Looking for a job in 2024? What to know heading into a competitive Canadian labour market

We went from help wanted everywhere and remote jobs galore to return to the office mandates and pink slips. 2023 was a very interesting year because the pendulum absolutely swung. There were over 250,000 people laid off in the tech industry alone. Regardless of whether you're gainfully employed or suddenly not, many feel job security has vanished. It can happen to anyone. This career strategist knows from her experience in 2017. A bunch of us were let go. The role was eliminated. Her advice? Don't blame yourself for what happened and set yourself up for your next role. Employers are looking at what you've done in that break. Upgrading the skills, talking and networking, volunteering, giving back. The pendulum may have swung in favor of employers, so competition may be stiff. But that doesn't mean there aren't opportunities. A survey by business consulting firm Robert Half suggests many hiring managers plan to add new permanent positions in the first half of 2024 as well as hire for vacant positions. There are still hundreds of thousands of jobs and you only need one good job. Career strategist Toby Oluwole suggests developing your personal brand. He frequently shares insight on LinkedIn and says it's opened avenues he never dreamed of. My content on LinkedIn has been seen over 140 million times. And because of that, I've been offered roles that I could honestly not even apply for, from VP of sales to director of sales. An estimated 80% of roles hired in Canada are part of the hidden job market. The key to finding your next job or upgrading to a better role? Well, it's all about who you know. A majority of roles are never posted online. They are found through networks. Anne Gaviola, Global News, Toronto.