your business

Even if a candidate isn’t successful with the job application for a role you’re hiring for, there’s every chance that they may be suitable for another role at some point. It’s important to make sure that everyone that takes the time to apply is responded to and treated with respect through the recruitment process. 

This also ensures that should anyone ever reapply for a role or be approached by your organisation at a later point, that they haven’t had a negative experience with your business through the recruitment agency you select. 

We’re very proud that our response rate is over 70%, more than 3 times higher than the average recruiter. When dealing with candidates our promises are that we will always take full accountability, commit to zero ghosting and create a BS free zone.

This means anybody applying will be treated with respect and you can be assured that nobody leaves with a negative impression of your business. 

 

 

Think we align with your values? Talk to our team here!

 

Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People

Employees are a direct reflection of the company they work for. While there’s a lot of focus on attracting new staff, retaining existing staff can sometimes be pushed on the backburner for many companies. 

It should be a priority for all businesses to focus on keeping their employees happy, engaged and motivated no matter their roles. In-turn this will help reduce overall staff turnover and improve overall office morale, motivation and culture. While to some degree this duty is placed on the employee themselves to be self motivated, as recent research finds most employees put this responsibility back solely on the employer. 

While retaining employees may be a bit of a mystery for some companies, recent research has revealed some of the key things employees look for in a workplace, as well as their motivators to staying with one. Here’s 5 of the top takeaways and findings from recently conducted research. 

  • Compensation 

This one will likely not be a surprise to many employees or companies. Employees want to be appropriately compensated for the work they do. When they don’t have to worry about making enough money to support themselves, they feel like they can concentrate and focus more on their roles to produce quality work. 

Rombaut & Guerry found that positive compensation was the most positive factor when it came to employee happiness and ultimately retention. While often associated with a form of compensation, it was also found that training and flexibility were not found to be a large motivator in employee satisfaction or retention. 

  1. Recognition

Aside from being compensated appropriately for work being done, being recognised for achievements and contributions at both a team and company level came in a close second in the research. 

Recognition was also found to have a positive effect on the entire staff of a company, improving the overall morale of a company and creating a community that celebrates each other’s wins. A key takeaway from this is to always empower and recognise your staff to create a positive work environment. 

  • Branding

While branding is often only associated with attracting new employees, it was also found very relevant with existing employee retention. The social and market perception and value of a company, as well as their overall image was a leading factor in whether an employee stayed with a company or not (Khan & Haque). 

Employees want to feel proud of their company when talking about it, and creating a brand that reflects the true vision and values of a company is a fantastic way to do this. 

  • HR Presence

Significant results in the research showed that a positive and active relationship between a company’s HR department and its employees was a growing factor in employee retention (Malik, Baig & Manzoor). How HR and employees interacted with each other, as well as how available and present they were directly contributed to how happy staff were. 

  • Open Communication

Having a commitment between executives and employees to openly communicate changes, updates, wins and losses in a company was directly correlated between employee retention and overall turnover of staff (Schaap & Olckers). 

When staff feel like they’re a part of the company and that they’re contributing to the larger picture, they were happier overall. Additionally, this improved their work ethic and motivation to excel in their roles as they felt involved in the overall success of the company. 

At Discovered, we specialise in placing the right candidate with the right company. We take time to learn your values, culture and what makes your business tick to help make sure you have staff they want to stay with you for the long haul. 

If you’re looking to hire, talk to our team here! 

 

Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People

 

While it became increasingly popular not out of choice, but rather necessity, virtual recruitment has rapidly become normal practice for many recruitment agencies and internal HR departments.

While Covid-19 was the driving force behind shifting to a completely virtual recruitment process for many organisations, for those that had perhaps not used or been experienced to it, the overwhelming response to its effectiveness has been extremely positive.

As the pandemic slowly becomes under control and the world starts to heal, the ability to now do face-to-face interviews again is slowly becoming more acceptable and available to both agencies and in-house recruiters. However, now that the knowledge, skills and technology is readily available to conduct virtual recruitment, the real question is will we ever go back?

How do Recruiters feel about Virtual Recruitment?

