The hiring landscape has been…rocky of late. In the two years since the pandemic started, uncertainty and shifting economics have made it a major challenge for companies and job seekers alike to know where they stand. And while it’s hard to know what’s going to happen for sure six months, a year, two years from now, some of the current trends can help you get back on a firmer track.
It’s okay to be optimistic
Even with the hard lessons of a COVID world, employers are actually feeling optimistic about what’s coming. According to a recent Monster survey, 93% of employers said that they plan to hire all the way through 2022, an increase of 11% over 2021. That increasing certainty, moving throughout all industries, helps pave the way for a healthier hiring year.
The Great Resignation is already showing signs of ending
One of the biggest hiring factors of 2021 was The Great Resignation which saw workers leaving their jobs due to changing personal circumstances, or a desire to test the job market or pursue other opportunities. The factors that helped enable this—like cushions provided by government funds or extended unemployment—are temporary, with many government support programs scheduled to end in the near future. The harsh realities of inflation are also causing people to be more likely to stay in their current roles.
For employers, that means making sure you have a robust company brand that conveys your culture and values and attracts people for the long term—not just the cookie-cutter job postings.
Skills > experience
With such large-scale unemployment and then the Great Resignation, one of the biggest lessons of the past couple of years is that there might not be a “perfect” resume anymore. Continuous experience doesn’t necessarily show how someone’s skills and talents would align with your job opening. A more holistic approach is going to continue well into 2022, if not well beyond.
Looking at categories of skills over specific experience is also trending because it not only broadens the applicant pool but also helps make the hiring process more diverse and inclusive.
Be willing to address pay more directly than ever
You and your team already know how attractive a good benefits and compensation package can be for the best candidates. What may not be as common is the emphasis on this, and everyone talking about it more publicly and directly than ever. Pay disparities and fair wages are still incredibly large topics right now. To position your organization in the best possible hiring spot, being transparent about pay and benefits in your job descriptions can really boost conversion from casual views to applications.
And it’s not just about a salary range in a job description—things like healthcare benefits, bonuses, and perks are really resonating with job seekers in the recruitment field right now.
Look for AI solutions
Programmatic recruiting has been building for years now, and with most organizations looking for digital, more agile workplace solutions, it’s a natural fit for recruiting and hiring. Tech platforms offer increasingly popular options with job seekers, like instantly responsive chatbots and other types of interactivity. With Gen Z out in full job-seeking force, people are relying more heavily than ever on a digitally enhanced experience.
And for your team, it means being able to automate and streamline things like job ad placement, making strategic decisions in real-time, and optimizing every step of the process. Limited resources are hardly a new challenge for HR teams, but there are so many tools that can help make those resources go as far as possible.
As we move further into 2022, it’s safe to be optimistic that it will be a more stable, positive year for companies and job seekers alike. Even if things continue to evolve in ways we can’t expect, being open to the trends can make your hiring a more effective and streamlined experience.
