Competition For The Hottest Jobs Is Increasing: Here’s How To Win

The economy is tightening, and competition for jobs is heating up. Within this context, you’re smart to know which jobs are most in demand and where the best opportunities might be. Getting a jump on your job search and setting yourself apart will be critical if you want to land a great role.

The Jobs Landscape

A new study by Semrush found the top three jobs people are searching for in the U.S. are flight attendant, medical assistant and jobs in security. And the jobs with the biggest growth in searches compared to previous years are data analyst, project manager and proofreader jobs. On the other hand, some jobs are declining in popularity. These include pharmacy technician, administrative assistant, nanny, firefighter and jobs as tutors.

What about remote or hybrid roles? Overall, hybrid is declining in its level of importance compared with things like job security, but the desire for greater flexibility about where and when people work is still important. Searches for these kinds of roles have quadrupled in popularity. Especially hot are searches for “remote jobs near me,” “part time remote jobs,” and “entry level remote jobs.”

Tech companies are also especially popular in searches for jobs. Interest in Amazon, Meta, Google, Netflix and Apple has doubled in searches both in the U.S. and globally. Monthly, an average of 7 million people view Amazon’s career page and 1.2 million view Meta’s career section.

Get a Jump Start

Data on searches can inform your job search in important ways, and one of the first things you can do is act quickly. With more media coverage about layoffs or belt-tightening by companies (think: cancelling open positions), people who want new opportunities will accelerate their efforts—and you’ll want to get to the front of the line if you can.

Search now and search regularly for new roles since things are constantly in flux, given the volatility of the market right now. In addition, companies often reduce search and hiring activities during the holidays, so now is the time to get a jump on finding and pursuing new opportunities.

Seek Adjacencies

If the most in-demand jobs are also on your list of those to pursue, you can expand your options by thinking creatively and considering adjacent roles. Think of these as the “adjacent possible.” For example, if you’re interested in being a flight attendant because you love the travel industry and are moved by the power of airplanes, you could consider searching other roles which are related, like gate agents, airplane mechanics or marshallers. Or if being a medical assistant seems exciting because you love healthcare, you could also consider exploring roles as a phlebotomist, an EKG tech or a medical claims examiner.

Also expand your search by seeking related data and considering the economy and which jobs are fast-growing. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes a list of the 20 occupations with the highest projected percent change of employment between 2021-2031. They include jobs like nurse practitioners, wind turbine service techs, ticket-takers and projectionists for movies, restaurant cooks and data scientists.

Activate Your Network

The hidden job market—those jobs which haven’t yet been advertised or which are just emerging in the minds of leaders—is alive and well, and the best way to tap into these less-visible opportunities is to activate your network. Announce you’re looking for a job and ask your network for leads and support. Or if you want to be more surreptitious about your search, reach out to people privately and ask them to introduce you to others or refer you for a position.

The most helpful people will likely be in your secondary or tertiary networks, rather than your primary network. This has recently been proven in a study by MIT. Those you know best probably know many of the same people and they’re aware of the same opportunities that you are. But those who are farther afield—and those you’re not as close to—will have access to new information or fresh intel on what roles might be available. If you’ve supported others along the way and maintained good relationships, those network connections should be especially powerful in your search.

Focus On Your Core

Often, when companies are pulling back or protecting their positions in a contracting market, they are more interested in hiring people who are already experts and can hit the ground running in a role. They want to hire people who have proven track records or who can demonstrate they will perform quickly and competently. As a result, you’ll want to focus on your areas of core competence and demonstrated success.

Emphasize Your Potential

That said, of course companies also want to hire people who will grow with them and who have future potential. Emphasize your ability to perform today, but also talk about how you are committed to learning, growth and contributing to their organization in new ways over time. It will be a balance, and the message is nuanced, but it will be worth it to articulate both your value today and your value tomorrow.

In Sum

If you like your current role or your existing employer, great. But if you’re looking for the next big thing, now is the time to get a jump start, jump in and jump forward in seeking a new opportunity—either pursuing what you know will be interesting or thinking creatively about similar roles which could offer new learning and growth.