One of the hardest things hiring managers have to do is find quality candidates to fill positions.
Many hiring managers are experts at sourcing candidates and rightfully rely on their professional judgment when hiring. However, they may sometimes forget to step back and take an impassioned look at the statistical data surrounding hiring.
Reflecting on this data and incorporating it into your hiring strategy will increase the chances of attracting top-quality candidates.
Luckily, there are mountains of hiring statistics one can comb through to glean important strategies. To save you the hassle, we have put together this comprehensive list of what research tells us about the current state of hiring and how one can integrate those findings into hiring practices.
Understanding simple facts like the utility of social media for sourcing candidates or the importance of seeking out referred candidates will help you make better hiring decisions.
1. Social media use for recruiting has increased by 54% in the past 5 years
The ubiquity of modern social media has made it so virtually everyone has a social media profile.
Social media profiles are a great way to source candidates as they offer a glimpse into their character and personality. Based on a study by SHRM, the use of social media for recruiting purposes has risen by 54% over the past 5 years. Over 84% of current companies use social media to recruit candidates.
When asked why they preferred to use social media to find candidates, the main reason was being able to find candidates with a specific skill set.
Social media advertising can be directed to very specific individuals which is why it has quickly become one of the go-to methods of attracting talent.
Building off the last fact, recent survey data from Glassdoor indicates that nearly 4⁄5ths of job seekers use social media to find jobs.
This means that the odds of finding quality candidates on social media is higher than through traditional channels.
One of the good things about social media pages like LinkedIn is that they allow employers to search through talent pools based on employment history, experience, and skills.
3. Social media has helped 70% of employers find passive candidates
Building more on social media use, nearly 70% of employers have reported that social media has helped them find quality passive candidates.
These candidates may have otherwise slipped under the radar as they were not actively looking for a job.
4. Over 89% of employers have hired someone through LinkedIn
Among social media sites, Linked in was by far the most used for recruiting.
Nearly 90% of employers reported that they had used LinkedIn to hire someone within the past year. Ths number was far higher than other social media sites like Facebook or Twitter. This means two things for your hiring practices.
One the one hand, there is a large pool of quality candidates to pick on LinkedIn, but the prevalence of employers using the site to hire means that competition for good employees will be higher.
5. 37% of candidates will reject a posting if company information is hard to find
The majority of job candidates (64%) stated that they attempt to perform research on a company after seeing a job posting. Of that 64%, 37% stated that they would pass over an opening if company information was unclear or difficult to find.
So, job postings should have clear information about a company and possibly include a link to a company website so candidates can get the information they want.
6. The number one thing candidates look for in job postings is salary
It is also not enough to just describe the company and the job in a job posting.
Candidates want to know specific bits of information about the position before they send in an application.
When asked which things they wanted to see in a job posting, the vast majority of job seekers (74%) stated that salary was the most important thing they wanted to see in a job posting.
This makes sense after all; candidates want to know if the job is worth it to them.
Aside from salary, the other most important things they wanted to see in job postings were information about benefits (61%), employee ratings (45%), contact info for the hiring manager (40%), and whether or not they offer work from home options (39%).
So make sure you include sufficient information in your job postings or else you run the risk of pushing away a quality hire.
7. 78% of millennials have applied to a job through their smartphone
In the US, about 90% of adults have a cell phone and a further, 58% have a smartphone with internet capabilities.
What’s more, over 78% of millennials who own smartphones have applied to jobs via their mobile devices. In today’s highly mobile entered world, having a strong mobile site is a must-have for securing good hires.
A poorly designed unresponsive mobile layout may risk alienating candidates who apply to jobs on their phones.
Moreover, only 13% of organizations stated that they put adequate funds into mobile recruitment, which means a whopping 87% of organizations are not engaging with this mobile recruitment shift.
This means that a strong mobile presence can put you a step ahead of the competitors in attracting today’s younger workforce.
8. 66% of candidates will move on if they don’t hear a response within 2 weeks
Say you have attracted a pool of potential quality hires and have started mailing out responses to applications. Don’t take too long to do this.