In recent research conducted by LinkedIn, over 1,500 hiring professionals were surveyed about their perceptions of virtual recruitment and the impact that it’s hard on them over the pandemic. 

The key finding from the survey was that a massive 81% of talent professionals agreed that virtual recruiting will continue post Covid (LinkedIn). Additionally, 70% of those talent professionals believe that virtual recruiting will become the new norm for all recruiters.  

Breaking down the data collected further, recruiters commented on how this could potentially differ depending on the experience levels required of individual candidates. The research revealed that when hiring for entry level or junior positions, it could be entirely possible that the whole hiring process is conducted virtually. With a candidate ultimately not setting foot in the office until they are onboarded. 

For executive or more experienced positions however, recruiters expect that it will be a more individualised process. Likely involving a mixture of both virtual and face-to-face interviews, or an entirely face-to-face and one on one interview process. 

Where do Candidates want to Work?

These new changes in recruiting are also representative of the shift in the overall workforce. With many employees now preferring to work virtually, it’s no doubt that they would prefer to conduct the hiring process online also. 

As often the first person a candidate will come into contact with when applying for a new role, recruiters are often the first and best people to get an indication of the wants and needs from the wider workforce.

In research conducted by HR Director, it was found that 73% of all employees surveyed wanted to work from home for two thirds of their working week and would rather only spend around a third (36%) of their time working from the office.

On the other end of the scale, the same research showed that only a fifth of total respondents were interested in working remotely 100% of the time. With only 7% wanting to work from the office full time. Demonstrating a drastic change from how work was conducted pre-pandemic.

 

At Discovered, we opened our business during the midst of the pandemic. Which means that from day one we’ve been completely across how important it is to conduct efficient virtual recruitment. We specialise in video interviewing, bringing new technology into recruitment which helps us match candidates with companies better than ever. 

If you’re looking to hire new staff, we conduct professional video interviewing to fully screen and match somebody who will completely align with your company’s values. Get in touch with our team here for more information on how.

 

Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People

 

 

Resumes come in every shape and form, which is why it can be very difficult to know exactly what to put on yours. In the first blog of our series ‘Ask the Recruiters’, we speak to experienced Recruiter and the Co-Founder of Discovered People, Ryan Halson. 

Ryan reveals some of the biggest faux pas and mistakes commonly found on resumes. While some may seem obvious, we think a few of these may surprise you. From spelling mistakes to oversharing, make sure that your resume doesn’t include any of these common issues Ryan lists below. 

Avoid Photos

‘You really do not need to have photos on your resume’ Ryan says. Explaining how it can unfortunately invite unwanted prejudice. ‘I’d really say to avoid photos at all costs, but if you really want to display it you can attach a link to your linkedin profile where people can see your profile picture there’.

Don’t Overshare 

‘Information like date of birth, how many children you have, drivers licence or passport number don’t belong on a resume’. Explaining how many of the candidates he’s seen over time tend to overshare important information that’s not really relevant at that stage of a job application. 

‘You only really need a phone and email contact on your resume. With additional things, such as LinkedIn, github or stack overflow for examples of work or your portfolio that add value to your profile.’

Although it feels like yesterday, chances are High School was a long time ago

According to Ryan, it turns out that adding things like your high school grades or the fact you were part of the choir don’t really matter or add anything on a resume (other than you have a great singing voice). 

‘For highly technical roles. I don’t think it’s relevant to have your high school results on a resume if you have one or more formal degrees.

Hobbies Help

A surprising addition to your resume, is to include your hobbies and interests. ‘Definitely have interests there. One of the main things I look at is a candidate’s hobbies to see what kind of person they are and if they’ll be a good match with the manager of the role they’re applying for.’

A main difference at Discovered People is we want to make sure we connect people and teams that are a cultural match also. ‘If both the candidate and manager have shared interests we know they’re more likely to get along and work together better’.

Spell Check Everything

This one is likely not a surprise, but clearly not said enough as it still happens pretty regularly. ‘It goes without saying that you need to spell check your resume. I personally use Grammarly as a way to have a second pair of eyes and proof of the work I do, I think it’s really helpful for resumes if you want to double check and be sure’. 

