​Saying the job market is busy is an understatement. Candidates have the opportunity to be pickier when choosing a job than they would’ve been a few years ago. With the job market booming, you don’t want to miss out on a great opportunity to grow your career, and equally you don’t want to take a job or promotion that may hinder it.

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Here are seven tips to help you navigate the boom:

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1. Opportunities abound – both inside and outside your organisation

Do your own research and make the call that’s right for you. It’s likely you’re getting approached on a weekly or daily basis about exciting roles that pay more and give you more responsibilities. While this is fantastic, remember that all that glitters is not gold.

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2. Make sure the step up is a sustainable one

Just because you’ve been offered a job that has more responsibilities or a much higher salary, doesn’t mean that you’ll be able to sustain that growth. If you’ve taken a more senior position, it could mean it takes longer for you to be promoted in the future.

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3. Get clear about your short-term and long-term career goals

If you’re ready to climb the ladder at your current company, climb the ladder at another company or change professions, now is the perfect time to do so. Understand what you want from your career and where you want it to go and start looking based on that. However, if you’re happy with where you're at the moment and the progression being made, there might not be a need to look elsewhere.

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4. Take the opportunity to (re)negotiate your salary, but don’t be greedy

With the job market so busy, and with the assistance of our 2022 PACE Salary Guide & Market Report, you’re in a great position to negotiate a higher salary. However, don’t go overboard. Be reasonable.

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5. Upskill yourself

Companies are busy and there are skill gaps everywhere. If you’re wanting to develop your skills, it’s likely your employer will support you, especially if it helps fill a hole in the business. Perhaps start by looking at what your team needs and seeing if that interests you.

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6. Embed your desired flexibility into your role

Whether you’re negotiating a new job or wanting to stay where you are, now is a great time to discuss what flexibility you want in your role. Flexibility doesn’t just cover working from home anymore and it’s worth considering how, where and when you perform your role.

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7. Every tide turns – don’t be short sighted

Yes – employees are in a position of power at the moment, but that won’t be the case forever and they will remember how we, as employees, acted. The last thing you want for your actions now to have a negative impact on your future.

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It’s important to take the right opportunities that are presented to you, but don’t take ones that may do your career more harm than good. Take some time to truly understand what you want and how you can navigate the current job market. Talking to a recruiter may help you understand what jobs are out there and how you can get the most of the busy job market.