8 Job Search Trends in 2025: How to Look for a Job?

Back in the day, people used to look for job ads in newspapers and send their cover letters by traditional post. Now, we use job boards and online application systems.

It seems like job search isn’t dynamically changing anymore, but the truth is, every year is dominated by slightly different trends and habits. Discover the 2025 job search trends and find out what to pay attention to when looking for a new job this year.

2025 Job Search Trends

1. Personalisation
2. Keeping it simple
3. The growing importance of social media
4. Networking is still king
5. ATS integration = easier application
6. Skills over degrees
7. Soft skills are all the rage
8. Portfolio or it didn't happen 

1. Personalisation

We all expect an individual approach from every company. We would like to be treated like a person rather than just a number in a sea of candidates and receive personalised feedback from every recruiter.

But we have to remember that it’s a double-edged sword. In order to stand out in the job market, you need to personalise every application. 

You can do this by tailoring your CV and cover letter. Use specific keywords in both documents and include only information relevant to a particular job. Avoid common templates and never submit the same resume and cover letter twice. 

2. Keeping it simple

In the past, job seekers were encouraged to “be different” and “stand out from the competition”. We experienced a boom in original or even extreme CVs - from printing resumes on T-shirts to creating interactive, gamified portfolios.

But that’s not relevant anymore in 2025 job search trends.

The introduction of ATSs (Applicant Tracking Systems) shifted the focus from originality to simplicity. Now that most companies filter resumes through special software before they even make it into human hands, we need to please the robots - whether we like it or not.

Your CV must be readable by ATS software. Don’t use fancy fonts, graphics, or formats other than .doc or .pdf. Otherwise, you risk the programme misreading your resume and discarding it before a recruiter can look at it.

A one-page CV is another 2025 job search trend. Limited space means you will only include strictly relevant information and avoid fluff. Don’t forget to add a link to your LinkedIn profile - in 2025, recruiters are very likely to look for additional information on your social media.

Which brings us to our next point… 

3. The growing importance of social media

Using social media to find a job is growing in popularity. And we don’t just mean LinkedIn. 

Facebook, Instagram, X, and even TikTok are becoming powerful job search tools. Job seekers use them to make connections, post original content, and research companies. 

Not only are job seekers becoming more active on social media, but recruiters are also checking out candidates' online presence. 20% of recruiters declare that they wouldn’t hire an applicant they couldn’t find online (Apollo Technical). 

Therefore, your priority in 2025 should be to clean up your social media profiles and start being active. Remove old, embarrassing content and interact with people and companies from your industry. 

What’s more, 67% of recruiters use social media to post job vacancies (Recruiter Flow). This means that you could potentially find a job just by scrolling through your social media feeds! 

The growing importance of social media is one of the most crucial job search trends in 2025. If you neglect this step, you will be left behind and other people will be hired for the positions you have your eye on. 

4. Networking is still king

Introverts may groan in annoyance at the fact that networking is among 2025 job search trends. Yes, ladies and gentlemen, professional networking isn’t going anywhere. 

It was, is, and will continue to be one of the most important aspects of looking for a job for the foreseeable future. 

Thankfully, networking constantly keeps evolving. There are many opportunities to make new connections available, so that everyone can select the best option for themselves. 

There is a variety of networking events, industry groups, and online communities to choose from. The range of their focus - only for women or only for professionals under a certain age - ensures a safe environment where everybody can feel comfortable interacting with one another. 

2025 is your chance to step out of your comfort zone and start making connections, because networking is here to stay. 

5. ATS integration = easier application

Imagine this: you have spent an hour crafting your perfect CV, you submitted all the information through the “easy apply” system, you click submit, and then…

… a new page opens up, asking you to manually insert all of the same information. Again.

Raise your hand if this has ever happened to you. 

Yeah. Me too.

But do you know why this kept happening? Because ATS systems are still something relatively new, and there are tons of them. If a specific company used a type of software that a third-party job board didn’t support, the information couldn’t be processed automatically. 

But we, job boards, know how annoying this is for you, our candidates. And we are working on improving your experience.

In 2025, it will be our priority to integrate with as many ATS system providers as possible. In fact, companies don’t want to collaborate with job boards which don’t support their software of choice anymore. They are aware that this lowers their chances of receiving applications. 

What does it mean for you?

In short, easier application processes. You won’t have to manually input all of your details multiple times anymore. In fact, most modern integrations only require you to submit a CV. The program should be able to extract all of the information from the file, so that you don’t have to waste your time repeating yourself.

But, of course, this brings us back to point 2: you have to make sure that your CV is readable for ATS systems. If it’s not, you won’t get a chance to insert your details by hand, and your application won’t be processed. Remember that it’s a double-edged sword. 

6. Skills over degrees

Another 2025 job search trend is that skills slowly exceed the importance of degrees in the eyes of employers.

This doesn’t mean that degrees aren’t important. They are. 

But the thing is that most candidates have a degree now. In the past, only a selected few could afford to receive higher education. It used to be an element which differentiated you from the crowd.

Nowadays, a degree isn’t unique anymore - it’s a given. It doesn’t necessarily make it easier to get a job if you have a degree, but it will make it more difficult if you don’t.

Therefore, in 2025, job seekers have to take their professional development a step further. You should invest in new skills obtained via courses, training, and experience. 

It might seem like more work, but there is also a positive aspect to it: you don’t have to worry about getting a job unrelated to your degree anymore. Career change is becoming more and more common. Now that skills are prioritised over degrees, you can rebrand whenever you want.

A degree only proves that you are trainable. It doesn’t dictate your entire life anymore. 

7. Soft skills are all the rage

The growing focus on soft skills has been a job search trend for a while now. Employers appreciate that while hard skills can be easily taught, soft skills are much more complex. 

So, when looking for a job in 2025, highlight your soft skills. Are you good at teamwork? Leadership? Work organisation? Prioritising tasks? Working under pressure? Time management? Make sure to say it in your CV and cover letter. 

8. Portfolio or it didn’t happen 

Proving that skills are prioritised by employers is the final 2025 job search trend: portfolios. They can be listed as required in job ads, but they are an especially important job search tool for freelancers. 

Of course, it’s not possible to create a portfolio in every profession. They are particularly common in the creative industry, but this boundary is being crossed as well. Architects, web developers, journalists, product designers, and event planners are just some examples of professions where portfolios are growing in popularity. 

2025 will be all about personalisation, simplicity, networking, using social media for job search, prioritising skills, and creating portfolios. 

If you want to find a new job this year, you need to follow these 2025 job search trends. Being aware of them already puts you ahead of your competition, so put that knowledge to good use!

Feeling inspired? Visit our blog for more career advice! How can you be sure the information we provide is top-notch? We are a group of professionals working with recruiters, career coaches, and HR specialists from all over the world! 

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