Short and Sweet Descriptions

‘The description of each technology you use doesn’t have to be super long’. Adds Ryan. ‘Keep these as short and relevant as possible, while making sure they only contain descriptions of skills you have recent experience in.’

‘If you worked with a technology over 10 years ago, don’t add it on your resume. If you worked with an old language 15-20 years ago, chances are your knowledge of it isn’t as strong as it once was. Worst case scenario you’re quizzed on it, have oversold yourself and the employer may then doubt your knowledge of all the other skills on your resume. 

Size Doesn’t Always Matter

While many people say to keep a resume to two pages, Ryan doesn’t necessarily agree with that. ‘Actual length of the resume isn’t a real issue, it’s more the information on that resume. If you’re trying to fit 10 years of really relevant experience into two pages, just make it longer. Even if it’s 4-5 pages of really relevant information I don’t see a problem with that’. 

The point he does raise is anything past 10 years old. ‘For anything before 2011, I’d really consider if it’s still relevant. If you still want to include it, just make sure it’s done as a shorter responsibilities section, just focusing on the client, job title and dates you were there’. 

Tailor It to the Role You’re Applying For

‘You should tailor your resume to the job you’re applying for’. Explains Ryan. ‘If you’re in a creative industry like design or marketing, show off your skills and make your resume stand out with things like infographics or creative design. However if you’re a backend developer or programmer, we don’t mind if it’s not the most creatively designed resume.’. 

At the end of the day, it’s all about how relevant the information you’ve put onto your resume is and how it shows you off as a candidate. 

 

Hopefully you don’t have to make too many edits to your resume after that, but we hope you’ve found some good advice on how to improve your resume. 

Looking for your next role? Get in touch with the Discovered team here to see our available roles. 

 

Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People

 

Applying for a new job can be incredibly stressful. From putting together tailored resumes and cover letters, to finding a job that you’d like to apply for, there’s a lot to think about when looking for that new role. 

One thing that can confuse a lot of people is the way that job descriptions are written. The way ads are compiled vary drastically from company to company, and it can be difficult to understand if you properly fit the roles criteria. 

Over vs. Under Qualified

The easiest way of knowing that you perhaps were not qualified or fit for a role is getting a generic rejection letter, or worse not hearing back at all. On the flip-side, it’s not uncommon for candidates to go through rounds of interviews, only to be told at the final stage that they are ‘too qualified’. 

This can be incredibly frustrating and counter-intuitive, as it’s essentially being told you’re too good at the job. The real reason employers often say this is they are wary of a talented candidate perhaps not being challenged or engaged enough in the role, ultimately leaving it shortly after. 

While this is clearly not the case of every rejected candidate, it does raise the point that in some cases the best thing to do is to aim higher than your current role when applying for jobs. 

Can I do it?

It’s often only one program or skill that stops people from applying for jobs, concerned that they will be written off for not knowing one small area listed on a job description. 

Keep in mind also, that women are most guilty of this, generally not applying for roles unless they feel like they’re 100% qualified, whereas that’s not the same case for men (Harvard Business Review). 

The best way to approach whether you should apply for a job or not is to ask yourself ‘Am I capable of doing this role?’. If it’s only software or small detail holding you back, ask yourself if you’re willing and able to learn it for this role. 

Bonus qualifications are also nice to have, but not essential. So don’t stress if you don’t meet every little expectation setout in the job description. If you’re up for the challenge, apply for the role as companies generally want to attract ambitious staff that stay with them for several years, are happy in the role and have room to grow. 

How to let them know you’re up for the challenge

When applying for jobs, use your cover letter to demonstrate relevant experience and other transferable skills you think are relevant to the job. While they may not have listed a certain skill, be sure to point out your additional experience that may set you apart from other candidates. 

Be positive, have faith in yourself and definitely don’t put in your cover letter ‘I may not meet all the qualifications but…’.  Phrase your application by focusing on other additional skills which may not be in the job description, but be of use to the employer. 

So, should you apply?

There’s no such thing as a perfect candidate and you never know if you’ll be successful in a job application unless you try. 

