Recruitment is a constantly evolving industry, and in the last two years, it has had to pivot and respond to a global pandemic, increased job loss, and new digital hiring practices. As we move out of the pandemic and mass numbers of workers return to the job market, we must consider the changes that have occurred and how we can respond to them. In the new era of recruiting, the top firms and recruiters who take advantage of this shift will continue to grow and come out on top of their competition.
What should we be focusing on in the second half of 2021? We have done some research to find the top 5 trends that will have the most substantial impact on recruitment in the future.
Recruitment Marketing
With so many companies and firms hiring, word of mouth and phone calls are not the only way to get candidates anymore. Firms need to develop a well-rounded recruitment marketing strategy that uses social media, digital marketing, automation, and other tools to build their brand, attract larger candidate pools and grow their business. 79% of job seekers say they use social media in their search. So, when it comes to filling positions and attracting high-quality candidates, you need to be in front of the people looking for jobs. A strong marketing strategy will ensure you are reaching more people, using the best tools, and staying top-of-mind over your competitors.
Work Will Stay Remote
Through the pandemic and the onset of remote work, we have learned that you do not need an office to do your job. Working from home is shown to increase productivity, decrease stress, and promote a better work+life balance. With 74% of companies planning to shift to work from home models after the pandemic, the work-from-home life is here to stay.
Work from home will create an increase in candidates looking for remote work. Remote work will open up the pool of available candidates to encompass a larger geographical area, which means new and qualified candidates to fill positions. If location is no longer a requirement, consider the types of candidates recruiters could be pulling for jobs. The options are endless.
Referral Programs
Despite the rise in technology use during the hiring process, classic word of mouth is the most effective lead source in recruitment in 2021. In 2020 we saw LinkedIn and Indeed as top lead sources. As the hiring landscape has changed, personal referrals and direct sourcing have proven to curate the highest quality of talent while being extremely cost-effective. Top programs like Staffing Referrals can help you automate this process and lead to over 50% more effective hires.
More Diverse Hiring
Diverse hiring has been important to many companies for years, but over the last few years and given many events of 2020, we have seen a greater shift towards diversity, equity, and inclusion in our hiring processes. According to LinkedIn, 77% of talent professionals say that diversity will be key to the future of recruiting. Diverse hiring means a more successful business with more skills, experience, and abilities at the table. As work trends towards staying remote, recruiters can now open their talent pool to different geographical locations and people who otherwise might not have been able to apply to that position pre-pandemic.
Technology-Driven Hiring
Virtual hiring is here to stay. While virtual hiring processes were growing in popularity before the pandemic, recruiters had to adapt quickly, and so virtual interview, onboarding, and hiring skyrocketed in 2020. As we move out of the pandemic, 70% of talent professionals believe it will continue to be the new standard. With a push towards using technology to hire comes a focus on automation, video platforms, text communication, chatbots, and other forms of technology that make hiring a seamless experience for recruiters and candidates.
An additional trend that recruitment will see here is the upskilling of employees. As technology grows and becomes the focus for many firms, all their employees will need to learn new programs, new skills, and new techniques. To keep up in the industry, staff will need to change just as fast as technology is. If this pandemic has taught this industry anything, it is how we can pivot and adjust to any changes that come our way.
So, what’s next?
As we move into the latter half of 2021 and a new year, these trends and others will continue to emerge. To be successful you must not be just aware of the current trends but ahead of upcoming ones. The job landscape will continue to change, and the ways we do recruitment will evolve with it.
If you’re looking to attract top talent to your organization in 2021, consider The Job Shoppe’s full-service Recruitment offerings to help you place skilled candidates in your positions. Send us an email so our Recruiters can help you find the right fit for your business.
