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1. Previous Hiring Trends Are Unlikely to Apply

In previous years, we've seen hiring spikes around the start of a new year and again in the autumn, while the summer and holiday seasons have been quiet. This, however, may not be the case in 2021.

"It's unlikely that we'll be able to rely on prior hiring trends across the board," says Charlette Beasley, Workplace Analyst at Fit Small Company, a digital resource for small business owners. "Some businesses that were not as badly impacted by the epidemic may still see comparable hiring patterns as in past years, but we can expect a decreasing trend at the start of the year for companies that struggled to adjust to [COVID-related] constraints."

On the positive side, Beasley anticipates that recruiting will resume in the second or third quarter of the year, after the availability of a widely accessible vaccine and the lifting of prohibitions on travel, eating, and socializing.

How to Adjust

Keep an eye out for trends. In a stagnant job market, knowing who is (and isn't) hiring is essential. Check out news and industry sites that track business and hiring trends (sign up for their newsletters if they offer them), follow firms you're interested in on LinkedIn, and pay attention to the sorts of job ads you're seeing on job boards to keep on top of what's going on (and the types of companies posting them). If you're stuck for ideas, go out to individuals in your network who work in the field you're interested in and ask them how they keep on top of industry trends.

Make necessary changes to your employment hunt. "You may need to consider applying for opportunities that you might not have considered before," Beasley adds. This may be venturing into a new field, doing some freelancing work, coming up with inventive methods to refresh your skill set, or experimenting with alternative job search techniques.

Maintain contact with your network. "Job seekers sometimes believe that if employment slows, so will they. "However, this is the ideal time to reach out to your network to express your gratitude for their advice, provide a seasonal update, or let them know where you are in your job search," says Neepa Parikh, Career Services Manager at Springboard, an online learning platform for students interested in transitioning into software engineering, data science, machine learning, and UI/UX. "It's critical to maintain your connections warm so you may perhaps utilize their assistance when hiring resumes." (Full disclosure: I work for Springboard as a career coach.)

2. Key Industries Will Prosper

"Hiring patterns will most certainly differ based on sector and firm size," Parikh predicts. "Bigger organizations with sufficient cash flow and thriving areas such as IT and healthcare may see hiring spikes at the start of the year, while smaller businesses or those in affected industries such as service and hospitality may postpone hiring until the summer."

That implies 2021 might be the year you break out of your industry comfort zone or make a career pivot, particularly if you want to enhance your chances of obtaining a job faster or if you were already thinking about changing careers.

According to experts, the following are some crucial industries to keep an eye on:

Tech: 2020 was a good year for tech businesses, owing to the fact that they don't depend on physical storefronts for commerce and can sometimes function nearly exclusively online, since the majority of their staff can work from home. Furthermore, "the technology sector will continue to dominate the market." "in 2021, according to Cristina de la Cruz, Regional Vice President of Robert Half Technology, a human resources consulting business located in the Bay Area.

Healthcare and health tech: "As the epidemic continues to make society more health-conscious and dependent on technology," Beasley argues, "the healthcare and tech businesses will continue to flourish." Look for opportunities to work in a broad range of healthcare-related companies, including frontline providers and virtual medical care. We should also begin regaining some of the preventative care jobs lost in 2020.

"Even before the epidemic, the financial services business was heading toward internet banking," says Fintech. "Because COVID has hastened the move away from a physical presence, we will likely see more employment in the online banking and fintech industries," Parikh predicts.

E-commerce: Do you remember all of our internet shopping? It had an effect. "There will be a greater emphasis on e-commerce and consumer goods as consumers purchase stuff rather than services," Parikh predicts. Companies who were already online or were able to make the shift to selling nearly entirely online will most certainly continue to hire to fulfill demand until 2021.

Customer service: "Anything involving customer service will be in high demand." "Todd Bavol, CEO of Integrity Staffing Solutions, a fast-growing recruitment and staffing agency, agrees. This could result in greater need for customer care agents in a range of sectors, particularly software (as businesses continue to depend on virtual business and remote work) and retail (as consumers continue to do the majority of shopping online).

Renewable energy: As we've grown more conscious of the climate catastrophe, this business has been on the rise. And, given that climate change seems to be a primary focus for the next presidential administration, we should expect to see development in the green energy sector.

While these are some of the most important sectors to keep an eye on, this is not a complete list. De la Cruz also said that a number of major areas, including banking, accounting, and law, would continue to hire in 2021.