Data from CareerBuilderimplies that nearly 66% of candidates said they would pass over a job opportunity if they do not hear a response to their application within 2 weeks.
This means that a slow inefficient hiring process will hurt your recruiting chances. Any longer than two weeks and candidates will consider the position a lost cause. Further statistics show that over 85% of job seekers said that consistent communication was the number one indicator of satisfaction with the recruitment experience.
So don’t wait on responding to applications. Doing so only hurts your recruitment chances.
9. 60% of job seekers have quit an application because it is too complex
One thing candidates hate is filling out long complex job applications that make them fill in the same information over and over again.
That is one of the good things about the prevalence of social media recruiting sites as they give a quick and standardized way for candidates to apply for jobs. According to data from SHRM, 60% of job applicants reported that they have quit an application in the middle because it was too long or too complex.
Some may think that longer applications are good because it weeds out talent that isn’t motivated, but we disagree. Talented candidates know what their time is worth and know that have opportunities in the job market. So your best bet to attract quality talent is to streamline the application process.
One thing recruiters can do to streamline the application process.
A study from a recruitment company called Appcast figured out that recruiters can boost application completion rates by an amazing 365% by limiting the application process to more than 5 minutes. Further, they also found out that application completion rates fall below 50% when there are more than 50 questions compared to only 25 questions.
So recruiters can get a better application conversion rate by removing extraneous questions and details that are not relevant for your first meeting with candidates.
10. It takes an average of 52 days to fill a new position
As the economy has slowly gotten back on its feet in the past few years, candidates are realizing they have more employment choices.
Competition for talent has increased the average time frame of hiring from 48 days in 2011 to 52 days in 2019. In other words, competition between talented candidates means that hiring decisions are taking longer.
This is one metric where streamlining the application process can come in handy. Streamlining the process means the entire application process takes less time, thus attracting more clients and increasing the chances that one will be a quality hire.
Further, a good chunk of employers (47%) said that one reason positions are staying open longer is because of unmatched salary requirements.
11. 90% of the workforce are willing to learn about an open position
According to data from LinkedIn, only about one-third of the workforce (36%) are actively looking for a new job at any given time.
However, a whopping 90% of working professionals responded that they would be open to hearing about a new position, even if they already had a job. This means that recruiters should not hesitate to scout for passive talent.
Even if they will ultimately reject the position, the vast majority of employees are open to hearing about new job opportunities.
12. 31% of all hires are proactively sourced
Speaking of passive candidates, did you know that nearly a third of al hires (33%) last year were proactively sourced? It’s true; nearly one-third of the workforce is secured through scouting out passive candidates.
Competition forces companies to proactively source talent, and building relationships is the best way to capture the interest of a candidate.
Hiring managers and recruiters should take an active role in building a relationship with candidates.
Proactively sourced candidates may be hesitant to leave their current job so they require some convincing and must be engaged with well in advance. Engaging candidates helps on two fronts.
First, exposing yourself to candidates helps build trust and helps them like you better than the competition. Second, giving the relationship time to develop gives you more chances to convince them your company is right for them.
13. More people expect work flexibility than before
The ability for employees to work remotely or set their own hours is now no longer seen by candidates as a benefit but an expectation. In other words, offering work flexibility may not make you stand out in today’s competitive hiring market, but leaving it out may actually hurt your chances. According to data from LinkedIn, the number of candidates that said work flexibility was a very important factor in their job search has risen by 24% over the last 4 years.
This means that more candidates will expect your company to offer flexible work scheduling. Companies are starting to take notice of this change in expectations too.
Last year there was a 78% increase in job postings on LinkedIn that mentioned work flexibility in the job description.
14. 67% of candidates said that a diverse team is an important job factor
Companies are waking up to the benefits of having a diverse team of employees.
Companies in the top 25% for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to make higher financial returns than the national median for their industries and companies in the top 25% for gender diversity are 15 more likely to see higher than median returns for the industry.
Candidates themselves too are making a point to join diverse companies. Over 67% of surveyed candidates stated that a diverse team was an extremely important factor when hiring.
