When it comes to hiring talent, perhaps the only thing that’s constant is change. Consider the different software programs you’ve used over the years to attract and screen candidates, how job responsibilities have evolved, and the influence of social media on your recruiting efforts.
This year will be no different. All you have to do is look at major drivers of change, such as politics, technology or the economy, to gain a better understanding of why recruiting processes, strategies and even goals are often a moving target.
So what changes can you expect this year?
Plenty.
For starters, more companies are using contingent workers, mainly because it enables them to save money by renting versus hiring talent as needed. Based on the April 2015 report by the U.S. Government Accountability Office, the US workforce includes 40.4% of contingent workers, such as agency temps, on-call workers, part timers, and independent contractors.
For the average company using contingent workers, such individuals represent 18 percent of its total workforce. By 2020, that number is expected to increase to 40 percent. This upward trend is changing the way companies need to attract and manage workers.
Recently conducted trend surveys or studies reveal other changes in the recruitment space. The LinkedIn Global Recruiting Trends Report for 2017, which surveyed approximately 4,000 talent acquisition leaders in 35 countries, is a good source for trend data.
Among its key findings is that many companies have made talent acquisition a top priority. More talent leaders are being proactive by working with senior execs to help shape, grow and define their company’s future.
Likewise, the three hottest job areas for 2017 are sales, operations and engineering. Employee referrals lead as the main source for quality hires, followed by third-party websites or online job boards and social professional networks. Companies are using more than half of their talent acquisition budget for traditional recruiting tactics. Advances in technology are helping recruiters screen candidates in a fraction of the time that it used to take and support diversity initiatives.
Everywhere you look, diversity isn’t just hot, it’s on fire. Recruiting more diverse candidates, soft skills assessments and innovative interviewing tools are the most important trends that define the future of recruiting. But leveraging big data is the NO. 1 overall trend, according to survey respondents.
HR Dive also revealed its findings. Social media is being credited for its role as a powerful recruitment tool. So much so that in-house recruitment teams and external recruiting agencies are heavily investing in social media channels like Instagram or snapchat. Marketing teams are also expected to partner with recruitment teams to create attractive corporate brands that lure top talent.
Not to mention the influence of the skilled worker shorter, which continues to shift the balance of power from employer to candidate.
The list of trends goes on and on. Keeping pace with them won’t be easy, but at least you can boast about working in a dynamic profession that has demonstrated its value to senior leadership and now sits beside them at the leadership table.
