From the shift to remote and hybrid work and raised concerns regarding skills supply, to the rapid development of AI-based technologies and automation, recruitment has faced many challenges in the past years, and it appears that 2023 will only bring more.
As we embark on a new year, specialists in recruitment and talent acquisition need to stay informed about the latest trends in the recruitment industry.
This is why we reached out to four specialists in recruitment and talent acquisition and asked them two questions:
1. What recruitment trend are you expecting to see more of in 2023?
2. What is one piece of advice you would like to give recruiters to succeed in 2023?
Read their answers below.
Enis Avci, Talent Acquisition Specialist at Salesonly
The use of digital platforms and technology in recruitment is one trend that has been growing in recent years and is most likely to continue. This includes tools like applicant testing systems, AI-based sourcing systems and so forth to streamline the recruitment process and make it more efficient.
Overall, I expect that companies in Sweden will continue to use technology and data to make their recruitment process more efficient, while also emphasising diversity, equity, and inclusion.
My best advice for any recruiter going forward is to believe in their expertise when communicating with candidates and customers. With easier access to information, we now have a deeper understanding of how different industries work compared to 15-20 years ago.
Candidates and customers have never been as up-to-date regarding different trends and industry norms as today. The best way to handle these customers and candidates is by being professional and using your expertise to persuade them.
Mine Alghazi Jacobson, Co-founder & senior TA-specialist at WE:SOURCE
I believe 2023 will place higher demands on recruiters and how they treat and assess candidates. There are more and more studies showing discriminatory recruitment practices and unfair assessments. And this is something the labour market is well aware of.
There is an increased demand for structured processes, and candidates expect you not to ask for a cover letter or personal information. We’ll also keep facing a competitive candidate market, where companies need to present their Employee Value Proposition (EVP) at an early stage of the recruitment process.
Personality and logic tests are becoming increasingly important for objective assessment. Diversity management and inclusion will also become important topics early in the process as recruiters must consider it just as much as the rest of the organisation.
The term “bias-free recruitment” will soon disappear. Instead, we’ll discuss fair recruitment. As humans, we have inherent prejudices that we cannot get rid of, but we can become aware of.
In the future, we cannot be yes-sayers, we need to guide our stakeholders in what we offer and to make the right decision based on facts, not gut feeling.
I think it is important that we as recruiters become aware of our non-biased and psychological inheritance. Prejudice exists, it is not something we can erase from our human system. However, we can use tools to help manage these.
Use tools that can structure the recruitment process and spend more time improving and adjusting the job description until it feels right. Workshop with stakeholders to understand the basis for the role you recruit.
In the recruitment process, avoid asking personal questions and try to understand the reasons behind your decisions. Ask yourself if you are choosing candidates based on their qualifications and the organisation’s requirements or characteristics in line with your prejudices.
In the end, taking into account each of these factors is crucial to improving accuracy and reducing recruitment errors. If you are a recruiter who "doesn't believe in tests in the recruitment process", then you may need to consider another career path. To move forward, it is important to quantify and judge fairly, and tests can be a fair tool for doing so.
Andreas Rauch, Head of Recruitment at Digitalenta
Since we are a company doing niche recruitment (digital marketing) and all of us have an industry background, working with various digital or tech solutions is something that we already know and like.
What you need to remember is that tech itself will not do the trick. It all comes down to how well you incorporate it into your operations. To do that well, you need to keep your focus on being human. Being human will always make a difference. When it comes to trends, I primarily see smart daily use of large sets of data emerging in the coming year or so.
I see the use of structured data mapping (and presentation) becoming mainstream within recruitment. Working with data does not have to be hard to understand. It can be a nifty tool when planning a recruitment strategy, trying to solve a potential competence shortage or deciding whom to reach out to on Linkedin.
The use of large data sets can come in many shapes or forms. Another version of the same trend that probably will surface is that more niche companies will broaden their scope and offer more bespoke human-centred solutions interlaced with data, insight and deep industry know-how. To stay relevant over time you need to evolve. I believe that this will be critical for growing niche companies within our field.
If I can share one piece of advice, I’d have to go with: stay human. We can add all the possible automation and make ourselves obsolete. Let's not do that.
Martina Kolga, Recruitment Consultant HR & TA at Wise Professionals
In times of lower demand and tighter budgets, we can count on companies managing their competence supply in-house. To succeed with this strategy, limit your delivery to only roles and profiles that are closest to the business, in other words, your core competency.
In cases where a company decides to build a talent acquisition team in-house, the question often arises as to how much support TA should provide to the hiring managers. This approach does not create greater value but instead contributes to a reactive way of working. By focusing on the most required roles, the talent acquisition teams can create greater value by proactively processing and supporting hiring managers in prioritized target groups.
Make up your mind and specialize! If you, together with the organization, decide which candidate network you want to build, as well as the area you want to be relevant in, you will be clear in your approach to the candidate market.
When you understand the target group you want to specialize in, you become relevant to the candidates who, in turn, see the value in having contact with you.