Recruiting, Talent

New Report Offers Insight into the Perceptions of Employment Opportunities

According to a recent Robert Half survey, 57% of respondents say the most frustrating part of the job search is the long wait after an interview to hear if they got the job. What are other perceptions candidates have regarding the job search process? A new report, Perceptions of Employment Opportunities—released by Job Application Center, a job search website—delves into candidates’ perception on the entire job search process, and the results may surprise you.

Job candidates

The report features data compiled from a survey of over 2,000 individuals and industry insight and offers a detailed look at how the job market is changing. The report also looks at trends in job search methods, generational barriers, and perceptions on education.

How Long Will Your Employees Last?

Research has shown that Millennials (18 to 34 years old) won’t last very long at your organization, topping out at 2 years, before they move on to greener pastures. The Perceptions report also highlights this fact, citing 41% of Millennials will last 2 years or less. The older the generation, the more likely they are to stick around. The report shows that only 4% of Millennials will stay with a company for 15 or more years, compared to 12% of Gen Xers and 7% of Baby Boomers.

Candidates’ Perceived Difficulty of Finding Jobs

Older Millennials, who graduated college during the Great Recession of 2008, can attest to the difficulty of gaining a job during that time period. But does the same sentiment ring true for Baby Boomers?  According to the report, 40% of Baby Boomers said it was easy to get a job right out of college compared to 8% of Millennials. In contrast, 51% of Millennials said it was difficult to get a job, compared to just 15% of Baby Boomers.

According to the report, “The Boomer earlier generations grew into adulthood around industries that were expanding rapidly, especially automotive and industrial manufacturing but also health care, telecommunications, and engineering.” Today’s industries are more technology driven, which reduces the demand for human talent.

The report claims, “What we see now is a shift from an industrial boom to a digital expansion, with a greater need for tech-based careers and education. With the ease at which higher education can be obtained (though at a cost) and the growing use of outsourced remote work, Millennials do face a lot of competition.”

Are You Devoted to Your Employees?

Employee retention is a hot issue and should come as no surprise since Millennials are infamous for job hopping. But are you meeting your employees’ demands and devoting your efforts to keeping them engaged? According to the report, 52% of respondents say they are confident that their employers are as equally devoted to them as they are to their company.

However, 18% of respondents say they are not confident in their employers’ ability to take care of them. According to the report, “This may stem from large organizations (Google, Zappos, Nordstrom, etc.) publicly making these investments while many companies haven’t made the move to invest in their workers beyond standard compensation and benefits packages.”

Social Media’s Role in the Job Process

If you are struggling to recruit top talent, you may want to start looking on social media. According to the report, 40% of respondents are more likely to use social media as a job resource than any other method.

According to the report, “The number of companies relying on traditional methods for finding talent (job boards, newspaper listings, recruiters) is dwindling, and social media is the main reason. Not only do companies post job openings on their own business pages within sites like Facebook, but they reach out to their networks on Twitter in search of talent.”

As technology continues to dominate the workforce, in terms of industry and tools, employers can benefit from learning how potential candidates perceive employment opportunities. By curtailing your methods to fit their needs, you can attract, retain, and engage your workforce. For more information, or to view the full report, click here.

Melissa BlazejakMelissa Blazejak is a Senior Web Content Editor at BLR. She has written articles for HR.BLR.com and the HR Daily Advisor websites and is responsible for the day-to-day management of HR.BLR.com and HRLaws.com. She has been at BLR since 2014. She graduated with a BA of Science, specializing in Communication, from Eastern Connecticut State University in 2008. Most recently, she graduated in 2014 with a MS of Educational Technology.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *