Learn how recruiters are creatively responding to a new set of industry challenges to hire top talent quickly and efficiently
Today, the U.S. is seeing a return to early 2020 employment numbers, with the economic recovery allowing many companies to increase staffing levels rapidly. However, priorities and expectations in the workplace have shifted, putting increased pressure on recruiters to adapt quickly and address these industry concerns.
Jobvite’s new Recruiter Nation Report is finally here, providing an in-depth look at the current state of recruiting and the challenges and opportunities facing recruiters today. In this year’s report, the industry is confronting a dramatic shift from one year prior when the world was facing job losses, layoffs, and staffing reductions.
Here are some highlights from this year’s report:
It’s a workers’ revolution
Companies are experiencing a new kind of worker revolution where candidates and employees are energized to choose a job where they feel supported and valued. As workers’ confidence continues upward, recruiters face new challenges to win over top talent.
- 47% of recruiters struggle from a lack of skilled/qualified candidates, while 40% face competition from other employers
- 65% of recruiters report increased stress levels, with one in five reporting a drastic increase
- In addition to facing higher turnover (59%), 39% of organizations are also increasing staffing levels and hiring rapidly–a 13 percentage point jump since last year
Recruiters are becoming more agile
With millions of unfilled jobs in the United States, organizations are reimagining recruiting processes to hire top talent more effectively.
- 80% of recruiters’ priorities have shifted over the past year, and 40% have increased recruiting budgets
- Outsourcing additional work to freelancers (35%) and making more internal hires (40%) is helping companies meet hiring needs
- 70% of recruiters plan to take additional professional courses, earn certifications, and continue their education to enhance their expertise
Social media continues to go viral
Social media continues its upward trajectory in the recruiting space, with more hiring teams leveraging social channels in their efforts to engage and attract high-quality candidates.
- Social media topped the list among recruitment investment focuses for the next year at 51%–an increase of 10 percentage points since 2018
- 45% of recruiters use Instagram–an increase of 28% over the past four years
- TikTok usage among recruiters has doubled since 2020, and more than 20% of recruiters are using Snapchat, which is up 15 percentage points since 2017
Diversity & inclusion (D&I) initiatives are essential …
More organizations realize the importance of building a diverse workplace.
- 61% of organizations are putting more emphasis on diversity than they did in 2020
- Nearly 70% of recruiters believe that diversity will be a priority for TA professionals in the next year
- 49% of recruiters report that job seekers are inquiring about D&I initiatives more than they did in the previous year–up 16 percentage points from 2020
However, 20% of organizations have no goals for improving diversity in the workplace. This could lead to challenges for attracting talent, as 44% of recruiters surveyed said candidates have turned down an interview or job offer due to a lack of diversity.
…So is remote work
Workers are making it clear that they want flexibility in the workplace, and companies are granting their wishes. While 70% of companies plan to offer a hybrid workplace, a lack of remote work options could also hurt companies hiring rapidly or facing staffing shortages.
- 54% of recruiters have seen candidates turn down an interview or job offer in the past year due to a lack of flexibility and remote work options in the workplace
- 57% of recruiters believe the lack of work from home policies makes it harder to attract potential candidates
- 60% of recruiters think organizations will lose employees if they do not transition to a remote-first culture
Download the full report for more
Based on this year’s findings, this new reality has made it clear: agility is the new essential ingredient to successful recruiting. To better understand the current state of recruiting and the challenges and opportunities in recruiters’ midst today, download the full 2021 Recruiter Nation Report. With hundreds of additional statistics and insights, learn how your hiring team can reimagine recruiting processes and become more adaptable to labor market trends.