So don’t view job descriptions as strict rules, but rather a guideline and if you can see yourself doing the role, apply even if you don’t meet the ad 100%. 

We’re proud to have ‘no ghosting’ as one of our main mottos at Discovered People. So when you apply for a job through us, you can be assured that we’ll get back to you with feedback. 

Best of luck applying, aim high!

 

Get in touch with the Discovered People team here for a confidential chat about your next role here. 

 

Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People

 

You may think that after coming back from the holiday break, that January would instinctively be the best time of year to look for a new job. While it’s certainly reported as the time of year most people think about changing jobs (HR Magazine), despite popular belief February is actually the best time to find a new role. 

While it may not sound intuitive, this is mainly due to the sheer amount of people kicking off the New Year by looking for a new role. Ultimately creating a large influx of applicants applying for a very limited number of roles in January.

Adding to the low chance of finding a job in Jan, it’s less common for companies to start hiring as soon as they get back from the break period. With the majority of companies beginning their hiring across most departments from February onwards. 

 

So What Should You Do in Jan?

Data from Smart Recruiters showed that 60% of all applicants who applied for jobs, did so within the first week of the job being posted. This means you’re going to have to be quick to beat the competition to get your resume in front of the hiring manager. 

Stay on top of jobs as they’re posted by following and creating alerts for any new jobs on platforms like LinkedIn. Do this in January, that way as soon as jobs are posted in February you’re at the front of the crowd ready to apply. 

Knowing more jobs will become available in February means that January is also a prime time to make sure that your resume is up-to-date. So freshen and proofread your CV, update your LinkedIn profile and make sure you’re ready to apply as soon as a new job pops up. 

 

What’s the Best Day of the Week to Look?

Smart Recruiters research has shown that Tuesdays are the most common day for companies to post job ads. Not only this, but it’s also the most common day that people apply for jobs and eventually get hired. 

A good way to remember this is to set a reminder in your calendar (make sure it’s your personal one!) to keep an eye on your email alerts, job notice boards and any new roles on each Tuesday in February. 

So if you’re in the market for a new job this year, make sure you’ve got everything prepared, your alerts are on and that you’re being vigilant checking job boards on Tuesdays.

Keep all this in mind and we hope that you’ll be ready to apply for all those upcoming jobs and be able to land the one you’re after. Best of luck applying! 

 

Looking for a job now? The good news is we’ve got a few fantastic roles available right now and have more coming up over the next few weeks. Get in touch with the Discovered People team here for a confidential chat.

 

Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People

If you’re thinking about a new job this New Year, you’re not alone. With 3.3million Australians wanting a career change, on top of those who haven’t found employment since with the pandemic first hit. Given the current competitiveness across industries, it would be sensible to look at what Australian industries performed the best throughout the pandemic and are actively hiring new staff (ING).

Now some of these industries won’t come as a big surprise given the year 2020 was. The most essential industry in the fight against COVID-19 was the healthcare sector. Which  included hospitals, medical equipment manufacturers, diagnostics teams and pharmaceutical companies. With all areas seeing massive growth which do not seem to be slowing down going into 2021 (Polyglot).

Some of the included industries may not be what you expected, so if 2021 is your year for a new job, we’ve put together some of the top growing industries you should be watching in 2021.

 

 

The Top Growing Industries to Watch (ING 2020)

  • BioTech, Pharmaceutical & Life Sciences

As anyone could predict, anything related to healthcare had a huge growth and is still currently in demand and hiring new staff. 

  • Cyber Security

There was a huge growth of companies shifting to online stores throughout the pandemic. Sadly hackers took advantage of this change too, creating new forms of cyber attacks and schemes to take advantage of consumers globally. The search for talented cyber security specialists have always been in demand, but given the rise in cyber attacks over the past 12 months the need for these talented professionals has increased even more. 

  • Healthcare

Healthcare workers globally proved that they were vital 2020. 12% of Australians surveyed said they were considering a career change to an essential services that will always be needed (ING).