Aside from concerns about social justice, it seems that having a diverse team is a good way to both attract quality talent and do well in terms of financial returns.
15. 83% of employers believe that retaining talent is a growing challenge
One thing many companies nowadays are having difficulty with is attracting and retaining quality talent. Over 83% of employers say that attracting and retaining talent either is a challenge or is expected to be a challenge in future years.
The reason why employee retention is so low is two-fold. First, millennials have realized that they actually stand to gain more from switching jobs every few years rather than sticking in one position.
Forbes figured out that the average raise for people who stay at a company over a year is a measly 3% while the average raise for accepting a position at a new company was between 10%-20%.
Keep in mind that this data is from 2014, and the percentages have only risen since then. When millennials have more to gain by leaving rather than staying, who can blame them for having low company loyalty?
The second reason is that millennials have changing attitudes regarding work and lifestyle.
Millennials are a highly mobile workforce and are used to switching jobs every few years instead of setting down roots.
Many millennials report that they would be more inclined to stay with their current organization if they saw more paths for career advancement.
Thus, companies are going to have to face the challenge of retaining quality talent by giving employees more reasons to stay. This includes better salary raises, benefits packages, and flexible work scheduling.
One thing that can really hurt recruiters is a negative application experience with a candidate.
According to a survey from OfficeVibe, 67% of candidates said that they would discuss a negative application experience with their friends or family.
Further, a solid 27% said that they would actively discourage others from applying if they had a negative application experience.
That is why it is so important for recruiters to maintain constant contact with candidates and give them a positive application experience.
Doing otherwise could hurt the chances of attracting quality talent.
17. By 2025, 75% of the global workforce will be millennials
The presence of millennials in the job market is getting larger; so large that it is expected that millennials will make up nearly 3⁄4ths of the global workforce by 2025.
That means that in the coming years, employers are going to have to cultivate a work culture that appeals to and attracts millennial personalities.
Here are some of the most desired job perks from millennials:
- Work/life balance
- More time off
- More casual, relaxed work environments
- Flexible scheduling
- Amenities and benefits (insurance, PTO, vacation, etc.)
It is better for companies to start instilling these changes now in order to stay ahead of the curve and not fall behind in recruiting.
18. Almost half of businesses say quality hires come from employee referrals
One thing many recruiters forget is just how useful a resource current employees are.
According to LinkedIn, 48% of businesses in 2017 said that the majority of their quality hires came from internal referrals from employees.
Employee referrals are good for two main reasons. First, you do not have to spend time and resources performing other recruitment strategies and second, employees won’t suggest unqualified candidates as they are a reflection of themselves. In light of how useful employee referrals are, it may be a good idea to offer employees incentives to suggest quality clients.
Consider offering a prize to any employee who suggests someone that ends up getting the job.
19. 80% of job seekers research company reviews before deciding to apply
In today’s internet inundated world it is increasingly common for job seekers to research companies and check out the reviews and ratings from current and past employees.
Sites like Glassdoor have pages where people leave reviews of their experience with a particular company. Approximately 80% of job seekers said that they would check out company reviews online before deciding to apply to a position.
In light of this fact, all hiring teams should make sure that they keep an eye on theses employer review sites, so they can address any concerns that may put off a potential candidate.
20. 20% of hires are considered “bad decisions”
Recruiters are not perfect; they are only human. Statistics show that nearly 1 in 5 hires are eventually considered a bad hire or a regretted decision.
We put this statistic here to remind recruiters to practice their recruiting efforts so they don’t end up making a bad hire. Even the best recruiters make mistakes though, so if you do make a hire that ultimately falls through, you can use it as a learning experience so you know what to watch out for in the future.
One of the better ways to cut down on potential bad hires is by administering work assessments during the interview process so companies can get an objective evaluation of candidates’ skills.
21. The demand for tech-oriented positions is rising globally
Since the dot.com explosion of the late 90s, early 2000s, jobs in the tech sector have seen an incredible amount of growth.
