Navigating today’s job market can be both complex and challenging. A recent LinkedIn News article revealed that 53% of job seekers are taking longer than six months to land their next position. This highlights the reality of the job market, increased competition, and the evolution of skill demands, as well as the importance of strategic support and resources to streamline the job search process. Career Transition services can significantly accelerate your former employee’s journey to their next career opportunity. When job seekers receive expert guidance on how to approach their search, they’re better positioned to land roles more quickly, even in a competitive job market.
Among the many strategies Career Transition services focus on, leveraging LinkedIn effectively is a key component. A well-optimized LinkedIn profile is often the first step toward catching the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. With proper guidance, job seekers can turn their LinkedIn profile into a personal marketing tool that attracts the right opportunities. However, most job seekers are unaware how LinkedIn’s algorithm plays a major role in recruiter searches and need help incorporating elements into their profile to make them stand out.
Networking
Ultimately, networking is most commonly cited as the best approach to land a new role. However, job seekers are not intuitively skilled at networking, nor have many been actively doing so while employed. LinkedIn, if expertly utilized, is a highly efficient tool to support networking efforts. Data on new jobs landed shows that applicants significantly increase their chances of securing new roles through referrals, and perhaps surprisingly, the most successful referrals aren’t from their first level connections. Thus, the use of LinkedIn, coupled with the skill of how to network, can be a very effective combination. The results support that — with a referral, applicants are 4-5 times more likely to secure an interview compared to cold applications.
Applying
The job application process on LinkedIn is easy to use, which paradoxically, often leads to very low response rates for untrained applicants. Studies show that just 2-3% of applicants get a response when applying through LinkedIn, and for highly competitive roles the response rate is even lower. Features like Easy Apply on LinkedIn vastly increase the number of applicants – and competition! Without expert guidance very few job seekers overcome the common challenges of applying through LinkedIn, such as being filtered out by applicant tracking systems (ATS) and appearing as one of hundreds of applicants without any kind of personalized connection.
Resilience
Even with a relatively low unemployment rate the LinkedIn News article highlights a growing trend: it’s taking longer for many people to land their next role. For many, this extended timeline can be financially and emotionally draining. One of the less-discussed benefits of Career Transition services is the confidence the coaches instill in job seekers. Career transitions can be understandably overwhelming regardless of circumstances, and confidence plays a significant role in securing opportunities. This is an area where career transition and coaching support excels. With expert coaching and training, individuals feel motivated, accountable, and confident throughout the process. Through strategic and emotional support, they’re empowered to showcase their value proposition clearly, advocate for themselves through effective networking conversations and interviews, and stay resilient in the face of challenges or rejection.
The Bottom Line
LinkedIn is a powerful tool available to job seekers today—but using it effectively requires training and strategy—and without both, job seekers will miss out on opportunities. Career Transition services provide that essential guidance, helping individuals personalize their career strategy and job search plan. It is a human-led experience, that’s enhanced by technology, to optimize individual’s profiles, grow networks, and navigate the application process with confidence.
As today’s job searches take longer, the support of Career Transition programs can be the difference between months of searching and a timely transition to a fulfilling new role. For individuals navigating a career change it can be a game-changer to have access to support services with tailored guidance based on individual strengths, industry trends, and market demands.
For employers, offering Career Transition services to departing employees isn’t just a goodwill gesture—it fosters important employment brand reputation support from both former and current employees—and it demonstrates to potential employees being recruited that the company understands the importance of helping people persevere in challenging business conditions.
Contact us to learn more about the benefits of career transitions services.