If you’re struggling to find a job, try reaching out to your former bosses, especially if you left on good terms.
An analysis of ADP payroll data showed the share of new hires in March who were boomerang workers, or former employees, increased since it cooled down in 2022, when quitting was popular during the Great Resignation. That share was especially pronounced in the information sector this year, which includes tech and media positions.
In addition to workers reaching out to former employers, companies are also being more cautious about who they’re hiring. Employers may turn to past workers for an opening.
“In an era where the outlook on the jobs market is fuzzy or uncertain, it makes sense for both employers and employees to stick with what they know,” Nela Richardson, ADP’s chief economist, told Business Insider.
Richardson said employers may want former workers to fill open roles because they know the company culture and can be easier to onboard. Plus, companies already know the worker’s performance.
“You want to get the best bang for your buck, and often it’s a returning employee,” Richardson said.
Meanwhile, job seekers are facing a grueling search for new gigs. It’s taking longer for people to get hired, big company names like Walmart have announced layoffs, and some people are willing to take any job they can find or accept lower pay. Richardson said people may have quit during the Great Resignation, but were unsatisfied and have since been rehired.
Given the rise of boomerang hires, keeping on good terms with old employers could be a smart move. “How you leave a job is as important as how you start,” Richardson said.
Even if you’re not looking for work right now, it could be crucial to think about your skills, job performance, and work relationships if the job market slows down further and if more companies decide to make job cuts.
“When I was talking with hiring managers during the Great Resignation, I think they set the scene for what we’re seeing now because those managers stopped thinking about employee exits as a final goodbye and started thinking about it as a revolving door,” Richardson said.
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