Boost Your Hiring Strategy with the Top 5 Recruitment Trends for 2017

January 2 2017 - No two companies are the same. Each one has its own priorities and considerations, especially when it comes to hiring candidates for open positions. However, there are some common threads that tie them all together, like the use of talent acquisition software or innovative recruiting techniques.

The last few decades have seen a transformation in the way employers screen, manage and hire talent, right from improving data clarity to maximizing the benefits of software-based solutions.

Here are the top 5 trends that we're excited about seeing more of in the year to come:

1. Use of Mobile Recruiting Software

   There's no question that Internet access through handheld devices has become the backbone of the modern world. Today, businesses of every size are also making the most of the convenience and flexibility offered by mobile apps in every aspect of the hiring process, especially candidate engagement and communication.

   Not only does mobile recruitment improve candidate experience, but apps that are integrated with an ATS (Applicant Tracking System) also ease recruiters' workloads. With anytime, anywhere access and hiring-centric features, cloud based recruitment software is quickly becoming the most powerful tool in the recruitment arsenal.

2. Job Ads as Multifunctional Tools

   Today, job ads are more than just announcements about an open position. Instead, top companies realize their potential as valuable and flexible branding tools, especially in terms of talent acquisition. Recruitment has become more sales-oriented than ever, which is essential when you want to attract great talent!

   With this shift in perception, effective job ads follow the sales funnel. At the top of the funnel, they're customized to grab audience attention and drive more traffic to company pages. At the middle, they help create interest in the company brand and culture, and at the bottom, they're used to encourage conversion.

3. Data-Driven Recruitment Advertising

   In the field of recruitment, data-driven or "programmatic" advertising is becoming the next big thing. Modern digital tools like resume sorting software have made it easier to collect data at every stage of the hiring process. Data-driven programmatic advertising helps with extracting, analyzing and interpreting that data.

   Along with making recruitment smarter, streamlined and more efficient, automated data-driven advertising also improves quality of hire and maximizes returns from ad campaigns. Recruiters can improve ad formats, placement, timing, style and other factors on the go, based on real-time inputs from various channels.

4. Reducing Effects of Hiring Bias

   Diversity in hiring is more important than ever before, whether (as Millennials believe) to improve productivity and innovation at the workplace, or (according to Gen-Xers and Baby Boomers) to ensure hiring practices are fair and inclusive. Unfortunately, the effects of unconscious bias can still be seen everywhere.

   With changes in recruitment strategies, such as anonymous hiring (revealing candidate details later in the hiring process), creative problem-solving applications instead of traditional resumes, and promoting diversity at the workplace, companies can minimize the hiring bias that may be present at any stage.

5. Improved Talent Acquisition Metrics

   It's not enough to collect data when you're posting ads, screening candidates or hiring them. You also need a better understanding of which metrics to track as well as the best way to track them, and use this information to improve the main metrics (hiring timelines, cost per hire and quality of hire) of hiring success.

   Additional metrics that should be assessed include internal and external hire rates, time to productivity, and hiring source. The last may be most crucial today, revealing valuable hints such as which source sends in candidates that eventually get hired, which brings in better hires (even with fewer applicants), etc.

To be a market leader, you constantly need to stay updated with the latest trends, tech advancements and best practices. When you're watching trends in HR recruitment, remember that something working for one company may not work the same way for you. Always take your own needs, requirements and abilities into account.

At the same time, be open to change and you may discover a host of benefits just waiting to be uncovered. 2017 is the perfect time to start exploring recruitment solutions that will solve your problems!

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