Top 5 Hiring Trends from Indeed CEO

Indeed.com is a website I use regularly and has the pulse on hiring. Put in the title “counsel” and your keyword plus metro area, and the site generates an accurate and comprehensive snapshot of the job market. So when the Wall Street Journal interviewed the Indeed CEO Chris Hyams, I paid attention to what he had to say. Five key points:

1. The job market went through a “massive shake-up” this past year. On the unlucky side of the spectrum, millions were laid off or furloughed. On the other side (mostly where we sit in Silicon Valley), employers “providing digital and essential services went on hiring sprees,” and “job interviews went virtual.” All that comports with my experience.
2. Last spring job postings plunged 40%, but have been rebounding since, and the job market forecast is indeed positive. Chris Hyams says, “There are actually more new jobs posted on Indeed right now than there were right before the pandemic.” And I can vouch for the crazy hiring season now.
3. One big hiring trend is interviewing by video. Hyams reports, “Last March and April, we saw an increase of more than 1,000% in the share of employer requests for interviews over video…. This is a change we think is going to be really significant. Finding time to sneak out to interview for a job is always a huge barrier that can be almost entirely eliminated.” All true!
4. More companies are posting positions that offer remote work. Hyams says, “Fewer than half of workers in the U.S. work in a field where remote work is an option. But for the ones where it is an option, a very large number of employers have taken jobs that were not fully remote before and made them that way.” My clients expect to go hybrid, and a few completely remote.
5. List something funny on your LinkedIn profile. WSJ notes Hyams’ “LinkedIn profile has an amazing entry: ‘Musician 1991 – 1993. Tried to become a rock star. Failed. Would do it all over again.’” Hyams notes, “I’m always drawn to people who have funny things on their résumé, because that’s my experience.” I’m ok with listing something funny on a LinkedIn profile but not so sure about the resume. Lawyers usually have so much information to include in a limited space. But if you have room, it may be worth it if it happens to delight the interviewer (definitely no guarantees about that). Do not include any off-color jokes, which will kill your chances. I think the important take-away is people connect with humans, so do show your personality whenever you can.