9 Recruitment Trends Impacting Hiring in 2023

Trends come and go, but that doesn’t mean they don’t make an impact – especially when it comes to recruitment.

After all, the trends that guide the hiring process will ultimately influence your company’s future via  the talented people you bring on board who will help shape company culture, growth, and success.

This article will explore what those trends are and how they impact the recruitment industry.

Why do Recruitment Trends Matter?

Essentially, a recruitment trend is a popular tactic, mindset, or approach that influences how people hire (and get hired).

There are various types of trends, from value-based trends to ones that crop up as a result of social, economic, or political climates.

Monitoring these is crucial for any business or professional who wants to stay ahead of the game. But in today’s competitive talent landscape, it’s a crucial step for recruiters who want to hire the best people, retain employees, and ensure a high level of engagement in their workforce.

What’s Trending Right Now?

You don’t have to look far to figure out what’s trending in 2023. By browsing online, you might notice a pattern in the types of posts and aesthetics that are frequently used and shared. 

Identifying these allows you to gain a clear picture of various trends that could impact your work or industry. The recruitment process is more nuanced than this, so you may have to dig a bit deeper to uncover the latest recruitment trends and how they might impact each stage of your talent strategy, from workforce planning to candidate screening and onboarding.

QA automation tools play a crucial role here. They streamline and optimize the candidate screening and onboarding process by automating resume screening, skills assessments, and administrative tasks. These tools save time and resources by quickly identifying qualified candidates based on predefined criteria and conducting objective evaluations. By leveraging technology, recruiters can instead focus on strategic decision-making and building relationships with candidates, resulting in a more efficient and effective recruitment process.

To help you get started, here are nine recruitment trends you should know about this year.

1. Diversity and Inclusion

Not so much a trend as a cultural attitude shift, diversity, equity, and inclusion are becoming increasingly valuable to businesses and employees alike.

It refers to  companies looking for ways to ensure their workforces are as diverse as possible. Why? Because people from different backgrounds encourage new ways of thinking to offer fresh approaches. This is invaluable for business and teams to grow.

In fact, 78% of American workers agree that it's important to work for a company that values DEI (CNBC, 2021). Adjust your strategy and recruitment marketing tactics to encourage applicants from all walks of life, rather than only considering a narrow selection of people based on common traits or qualities.

Increasing diversity also creates an inclusive and welcoming environment. This mentality should be reflected in every aspect of your company’s processes, from recruitment to employee onboarding.

2. Soft Skills

Recruiters will always look for skills that specifically suit the role in question. But research shows that soft skills are becoming increasingly significant. Teamwork, communication, time management, and problem-solving are some of the most in-demand skills.

In line with the shift towards assessing soft skills, a skills based hiring approach is emerging as a trend, where recruiters focus not only on technical qualifications but also on candidates' abilities in areas such as teamwork, communication, and problem-solving.

Soft skills show what kind of employee someone’s going to be, often more so than hard skills. Someone who’s fantastic on paper but lacks clear communication isn’t going to integrate smoothly into most teams.

3. Highly Specific Skills

Speaking of skills, more recruiters are turning towards candidates with highly specialized skills.

For example, if someone is applying for a role as a tech consultant, it’s not enough anymore to say they have ‘strong tech skills’. What does that mean? Are they adept at Excel or do coworkers come to them when their laptop breaks?

In today’s increasingly digital landscape, many businesses focus on niche products, utilize technical platforms, and provide highly specialized services. So candidates who highlight their proficiency with writing code in Python and creating beautiful website layouts are more likely to land a role than someone with vague experience.

If you’re using the right enterprise HR software, you can build a profile of the ideal candidate, then check job hunting sites like Indeed or LinkedIn to find the right match for that profile.

4. Remote Work

The era of working from home is far from over.

Actually, this year, plenty of candidates are actively turning down job offers that don’t allow for at least hybrid working setups. That’s because it saves people a lot of time and money to work remotely for at least part of the week.

