Legal Benefits, Pay Increases, & More

Ah, summer, the most relaxing time of the year!

Unless you’re a working parent with small children, of course. Then it’s “a logistical and financial nightmare,” in the words of Worklife. For those who count on the daily rhythm of the school year to work on time and get everything done, having to navigate around summer vacation can be a crisis.

If you’re a working parent who has spent this summer scrambling to get work done around your kids’ schedule, I see you. I salute you!

If you’re looking for a job that will give you more flexibility — or if you’re looking for a new role at all! — reach out today so we can launch a proactive search. In the meantime, here are some of my thoughts on the job search and the state of the market as we head into fall.

The Gen Z Crowd Prefers Legal Benefits to Pickleball Memberships

The hot benefit for the incoming Gen Z workforce? It’s not pickleball or kombucha on tap. It’s free legal advice. 84% of Gen Zers pilled by MetLife are interested in affordable legal services from their employer, and that number has gone up 10% since last year’s poll.

Before you start to worry about what kind of trouble Gen Z is getting itself into, they apparently want to use it for traditional things like estate planning along with the ability to review rental agreements, navigate home buying, and deal with traffic tickets.

I regularly talk to folks looking for new jobs, and although my pool of candidates tends to be relatively experienced folks, I am always interested in knowing what job perks and benefits matter. If you’re on the job hunt, what kind of benefits matter to you?

Pay Increases Are Finally Outpacing Inflation

In July, the Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that pay increases are finally outpacing inflation for the first time in two years. Hourly average pay has been growing at an annual rate of 4.4% for a few months now. A tight labor market and continuing inflationary pressure will continue to make pay hikes competitive into next year — although eventually, that will probably cool.

Economists are happy about this, but not as happy as job seekers. As a recruiting leader at KIP Search, I work with people every day who are looking for new, better roles — and the forecast is good for that.

Recommended Reading for August

The Hook — and How to Skip It

It’s the plight of many a job seeker. You know you’d be perfect for the role, and you really want it. But you can’t seem to get in the door. How to get the attention of the people who need you on their radar?

People who like to give advice about these sorts of things (ahem) talk about “the hook.” In your introductory message, there has to be something eye-catching.

I’ve recently heard it described as a “written handshake” — the “nice to meet you” with a confident grip and eye contact.

“But what exactly do I say, Kip?”

That’s the million-dollar question. While I can’t necessarily write your cover letters and intro emails for you, I can definitely help introduce you to the right people and sometimes even skip that step. Reach out if you want to start a new job search.

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AI, Gen Z, & the State of Work Relocation