Changing Modes of Jobsearch: How Technology has enabled Jobseekers

ManagementApril 28, 2022 10:15

Job Search shift in Digital Era

In 2021, 41.9 percent of professionals, managers, executives, and technicians (PMETs) uploaded their resumes to social media such as LinkedIn and Facebook, signaling a change in job hunting mode in the digital economy. Since the start of the pandemic, 46.9 percent of non-PMETs in 2021 find placement via online job advertisements more effective than walk-ins given safe distancing regulations.

Such results were in contrast with 2018 when 48.6 percent non-PMETs reported that asking friends and relatives was most effective in job search due to the likelihood of employers preferring immediate hire from a reliable source. Walk-in interviews were also more common at 23.4 percent as more non PMET jobs such as those in F&B and accommodation industries require a bigger number of hires on short notice.

Employers also took on more proactive roles in recruitment by advertising online directly and searching for talents directly online. This is reflected in 52 percent of candidates responding to online job advertisements compared to going through intermediaries such as employment agencies in 2009.

 

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Now vs Then
According to the Ministry of Manpower, back in 2009, most candidates were still replying to advertisements and writing to firms via snail mail and hard copies, waiting for months for a phone call for an interview opportunity. Online presence was rare and job applicants would usually be looking through newspapers with job advertisements (59.1%) and asking friends and relatives (56.5%) for job referrals. However, 46 % of applicants were gradually making use of the internet to search for jobs. The Internet was most commonly used as a job search tool among degree and diploma holders– this could be a result of the higher usage of the internet amongst the candidates with higher qualifications as lower-skilled jobs are not often found on online job portals.​

 

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Traditional forms of job search may still be effective for candidates applying for roles in different fields and of varying demographics. Enquiring if your ex-supervisor had a job vacancy to fill was still useful for 8.3% of unemployed residents in 2021. Career centers like Workforce Singapore Careers Connect have career counselors who guide 11% of potential resident employees to find jobs according to their needs in 2021. 


The takeaway for job seekers in the digital era is this–Embrace the change. This could be updating your resume to include your latest project from your blog to marketing yourself via a video. Developers share their portfolio of work via GitHub and data analysts create their visualisation dashboard as part of their resumes as well.


How have you decided to fine-tune your job search process and capture the attention of your dream employer? Speak to RCNSG’s consultants today for extra guidance in landing your dream job!