Oftentimes, hiring talent can seem transactional. To step away from this traditional recruiting method and make the process more strategic, these current trends should continue to be adopted and implemented in the coming year.
In a market that is currently 90% candidate driven, employers and recruiters do not have the luxury of choosing candidates anymore. The decision-making power is now driven by talent. With this type of hiring climate, there has been a shift in recruitment in which the focus is now on candidates.
Candidate Experience
Creating a positive candidate experience is of utmost importance. When a candidate receives a positive recruitment experience; from initial calls to interviews and presentation preparation, candidates should be wowed the entire time. Negative experiences can be much more impactful for hiring managers and their employer brand. Positive experiences will yield better prepared candidates, referrals of other talent, and positive exposure for your company and brand.
Recruitment is Sales
When you boil it down, recruitment truly is sales. And sales involves marketing, to some extent. In the coming year, consider using recruitment marketing tactics to attract and retain top talent. Communicating the company’s unique value proposition creates an stronger employment brand, which is vital in attracting and ultimately retaining talent. Over 75% of candidates seeking new roles research a company’s reputation and employer brand before applying. This employment brand encompasses company culture, mission, and overall success.
Going Mobile
Many candidates are now conducting their job search on mobile devices. Although this has been the practice for a while now, not all recruiters are adapting to the change. In fact, 45% of job seekers use mobile devices to job hunt at least once daily, with 16% of applications submitted via mobile. Hiring managers must ensure your recruiting strategy, and job postings are mobile friendly.
Strength in Diversity
In the past, diversity was a box hiring managers checked. Today, diversity is incorporated into the core of hiring practices to improve company culture, boost financial performance, and encourage collaboration. Diverse teams tend to be more productive, innovative, and engaged in the work of the company. Unfortunately, there can be barriers to improving diversity. Companies must recognize the challenge in finding diverse talent, getting this talent through interview stages, accepting an offer, and then actually retaining talent.
New Interview Approach
Of course, the traditional format of interviews are the foundation of the hiring process, there are new approaches that hiring managers should consider when finding and evaluating the right talent. Bias is often present during the interview process, which can cause the skills, experience, and personality of a candidate to be overlooked. Ask specific questions pertaining to a candidate’s experience – how did you perform in your team? Do you thrive in a collaborative environment? Additionally, creating assessments and assignments for candidates to complete will give you as a hiring manager, insight into their communication, presentation, and social abilities. Casual interviews over coffee are another way to take pressure off the idea of a formal interview and allows candidates to be more candid in their responses.
Data & Technology
Its no secret that data and technology are penetrating the recruitment market. Data pertaining to candidates and the talent pool is more readily available to recruiters and hiring managers. By incorporating data into the recruitment process, hiring managers can make more informed decisions. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is also being applied to the recruitment process. Though AI will be helpful in automating candidate searches, it is unlikely it will replace the role of a recruiter. However, rather than dismissing data and AI technology, hiring managers and HR professionals should embrace it and incorporate these tools into their recruiting strategy.