Employment trends to look for in 2016

by Angela Copeland | Jan 11, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter

Since the New Year started, I keep getting the same question over and over: “What’s on the horizon in 2016?”

And, the question makes sense. For years, the job market has been rocky. Between layoffs and high unemployment, the stress had been mounting.

Finally in the past two years, the unemployment rate has returned to levels that are giving us hope. In December, the Labor Department reported that our employment rate remained at five percent for the third straight month. In fact, 292,000 new jobs were added in December alone.

So, what’s on the horizon for this year? Well, my first prediction is that many folks who’ve been staying in jobs they hate will decide this is the time to look. There are finally new opportunities to apply to, and things are looking up.

Second, it will become more normal to stay at a job for three to five years. Past generations may have been uncomfortable switching careers, but it’s becoming more and more the norm. Younger generations are not only embracing it, but it’s almost expected.

And, with all the switching, the likelihood of someone working for the same company more than once is going up. Years ago, it was unusual to meet someone who’s worked at the same company more than once, right? But today, you can probably think of multiple friends or coworkers in this exact situation. They’re called boomerang employees.

Then there’s the topic of money. Employers are continuing to offer internal employees small raises and are prompting them to look elsewhere. But, even more than money, employees are looking for work-life balance. Employers are hearing this message and are beginning to add or expand existing work perks.

Many companies are beginning to expand their maternity and paternity leave policies. Some are even allowing parents to work reduced hours without being penalized.

Other new or expanding perks include student loan debt repayment, and fertility and adoption assistance. More companies are also offering the Silicon Valley in office perks like free lunches, onsite laundry, a fitness center, and more.

But, the most exciting news for 2016 is that many of the Baby Boomers who’ve been waiting to retire are finally going to take the leap. This year alone, 3.6M Baby Boomers are scheduled to retire. What this means is that an estimated 25% of Millennials are slated to become managers this year!

As you can imagine, these are exciting times! For the first time in a number of years, the job seeker can begin to feel in control. Younger employees may be able to let go of some of the frustration they’ve felt about not receiving more promotions. And, everyone can breathe a collective sigh of relief as there are more available jobs to select from.

So, without delay, get started on your new career plans, so you can make 2016 the best year yet!

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach

What’s holding you back?

by Angela Copeland | Jan 4, 2016 | Advice, Newsletter

The more people I’ve helped to find new jobs, the more I think about this topic. What is it that’s standing in your way?

When I meet job seekers, they always outline their concerns about looking for a job. For some, it’s age. For others, it’s weight. And, some are worried that they never finished college.

But, in reality everyone has these fears. What sets the successful apart from the dreamers seems to be one thing.

It’s not a MBA, a genius IQ, money, or a stellar existing job — although these things don’t hurt either.

The real “it” factor seems to be a person’s ability to pursue their goals, despite their fears. It’s being afraid, but trying anyway.

As I was thinking about this topic, I looked up a few quotes. There are so many good ones on the topic of fear. Here are just a few.

“If you live in fear of the future because of what happened in your past, you’ll end up losing what you have in the present.”
“Never let your fear decide your fate.”
“The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.”
“Fear is only temporary. Regret last forever.”
“Your largest fear carries your greatest growth.”
“Decide that you want it more than you are afraid of it.”
“Don’t let your fear of what could happen make nothing happen.”
“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” –Jack Canfield
“Do the thing you fear most and the death of fear is certain.” –Mark Twain

But, being fearless, it doesn’t mean always getting it right the first time. The fearless often fail, a few times, but keep trying. They try until they find success.

Thomas Edison once said, “I haven’t failed. I’ve just found 10,000 ways that won’t work.” You’ve got to believe he had to try a few times before he ever found success.

The ability to fail and keep trying boils down to resilience. It’s that grit factor that allows some people to keep trying until they finally succeed.

The key characteristic that seems to play hand in hand with fearlessness is openness. A theme I’ve observed in both my most successful clients — and my podcast guests is a sense of being open. When you ask about their careers, the story often includes parts about how they tried something they had never done before. Or, how someone gave them an opportunity they hadn’t planned on, but they took it anyway. It doesn’t mean however that they took every opportunity, but they were open to the ones that had possibility.

If you’ve been struggling to meet your goals, I’d encourage you to spend some time thinking about what’s holding you back. Why are you stuck? Some of the things you may come up with will be external. They’ll be out of your control. Once you have a list, focus in on which things you do have control over. Those are the ones that can make the biggest difference.

If I were to guess, I’d bet at least one of the things holding you back is being influenced by fear some (if not a lot). Focusing on conquering that fear (or learning to work through it) can make a huge difference in both your personal and professional success.

I hope these tips have helped you. Visit CopelandCoaching.com to find more tips to improve your job search. If I can be of assistance to you, don’t hesitate to reach out to me here.

Also, be sure to subscribe to my Copeland Coaching Podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher where I discuss career advice every Tuesday! If you’ve already heard the podcast and enjoy it, please consider leaving a review in Apple Podcasts or Stitcher.

Happy hunting!

Angela Copeland
@CopelandCoach