More and more frequently, you may be seeing “Help Wanted” signs posted above stores and restaurants. But this national trend in labor shortages, commonly referred to as The Great Resignation, is affecting more than just retail and food service. In fact, it’s not really a labor shortage in the traditional sense, but a unique reconceptualization of work by the average person across all sectors.
In August 2021 alone, 2.9% of the American workforce, or 4.1 million people, quit their jobs. Economists and other researchers generally agree that this drop in employment isn’t due solely to market forces. Anthony Klotz, the Texas A&M psychologist who coined the term “The Great Resignation,” believes a major factor in job departures is that people are re-evaluating their relationship to work in the wake of COVID-19.
These “pandemic epiphanies” make workers less likely to maintain positions they find unsatisfactory, and more likely to feel empowered in their search for better (or more fulfilling) roles in the workforce. This paradigm shift has led to an abundance of people searching for new jobs, and many employers trying to fill newly opened positions. No matter which end of the spectrum you find yourself on, Meetup can help you navigate The Great Resignation.
How to get started in your job search
Letting go of your current position and betting on yourself in the job market is a scary prospect. However, you can be confident with the knowledge that now is an advantageous time to be an employee. Because employers are facing work shortages, they are not only more likely to hire, but more likely to make concessions around remote work, flexible schedules, pay rate, and more.
Before you begin submitting applications, think deeply about what kind of work you’d like to do. If you’ve already gone down the rabbit hole of unfulfilling work once, do your best to avoid a repeat journey by considering factors like work/life balance and daily routine as important as salary and benefits when assessing possible job leads.
If you’re venturing into a new field, it’s easy to feel intimidated with a relative lack of experience and professional contacts. Meetup can help you with everything from industry connections to specific, practical lessons related to your future job. For example, if you want to advance your career in tech, joining a Meetup group like Thinkful Austin | Careers in Tech is a great way to receive mentorship and career coaching while learning concrete skills like HTML coding.
How to find employees if you have open roles
As an employer, finding a good fit for your open position is crucial to team-wide success. These days, it can feel like an uphill battle. For the best results, start with the basics: reach out to contacts in your business network for possible leads. You never know who might know someone who knows someone who’s qualified and looking for a new job!
If you aren’t able to find a good match through word of mouth alone, turn to internet-based recruitment. Remember to put as much time and effort into online job postings as you would at an in-person information session or job fair. First impressions matter, and in an era when workers are more discerning, you can’t afford to cut corners. When placing your well-crafted job posting, think beyond LinkedIn and your company’s website: try audience-specific job boards like RemoteWoman and RemotePOC.
Networking is a two-way street. Meetup career groups and events aren’t only for those who want to advance their own career. They’re also an excellent resource for employers looking to connect with talented individuals who may be well-suited for an open position. Meetup has nearly 16 million members around the world who are specifically interested in professional networking!
What to do if you’ve left the workforce
What if you’re neither employee nor employer? You may be transitioning to full-time parenting, you might have recently retired, or you could just be taking an extended sabbatical. Whatever the case may be, there’s a lot more time in your life that doesn’t revolve around your profession, so how are you going to spend it?
While enjoying some well-deserved free time, it’s important to stay active. Extended downtime can be a slippery slope that leads to feeling distant from the things you love to do and the people you love to share those things with. Make time for socializing, hobbies, getting outdoors, and learning new skills.
Whether you want to play badminton, learn une nouvelle langue, make pottery, or anything in between, Meetup can help you do it with people who are as passionate as you. If you don’t see a group in your area engaging in your favorite pastime, you can easily create your own Meetup group and invite others to join you. Outside of work, you can still enjoy the benefits of having a strong community, like social interaction, a sense of belonging, and working toward a common purpose. Plus, if you plan to re-enter the workforce at a later date, your new network will make that transition much simpler.
Last modified on November 2, 2021