  • Buy Now, Pay Later

The Buy Now Pay Later industry had a revenue growth of 65.8% this year (Ibisworld). This of course is partially due to everyone being quarantined at home, with little to no other options than to shop online. Companies like After Pay and Klarna had huge expansions in Australia, with more shoppers than ever changing to the new payment systems. 

  • EdTech

With educational organisations, schools, universities and more moving online, education related technology boomed throughout the year. With so many institutions now seeing the benefits and ease of online learning, there is no doubt that this industry will continue to grow. 

  • Digital Entertainment

Without being able to leave home for most of the year, digital entertainment was a thing that gave many of us joy and sanity throughout the year. From streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney+, to video games and consoles, digital entertainment was a prime source of fun throughout the year for many of us which is continuing to grow.

  • Agriculture

For many resilient farmers in Australia this year, the climate conditions improved significantly since. With bank lending up more than 100 per cent in most states compared to the same time last year (CBA). We see this industry continuing to grow.

  • Renewable Energy

Anybody that plays the stock markets would’ve seen renewable energy stocks soaring throughout the year (Investor Daily). The big reason behind this is a powerful industry growth as well as general consumer shift towards sustainability. Many people are becoming more aware of climate change and actively seeking social responsibility to try and preserve the earth. 

  • Sustainability and Wellness 

At many times throughout the year there was little else to do apart from focus on ones positive mindset’s and wellness to make it through 2020. There was a huge shift in perceptions towards sustainability and wellness with many adopting new life practices and a huge shift towards Sustainability and Wellness focused companies. 

  • Grocery & Food Delivery

It would be safe to say that there are very few people that didn’t indulge in a cheeky Uber Eats or Menulog meal throughout lockdown. Delivery drivers were the unsung heroes of the year, bringing us tasty delights to get us through lockdown. There was a large shift towards purchasing groceries online rather than venturing into the stores and risking health concerns. The ease of shopping online has been one many will stick to permanently. 

 

Ready to start applying for new jobs? Discovered people are a Sydney based recruitment agency helping connect amazing people with phenomenal companies.

We work across a lot of these industries, so if you’re on the hunt for your next role get in touch with the Discovered people team here for a confidential chat about how we can help find your dream job. 

 

Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People

 

2020 was the year that no one could’ve predicted. Most elements of everyday life for people around the globe significantly changed  with the COVID-19 pandemic. There was a huge shift towards conducting everyday life online, and technology ended up being the one thing able to keep us connected while we were physically apart.

While over 600,000 Australians lost their jobs during the pandemic, a study by ING has also revealed that one in three (35%) Australian adults are likely to look for a new job post-pandemic going into 2021. 

So while in Australia we slowly make our way back to normal, there is no doubt that there’s been a huge shift in how workplaces are run across multiple industries, as well as a big move in popularity towards STEM-based (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) roles. 

With technology proving to be the pivotal part of what kept most companies operational throughout the pandemic, it’s no surprise that in-demand skills have changed. Looking at what roles have become more popular, as well as where the future of work now lays we’ve pulled together some of our top predictions for top tech jobs to watch in 2021. 

 

Trending Tech Jobs to Watch in 2021

Cyber Security Specialists

The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) report identified Australians lost over $634 million to scams over the past 12 months, with over 100 reports of COVID-19 themed scams. 

With the significant rise in cyber attacks and malicious scams, it’s no doubt that cyber security professionals will continue to be highly regarded and sought after going into 2021. 

Management/Organisation Specialists & Analysts

Behind all the technology that was pivotal in keeping organisations running in 2020, the people behind the software that were able to organise and analyse teams of thousands became increasingly vital.

Tracking and analysing how teams and companies performed throughout the year, is often what separated those companies that boomed through the pandemic to those that did not. There’s been a significant increase in searches for management/organisation specialists and analysts, and given the importance they play in an organisation we don’t see this trend decreasing going into the New Year. 

Software and Applications Programmers

Good programmers are always hard to find and in high demand. With the drastic changes in technology in 2020 many companies had to make the shift online, thus needing software and applications programmers to help support their overall technological growth. 

Across multiple coding languages, the never-ending search for talented programmers will undoubtedly continue into and well beyond 2021. 

