Recruitment or talent acquisition is about finding and hiring qualified candidates for your company. Businesses are run by people, and finding the right people is a north-star metric for the recruitment team of any organization.
However, recruitment trends have undergone significant changes due to technological advances and major shifts in the job market in recent years. Some notable and recent trends in recruitment include online job boards and social media, a focus on diversity and inclusion, data and analytics to identify top candidates, the rise of remote work, and the adoption of personalized and targeted recruitment strategies.
It is imperative that organizations analyze these latest trends in recruitment and use them as part of their hiring process.
AI and machine learning automate various aspects of the recruitment process, such as resume screening and candidate matching. These technologies help companies save time and resources by offering objective candidate evaluations.
For example, Mercer | Mettl’s Remote Proctoring Solution uses artificial intelligence to monitor candidates during assessments. It monitors candidates’ audio, video, and image during the test. The proctoring technology further helps authenticate candidates and record the session for future review.
Many companies focus on DEI in their recruitment efforts, as they recognize the benefits of having a diverse workforce. It includes actively seeking and recruiting talent from under-represented groups and implementing policies and practices that promote inclusivity and equity within the organization.
With the widespread adoption of remote work, virtual recruiting tools, such as video conferencing and online assessment platforms, have become crucial. Online recruitment solutions by Mercer | Mettl help assess candidates’ potential in a specific domain. For instance, Mercer | Mettl’s technical tests assess candidates’ job-focused competencies. Using this suite helps companies find the right fit for different job positions.
Many companies are moving away from requiring traditional degrees for specific roles and focusing on candidates’ skills and abilities. They are concentrating on upgrading the existing employees’ skills and knowledge.
One of the best methods to upskill your existing workforce is to utilize Mercer | Mettl’s suite of assessments for reskilling and upskilling. Our Skills Gap Analysis identifies the training requirements of your workforce. It evaluates each employee to highlight training and reskilling needs for different job roles.
Employee referral programs help companies tap into their existing networks and find qualified candidates. These programs often provide employee incentives when referred candidates are hired, which becomes a cost-effective way to find top talent.
Companies are increasingly turning to temporary or contract staff to fill short-term or specialized roles. This can be a cost-effective solution for companies requiring specialized expertise for a crucial project.
Companies need to focus on building strong employer brands to attract top talent and stand out in a crowded job market. This can include promoting the company’s culture, values, and mission and offering potential candidates’ competitive benefits and career development opportunities.
The recession in 2023 will lead to many recruitment challenges. For instance, recruitment cost-cutting, hiring quality in place of quantity and optimizing the hiring process.
For these reasons, internal talent mobility programs may aid recruitment. Many employees in the company may be willing to move to a new position. Offering them the required training can help fill important positions and reduce the cost of hiring.
Companies are focusing on hiring candidates with transferrable skills. These are skills like analytical reasoning, critical thinking, problem-solving, leadership qualities, etc. These skills help transfer employees from one position to another or promote an employee to a leadership role.
Therefore, hiring managers may focus more on transferrable skills along with technical fitment to hire candidates for the company’s future growth.
During a recession, recruiters may face several hiring challenges, such as:
Mercer | Mettl can help overcome these challenges by making hiring more efficient. Our research-backed assessments, an efficient cloud platform, and in-depth analytics offer transformative results.
Generalists are more adaptable and flexible because of their diverse skills. They can handle multiple tasks and responsibilities.
Sharlene John, head of recruitment at Selfridges, says, “This means looking at candidates who have a crossover of skills and experience and can move around into different roles within your organization.”
The existing network of employees, industry contacts, and alums can become valuable resources for finding top talent. Consider reaching out to these individuals to see if they know candidates who might be interested in the job role you are willing to fill.
Many job seekers are looking for flexibility in their work arrangements, especially during the recession when they may be juggling multiple responsibilities or dealing with financial uncertainty. Consider offering flexible work arrangements, such as remote work or part-time schedules, to attract and retain top talent. According to a study by Leadership IQ titled ‘Frustration at Work,’ approximately 60% of employees report that they feel unfulfilled at work and are motivated to seek employment elsewhere.
It is important to offer career growth and learning opportunities and respect employees’ after-work boundaries to support their well-being and engagement. An essential challenge in recruitment is making employees feel valued and supported, leading to higher levels of engagement and productivity.
It's necessary to be proactive and targeted in your recruitment efforts. It involves targeted job postings, networking events, or online job boards to reach suitable candidates. Consider using Mercer | Mettl suite of assessments to reduce recruitment efforts.
Consider investing in employee development to help attract top talent. This might include offering training and development opportunities or tuition reimbursement for employees looking to advance their careers.
Design a reskilling program with Mercer|Mettl’s assessments like Skills Gap Analysis, Learning Agility and Proximity, and Training Effectiveness.
The role of the talent acquisition team has changed over the years. They are now expected to use a holistic approach to hiring and evaluate insights that may help senior executives build a strong team. Training this team in data analytics can help improve the business’s recruitment outcomes. This team can attract the right candidate, aid internal mobility, and ensure the right upskilling.
The increasing technology use and the shift to virtual and remote work influence recent trends in recruitment. Online job platforms, video conferencing, and automated resume screening have become more prevalent in the hiring process. For this reason, hiring in 2023 will focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion in recruitment, as companies seek to build more diverse and inclusive teams. Data and analytics have also become an important hiring trend, as organizations use data to make informed hiring decisions and optimize their recruitment strategies.
Mercer|Mettl can play a vital role in helping businesses follow these recent trends in recruitment. They measure talent and help companies build strong teams.
Originally published January 16 2023, Updated January 16 2023
Vaishali has been working as a content creator at Mercer | Mettl since 2022. Her deep understanding and hands-on experience in curating content for education and B2B companies help her find innovative solutions for key business content requirements. She uses her expertise, creative writing style, and industry knowledge to improve brand communications.
The primary objectives of recruitment and selection are to ensure high-quality candidates who are culturally fit and work toward shared organizational goals and vision.
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