So if you’re looking to bring on your next virtual sales assistant, you’re probably going to want to make sure they can choose when to come into the office!

5. Employer Branding

Employers aren’t a brand though… are they?

Well, not quite, but they’re increasingly becoming seen as one, and should take note of brand best practices to make themselves more appealing to potential candidates. 

Much like retailers, companies looking to recruit the best talent have to make their offers look enticing. They can do that by showing what an awesome employer they are and why they offer the best place to work.

Perhaps you use a self-serve payroll service software that gives employees a hands-on approach to their payroll and benefits. Maybe you follow a uniquely interactive hiring process. Or perhaps, like Google, your break room features slides and tasty snacks. 

More businesses are now highlighting the various benefits they offer to actively create a brand identity and show prospective employees what makes them stand out.

This includes showcasing unique onboarding experiences that set the tone for a positive employee journey from day one, providing comprehensive training and support in a dynamic, efficient and modern way.

6. Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Recruitment:

AI is revolutionizing the recruitment process by automating various tasks and improving efficiency. AI algorithms are employed to analyze resumes, screen candidates, and match them with suitable job openings, saving time and effort for recruiters. Chatbots equipped with natural language processing capabilities assist in initial candidate interactions, answering queries, and providing relevant information. 

AI-powered video interviews and assessments enable objective evaluations and standardized candidate comparisons. Furthermore, predictive analytics based on historical data aid in predicting candidate success and identifying patterns for effective talent acquisition. AI in recruitment is continually advancing, enhancing decision-making, reducing bias, and enabling recruiters to focus on strategic aspects of the hiring process.

7. Social Media Recruitment

If the best place to find people is on social media, then logically, that’s also a great place to search for recruits. 

Of course, not everyone posts on social media about their search for a new job. But that doesn’t mean the things that would make them great employees aren’t on display.

For example, let’s say you’re searching for a new marketing recruit. You scroll through Twitter to take a break from reading endless applications when you see a friend of a friend has posted a thread breaking down this month’s top TikTok marketing strategies.

If that’s not a lightbulb moment, we don’t know what is.

In the same vein, searching for creatives on social media helps you get an idea of what their work looks like and what impact it has. For example, you might find graphic designers on YouTube who share work-in-progress videos that draw in large audiences and show off valuable skills.

8. Virtual Recruitment and Onboarding

With the rise of remote work and technological advancements, virtual recruitment and onboarding processes have gained prominence. Virtual recruitment involves conducting interviews, assessments, and candidate evaluations through video conferencing and online platforms. It allows companies to access a wider talent pool, save costs associated with in-person interviews, and expedite the hiring process. 

Virtual onboarding, on the other hand, involves introducing new hires to the company culture, policies, and job responsibilities remotely. It may include virtual orientation sessions, online training modules, and digital communication tools to facilitate seamless integration into the organization. Virtual recruitment and onboarding enable companies to adapt to changing work dynamics, enhance flexibility, and optimize resource utilization.

9. Employees Seeking ‘Dream Jobs’

Now, we know this is nothing new. Almost no one enters the workforce absolutely psyched to start working on a job they feel neutral towards, we know that much.

But with the Great Resignation recently behind us, it’s logical to draw the conclusion that many who left their old jobs did so in search of greener pastures. In other words, these people aren’t looking for ‘a’ job, but for ‘the’ job.

Hiring managers should realistically love this recruitment trend. After all, who wouldn’t prefer to filter through passionate applications written by people who would be stoked to work for your company?

Staying Ahead of the Curve

While these are the top recruitment trends this year, the industry is constantly evolving. By their very nature, trends change, so it’s important to keep an ear to the ground and be aware of other trends that may impact your hiring process now or in the near future, particularly ones specific to your industry.

From remote or hybrid work to diversity and inclusion, many of these more recent recruitment trends look like they’re here to stay. That’s why it’s always worth taking the time to really understand where a trend comes from, rather than simply accepting that it exists.

This lets you stay ahead of the curve and recruit the best possible talent in the best possible ways.