BUFFALO, N.Y. — The unemployment rate in the United States dropped to 3.6% in March which is a two-year low. And, since the pandemic started, many companies have changed their hiring strategies to find the right candidates.
Brett Conrad just started looking for a new job about six weeks ago. He has been administering COVID-19 vaccines, and with the pace slowing down, says it is time for a change.
"It's been a little difficult, but now things are starting to move a little bit quicker. I live at Seneca One Tower, so a lot of the businesses in there I've started to network with," said Brett Conrad.
Conrad finds that when he applies online, he rarely gets a response and gets a lot of spam. He has only had virtual interviews so far.
But Lauren Lewis from StaffBuffalo says in-person recruitment is making a comeback.
"People were trying to get creative with virtual job fairs, but we've seen more of the in-person back again which are a great way for companies to get their name out there again and connect with job seekers," said Lauren Lewis.
Lewis works with companies to find the right candidates. She says they are hiring for a lot of human resources positions right now, along with jobs in health care, accounting, and customer service.
"I always tell my clients you have to act fast in this market, so the longer you draw out an interview process, the more likely you're going to lose a candidate you might be interested in because a lot of times they are looking at other opportunities," says Lewis.
Lewis also says they are finding a lot of job applicants are coming to the table ready to negotiate.
"It can be salary, schedule options, hybrid opportunities within a company, like, a lot of people are like well, I can work remote a couple of days so if I can leave work at three and pick up my kids and get them off the bus, I can jump back on my computer later in the evening and get the job done. So a lot of companies are having to come to the table with some more flexibility for their employees to make sure that they're getting those people that they want working for them," says Lewis.
Lewis says if you are looking for a new job, do your research and find the right fit. That's what Brett Conrad is doing as he finishes his Master's Degree in Public Health.
"Keep looking on the job boards, unsubscribe from other spam messages, and try your best to go to networking events," said Conrad.