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The labor market still favors job seekers, so use it to your advantage.

Key Point

• Many economists fear a recession, but the job market is currently doing well.
• Job seekers can benefit from today’s labor market and should not hesitate to fight for better wages and benefits.

For months, financial experts have been sounding the alarm about a potential recession. As the Federal Reserve raises interest rates in an attempt to slow the pace of inflation, the higher cost of borrowing could start to dramatically reduce consumer spending, leading to a broader recession. I have a concern.

This could lead to a sharp tightening of the labor market, resulting in significantly fewer vacancies than current levels. But for now we are not there. Today’s labor market is strong and vacancies are plentiful. In fact, many industries are still experiencing labor shortages and are taking special steps to reach out to job seekers.

This is a situation that you can benefit from as a job seeker. Method is as follows.

1. Ask for sign-on bonuses

There was a time when sign-on bonuses were mostly reserved for specific industries such as investment banking. But in this year and the change, more and more companies are offering cash as an incentive to participate. If you’re looking for a job, don’t hesitate to ask if a sign-on bonus is included in your package. He may not get thousands of dollars in one lump sum, but you never know when he’ll get his $500 welcome payout.

2. Wage negotiations

When job openings are scarce, employers can cut their employees’ wages to get by. But not today. That means you have a great opportunity to negotiate a more generous salary. To do this successfully, take the time to research industry salary data to get an idea of ​​what numbers to look for. You can also highlight the unique skills you have to get higher rewards.

3. Advocate remote work — at least sometimes

Some companies are no longer enthusiastic about the idea of ​​full-time remote work.But not having to commute can save you quite a bit of money, so it’s worth fighting for at least partial remote work, even if it’s not full-time. that is Employees can work in a hybrid way where they are in the office a few days a week and work from home the rest of the week.

4. Seek generous benefits

Higher salaries, sign-on bonuses, and remote work can all put more money in your pocket and make it easier to stack your savings well. But don’t underestimate the importance of a good benefits package . Don’t hesitate to ask for perks like subsidized health insurance, paid time off, and a 401(k) retirement plan with a matching program.

We don’t know if or when the labor market will get worse. However, job seekers now have a distinct advantage that they can use to their advantage.