The New Trend In Hiring Employees: Adaptation

Applying for that next big job with the fancy perks, the fresh new career prospect and the big pay cheque has become second nature to a lot of us these days, especially with Generation Y rising through the ranks. It’s not a particularly bad thing- in fact, it’s a healthy thing, as it demonstrates a shift in thinking from living-to-work, to working-to-live. Change is as good as a holiday, and with our employment consuming such a large part of lives each week, combined with the huge array of opportunities that exist, who can blame us? Everyone today is far more focused on job satisfaction and work-life balance, because we want to feel empowered, appreciated, and fulfilled.

This trend is nothing new, but there is a different pattern emerging as businesses start to recognise how fast the commercial environment is evolving today.

Perhaps only a few years ago, employment agencies and employers themselves would stipulate that sheer experience in a similar role was the only qualification that was absolutely essential. It was in every job ad (usually in bold), and seemed to be the only criterion that was of any importance. If you had five years experience, you were in; and this made sense: as an employer, you want someone that can do their job well and maximise output in each role pretty much from the word ‘go’. While this is still the case, and still important, there has been a noticeable shift in recruitment, with employers starting to focus strongly on other, even more valuable characteristics in their candidates (and if they’re not, they should be).

Change has always been the only permanent constant, and, while this has been said over and over for years, it has never been truer than it is today. Industries and global economies are embracing technology at a rate never even seen or imagined before, business models are evolving, product offerings are more innovative, and the customer has become such a well-informed, complex being, that Marketing has had to reassess it’s techniques to what I have called the “Empathetic Marketing” approach (see: http://www.melottimedia.com.au/blog/the-road-to-re-humanising-marketing).

With all of these changes occurring on a daily basis, an organisation has to adapt or die. Therefore, they need to be full of employees up to this kind of challenge. This means that the ability to appreciate, embrace and adapt to change is becoming the most important virtue an employee can possess, especially with management. Gone are the days of conservative executives and the inertia of upper management; if an organisation isn’t looking at itself constantly and re-evaluating its competitive position, it’s going to have a turbulent future. An innovative workplace embraces this challenge, and a healthy (not to mention profitable) culture will emerge to take on the new world.

So, when hiring, ensure that you’re delving deep for the switched-on, change-embracing, innovative candidate who will see your business through an ever-evolving landscape. Equally as important, as a person looking for your dream job, earn their respect by ensuring that your resume reflects your recognition of this kind of environment, emphasises your strengths and experiences in striving to adapt and experiment, your willingness to problem solve, and your commitment to embracing inevitable change.