RANDSTAD CANADA'S MOST IN-DEMAND SKILLS, TOP 10 REMOTE POSITIONS AND HIGHEST PAYING JOBS FOR 2022

COVID-19 pressed the gas pedal on the job market. As a result, the most sought-after skills, the most in-demand jobs, and the most rewarding jobs of the past are no longer necessarily today

MONTRÉAL, Jan. 12, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Randstad Canada, a leader in the HR services industry – has released its annual career forecast for 2022. While the goal of this past year has been to get Canadian businesses back up and running to full capacity, the impacts of Covid-19 on the Canadian economy and workforces have created some permanent changes that are here to stay. Randstad Canada has focused its career forecast for 2022 on three key areas: the most in-demand skills, the top 10 remote roles and the highest paying roles for 2022. The lists reflect the changes Canadians have experienced in their professional and personal worlds since March 2021.

"Adaptability, efficiency and responsiveness are the key themes that will permeate throughout 2022 and will be important for organizations to adopt if they want to stand out from their competitors and retain their competing edge", said Patrick Poulin, Group President, Randstad Canada. "Again, this year, we anticipate that the job seekers will be spoilt for choice if they have the skills so sought after by employers".

Supply chain issues continue to have a negative ricochet effect on goods and services. Companies have been forced to become more efficient and reevaluate their business models, keeping a closer eye on bottom lines and their spending habits. Skills such as budgeting, accounting and quality control have become of paramount importance to running a successful organization.

The most in-demands skills for 2022
Job markets are always evolving, but the COVID-19 pandemic pressed the gas pedal on many of those changes. As a result, employers are looking for candidates with both hard and soft skills that weren't as relevant prior to 2020. But the coronavirus isn't the only change agent impacting employer priorities. Economic pressures, evolving customer preferences, highly competitive markets and regulatory requirements also play a core role in the shift we're seeing.

The most in demand skills in 2022:

1.	Customer service	6.	Budgeting
2.	Scheduling	7.	Project management
3.	Sales	8.	Quality control
4.	Cleaning	9.	Administrative support
5.	Repair	10.	Accounting

While last year, retail workers and cashiers were in high demand, customer service is now more important than ever for businesses. Consumers have plentiful options — online and off — and if they have just a single bad experience with a brand, they're likely to go elsewhere. This is why job seekers with customer service and administrative support skills will have no difficulty finding a job in 2022. 

Scheduling is a new role added to this year's list due to the need for businesses to address safety and wellness factors. Companies need to adhere to health regulations and ensure that their work environment is safe and they're turning to intelligent scheduling software and other solutions to ensure an even, distanced flow of people while also serving everyone.

"Initially, organizations were focused on making sure their workforce had the technology and security they needed to remain operational, now the focus is on the long-term need to push sales, provide best in class customer service, provide a safe environment for their employees and customers and effectively manage their budgets. As a result, customer service representatives, salespeople, scheduling and budgeting specialists and accounting positions will be among the most sought-after professionals in the years ahead," Poulin adds. "From an employee perspective, this provides Canadians with the opportunity to level up, refine and repurpose skills that they may have used in previous roles."

Work from home no longer an optional perk: The top 10 remote work roles
Canadians have now adapted to and expect certain flexibility from their employers. For some, working from home has become their permanent reality, while others have adopted a more hybrid approach of going into their place of work a few days a week and working from home the rest.

"Before the COVID-19 pandemic, remote work and flexible hybrid approaches tended to be perks employers included to sweeten job offers or make up for salaries that didn't quite compete in the market. But the pandemic changed how everyone looks at remote jobs," says Poulin. "We've seen that companies can make these environments work. During the pandemic, businesses poured resources into developing processes and systems to enable and enhance remote work. Workers and business leaders alike want the ability to work from home to stay in some capacity."

For jobseekers who want to continue working from the comfort and safety of home, the top 10 remote work roles to look for in 2022 demand a range of different skill sets, from sales and marketing to software development, call centre representatives, IT and administrative support, project management and accounting.

The top 10 remote work roles in 2022:

1.	Call centre representative	6.	Social media manager
2.	Senior software developer	7.	Data analyst
3.	Accountant	8.	Project manager
4.	Bookkeeper	9.	Administrative assistant
5.	Digital marketer	10.	IT support

Digital marketing and social media management continue to be of utmost importance to businesses. The ability to attract foot traffic slowed to a crawl (or disappeared completely) for many businesses during the height of the pandemic, forcing businesses without a strong digital presence to learn to compete online. Even after things begin to open, online marketing plays a critical role in the success of all types of businesses.

"While companies continue to adapt to working remotely and invest in tools such as Microsoft Teams to enhance communication for employees working outside of the office, it's easy to see how so many of the roles such as software developers, call centre representatives, project managers, and data analysts are transitioning to a remote or work from home setting," Poulin says. Employers need to continue to put serious thought and effort into ensuring their employees have the tools and support they need to authentically connect with their colleagues and work from home effectively and efficiently," says Poulin.

Show me the money: the top 10 highest paying jobs
This year Randstad added a new and exciting category to their report. A recent Randstad study indicated that almost half of Canadians are considering leaving their job to find a new opportunity (impart to "the Great Resignation"), you can be sure that a higher salary will be on many job seekers wish lists. Salaries are trending up across numerous industries due to factors such as skills shortages, rapid growth following openings after the COVID-19 shutdowns and now more than ever, confident job seekers that aren't afraid to negotiate for better pay.

The highest paying jobs in Canada in 2022:

1.	Software developer & engineers	6.	Business development
2.	Financial controller	7.	Cloud architect
3.	Plant manager	8.	IT operations manager
4.	Applications programming manager	9.	Electrical engineer
5.	Marketing director	10.	Construction project manager

"With so many organizations relying on cloud computing systems software and seamless IT integrations to help run their businesses remotely, it's no surprise that there is a great need for technology-based roles like cloud architects, IT operations managers, application program managers and software developers and software engineers," says Poulin. "This demand will only continue to grow in the future, my advice to young Canadians searching for a meaningful and profitable career path would be to pursue technology focused jobs".

Pressures on the housing market and a need for different types of business structures means high demand for construction project managers. Canada is facing a general STEM shortage which often drives higher compensation for technical jobs like electrical engineering and management focused jobs like plant manager.

About Randstad Canada
Randstad Canada is a leader in the HR services industry and specializes in flexible work solutions. As a trusted partner in the digital world of talent, we combine the expertise and passion of our people with the most innovative HR technologies to support talent and organizations in realizing their true potential.

SOURCE Randstad Interim Inc. dba Randstad Canada.

or to book an interview with Patrick Poulin, please contact: In Quebec, Patricia Archambault, [email protected]; In Center and Western Canada, Karen Nussbaum; [email protected]