There is no question that 2020 has been a unique and arduous year for recruitment. The focus on ensuring that your organization’s hiring process is inclusive is a widely discussed topic. At Chaloner, this is not a new subject for us.

Today more than ever, many positions don’t make it to job boards, and when they do, hiring managers can be overwhelmed with applicants. As a result, networking is imperative for an effective job search. And it’s a good idea to practice networking even when you’re not actively looking.

So you’ve been laid-off. Regardless of whether you anticipated losing your job, the experience is unsettling. Even if you were beginning to prepare for unemployment, it’s natural to feel destabilized in the face of it.

Breaking & Entering is a podcast for students, recent grads, or experts interested in advertising, media, and journalism. Listeners are engaged in real conversations from students to CEOs in the communications world.

At Chaloner, we often ask our candidates what type of “on-the-job training” they’ve received. Cultivating your skills is an exciting way to take control of your career. PR professionals know that the market has evolving needs; and in recent months we had to adapt how we learn about and answer those needs.

Everyone at one point in their job search happens upon a job they want to apply for, but for which they don’t completely meet the qualifications. When should you still apply, and when should you treat the job description as law?

Like many people across the United States, Chaloner has been watching the events of spring and summer 2020 with sadness and also with hope. We witness violence and injustice rooted in a long history of racism in the United States, but also see collective action towards a better future.

In the wake of the pandemic, I’m seeing hundreds of Communications and PR pros on the hunt for new positions, when in reality, our industry has never been in more demand. While it may appear to be a seller’s market, the non-negotiables rarely change.

Virtual interviews, that can even lead to virtual hires, have become the new norm. And they may likely be here to stay, saving companies time and money, and offering an efficient path to narrow the candidate pool to a top few.

One of the frequent comments we hear from prospective clients is that they desperately need help filling roles, but did not budget for recruiter fees. They often feel stuck because as much as they need to fill the job, they cannot seem to justify the expense to cover the cost.