What is Job Seeker?

By Abhishek Kathpal | Updated 08 August, 2022

Millions of people look for jobs every year to improve their working conditions, while others who are already employed look for new jobs, others who have been fired or quit their jobs also look for work, as do recent graduates who have finished their studies. As a result, finding a job requires constant effort until a worthy position is found.

What is Job Seeker

Job Seeker meaning and definition

Individuals who are looking for employment because they are unemployed, underemployed, unsatisfied with their current position, or simply want a better position are known as job seekers, sometimes known as job hunters or job searchers. People looking for work might be of many different shapes and sizes, including individuals who have graduated, changed careers, been laid off, or have been explicitly headhunted.

Types of job seekers

According to the kind of behavior candidates exhibit when searching for jobs, candidates are frequently divided into four distinct types. Active, monitoring, passive, and seeking are a few of these.

a) Non-active or passive Job Seeker

A person who is employed and not actively seeking a new position is said to be a passive job seeker. However, they may be open to a good career opportunity if it were to present itself. Even though these people make an effort to stay current with job opportunities, they are not actively looking for new employment, and they do not submit applications for positions that are available nearby.

b) Active Job Seeker

Active job seekers are people who are actively looking for a new job. And as opposed to passive job hunters, they look everywhere and anywhere for employment opportunities. They search for open positions online, go to job fairs, speak with recruiters and HR managers, and submit applications for jobs. These prospects are simple to entice because they already have their eyes on the finest possible opportunity. Active job searchers dedicate a lot of time and effort to their job search, planning their strategy, researching positions before they are posted, and developing relationships with hiring managers who may be able to assist them in landing a new career.

c) Monitoring job seeker

These applicants can be identified by their persistent job-hunting conduct as they constantly look for openings in their industry. When the perfect opportunity arises, they are prepared to move forward with an application even though they are not actively looking for new employment. This category is believed to include the majority of people who are employed.

d) "Seeking" job seeker

This set of job seekers is actively looking for work and submitting numerous applications while doing so. This group is the simplest to identify since they consistently react to job postings, engage in proactive communication with recruiters and HR managers, and frequently visit job boards. They send their resume to a wide range of businesses, making it clear that they are seeking a new opportunity.

Qualities potential employers look out for in a job seeker.

a) Leadership oriented.

b) Candid

c) Resilient

d) Sportsmanship

e) Technical skills

f) Soft skills

g) Competitive

h) Trustworthy

i) Ability to adapt

j) Team oriented

k) Creative

l) Good communication

m) Friendly

Best outlets to find jobs

a) Networking

b)Referrals

c) Job Boards and Career Websites

d) Job Fairs

e) Company Websites

f) Headhunters and Recruiters

g) Cold calling

h) Internship or volunteering

Challenges job seekers face

a) Recruitment bias

Job seekers frequently experience a variety of difficulties that can be frustrating during the job-seeking process. The subjective treatment they receive from potential employers regarding their gender, race/ethnicity, age, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, weight, and outward appearance does occur occasionally. This is more evident with age discrimination; setting an age mark for prospective applicants.

b) Vague job descriptions.

To determine whether they are qualified for the post and should apply, candidates, rely on job descriptions the most. However, most job descriptions sometimes fail to provide sufficient information because they are either too long or too short and omit crucial details. Job seekers are essentially hunting blind in these circumstances.

c) Lengthy and perplexing recruiting procedures.

There are many procedures that job seekers must complete once they have located a position they wish to apply for. The application and hiring procedures used by many firms were not created with the candidate's experience in mind. When there are thirteen stages involved in applying, job searchers may become frustrated or legitimately perplexed. Because the employer's hiring procedures do not include keeping candidates informed, even after a candidate has been interviewed, they frequently have no idea where they are in the interview process.

d) Zero reaction or feedback.

After a candidate has applied, gone through interviews, and invested time, effort, and energy in trying to land a particular job, hearing the abrupt "You have not been selected for this position" can feel like a punch in the face. Job seekers typically face the fundamental difficulty of not obtaining feedback on their applications or interviews, which prevents them from correcting any flaws or errors before applying for the next position. It usually leaves applicants with little or no hope and closure.

About the Author

Abhishek Kathpal

Abhi is the co-founder at Longlist.io. Funded by US based OnDeck, Longlist is currently enabling 50+ businesses to increase their candidate and client reach outs, automating the workflow across stages.