The pandemic has completely upended the Chester County job market. It was a game-changer in the region and the nation as well, reports Ty West for the Philadelphia Business Journal.

The current hiring environment is punctuated by a flood of available jobs, pay increases, counteroffers, and a frantic pace.

“I’ve spoken to recruiters who have been doing this for over 30 years, and they say, ‘This is the craziest market I’ve ever seen,’” said Lucy Lorenzo, founding partner of Ascension Search Partners. “The tables have completely flipped.”

Today, companies are the ones that have to sell themselves. Employers must stand out and ensure their job particulars mesh with the expectations of today’s candidates.

Meanwhile, candidates possess unprecedented leverage and using it to express their desire for more from employers than ever.

Wish lists, for example, include professional development opportunities. In response, companies are now including information on their career-building programs in job listings.

Another shift is the wide geographic nets job hunters are casting. No longer are they tied to Philadelphia or its surrounding counties for employment. With remote positions becoming more common, workers can live here and earn their livings anywhere.

That reality gives job seekers even more choices when hunting, depleting local employment talent pools even more.

“It’s employment without borders,” said Jim Tam, vice president of business development for Keystone Partners.

Read more about the area’s employment challenges — and the Chester County job market — in the Philadelphia Business Journal.