Web Developers

A great positive to come out of 2020 was the creation of so many new small businesses. In today’s market all companies need a professional website to operate. We saw a huge rise in the amount of searches for talented web developers to support the creation of new websites, or completely overhaul existing ones to keep up with the new wave of technology. We see this trend continuing well into 2021. 

Game Designers

Throughout the year we all had a lot more free time, in which a lot of us spent that time turning to video games. While being a video game designer has always been a popular job path, with a significant increase in those actively participating in online gaming platforms we predict a trend in the amount of game designers and developers needed in the future to keep up with the growing demand. 

Computer User Support Specialists

With the whole world moving online to communicate and work, there was an influx of people who needed support in doing this. Computer user support specialists, helpdesk professionals, and general computer teachers were in demand throughout the year as many people wanted to be able to make the switch online with ease. 

Having the ability to both understand and easily explain technology to anybody is not an easy task, and the search for talented people who are able to do both of these sufficiently grew. We predict the need for these skill sets in the oncoming years to only grow as working remotely online becomes the new norm. 

Digital Marketing Specialists (eCommerce)

As most organisations transitioned into the digital world, companies that were once brick and mortar stores progressed into eCommerce platforms, needing specialist support to do just so. Digital marketers with the technical ability to build stores, analyse performance and optimise online sales were very sought after, but often difficult to find. 

The search for a good digital marketing specialist, especially those with an eCommerce background will only grow as people continue to see the benefits of transitioning their stores online in order to continue sales growth beyond traditional non-digital methods. 

 

Already looking to apply for a top trending tech job before 2021? Get in touch with the Discovered People team here for a confidential chat.

 

Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People

 

2020 has been a year of big changes for most people. If you’ve been lucky enough to keep the same job you had at the beginning of the year, there’s no doubt that many aspects of the role have likely changed since the pandemic started. If you’re one of the many that lost their jobs throughout the course of the year, there’s a possibility that you had to take on contract work or a role that perhaps wasn’t exactly what you’d been doing before.

No matter what the next step in your career is, or what your goals for 2021 are, it’s always good to have an up-to-date resume handy that properly represents your achievements as a professional.

So whether your 2021 goals are to find a new job, finally get that promotion or change career paths completely, we’ve put together our top 3 tips to make sure that your resume is ready for whatever 2021 holds. 

 

Personalise it to your future goals

A lot of people spent the forced downtime in 2020 completely reassessing what they wanted from a company, team, manager and ultimately where they wanted their career to go in the future. This could be within an existing industry or field, or a completely new one altogether. 

When writing a resume it’s always important to make sure it’s tailored to the job that you’re applying for. If you’ve had a change in role or industry, or intend on changing it in 2021, start personalising your resume to make sure that it fits the exact type of roles that you’ll be applying for. 

Add any new technologies you’ve worked with

I’m sure by now that everyone has seen the jokes about how the best leader of technological innovation in 2020 was COVID-19. There is no doubt that despite how awful the pandemic was/is, that one of the best positives to come from it was the forced shift to remote work, smart technology and companies having to learn how to effectively communicate and run online.

If you’ve become a webinar expert, video conference pro, learnt how to use a new program, technology or popular software throughout the pandemic, be sure to add it in the relevant skills section of your resume or LinkedIn profile. You may think that it’s just a piece of software or tech, but your ability to use a particular program or technology may be what separates you apart from the competition when going for other jobs or promotions. 

Include any new certifications or qualifications 

A lot of educational and learning organisations have been quite generous throughout the pandemic, offering free courses and certifications to up-skill your resume throughout lockdown. From Google to LinkedIn, Apple and TAFE there are a significant amount of companies offering free, or very cheap resources to become certified in a new area. 

Many of these free or reduced price courses are still available for you to take advantage of now. So, if you haven’t quite made the jump yet and picked up a new skill in 2020,  have no fear as there’s still a month until 2021 starts. Have a look at the list we prepared here and see how you can easily up-skill to improve your resume and impresses recruiters. 

 

 

Looking for your next role now? Get in touch with the Discovered People team here for a confidential chat. 

 

Written by Ebony McCabe for Discovered People