That trend continues today and employees in the tech sector are still the highest in demand and that demand is growing every year.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the positions for mathematicians, software developers, statisticians, and are expected to grow by 29%, 30%, and 33%, respectively.
This means that in the coming years there will be a lot of competition for talented employees in the tech sector.
Organizations should start modifying their application and job advertising process now so they can best take advantage of future growth.
For instance, nearly 5 million jobs in the information technology sector are expected to be added by 2027.
22. The number one reason people change jobs is for career advancement
Based on data from LinkedIn, the number one reason why people changed jobs last year was not necessarily for a better salary or because of a bad boss, but for career advancement.
That is why it is important for recruiters to demonstrate to passive candidates how accepting a position at your company will help their overall career goals.
Conversely, the number one reason that people left their job the previous year was because of a lack of career development or career stagnation.
23. 4 times more employers increased total workforce than decreased total workforce in the past 3 years
One thing that will affect competition for talent is the fact that more companies are growing their ranks.
Based on data from CareerBuilder, almost half of companies (41%) said they planned to increase total employee headcount in the next few years, almost 4 times as many who said they planned to decrease total employee headcount (9%).
This means that there will be more employers vying for talented hires, so recruiters will have to step up their game if they want to attract anyone’s attention.
24. Employee burnout is responsible for over half of workforce turnovers each year
One real challenge to employee retention is employee burnout. About half of HR managers (46%0 said that employee burnout is the main reason for over half of their annual turnovers, the other major reasons being offered a better paying job and better work environment and benefits.
The top 3 factors that contributed to employee burnout were low salaries, an unbalanced workload, and too much overtime work.
Employers already have a tough time retaining employees given the state of the job market and even more so when they give their employees unreasonable demands.
One way for employers to reduce employee burnout rates is by giving better salaries and benefits that will ke3ep attractive hires around for longer.
25. Half of employers think that health and wellness benefits will be mere important to retaining employees
As more people are realizing the importance of health and wellness, more recruiters believe that employer practices focus on promoting health and wellness among employees will be extremely important for retaining employees. About 51% of surveyed employers said they thought health and wellness benefits will become more important for employees in the next 3-5 years.
The reason is simple: an unhealthy burnt-out employee is much more likely to jump ship to another job given the opportunity.
More employees than ever expect employers to provide health benefits like insurance and that they will have a work environment conducive to promoting mental health.
So, it is a good idea for companies to up their focus on promoting health and wellness for the near future.
26. 70% of employers have improved their physical environments to promote better health
Building on the last point, more employers are becoming aware of current employees’ need for balanced health and wellness.
Over 70% of surveyed employers reported that they have improved the physical environments of their companies to promote better health among employees by such things as adding walking paths on outdoor campuses, adding healthier options to cafeteria menus, and starting campus bike-sharing programs.
Further, 61% of employees agree that they now make healthier decisions in their life due to their company’s health and wellness programs and 89% of workers at such companies said that well0being efforts make them more likely to recommend that company as a good place to work.
As the recognition of health benefits grows, more companies are expected to make strides in promoting physical and mental wellness among their employees.
Companies should start cultivating these practices now so that they are ahead of the curve.
The better your employees feel at work, the more they will be likely to promote working there as a good idea.
27. 56% of employees said more time off would make them more loyal to their company
Speaking of things that make an employee believe a particular company is a good place to work, over half of all employees (56%) stated that more paid time off would make them more loyal to their companies.
Millennials differ from older generations in that they place a much greater value on their free time, so companies that offer adequate time off allow them to achieve their ideal work/life balance.
In fact, a lack of time-off is one of the major reasons why a candidate would turn down a position.
28. The median employee tenure is around 4 and a half years
Unfortunately, global employee retention is at an all-time low rate and more employees are staying at positions for shorter periods of time.
In the US, the median length of employment for all positions was just under 4 and a half years, meaning that employees who have been at their current position for 5 or more years are more likely than others to be seeking another job.
Recognizing this fact gives a good angle for recruiters to approach passive candidates. When sourcing candidates from another company, try to find someone who has been there for around 3-5 years.
Finding someone in that range makes it more likely you can convince them to come work for your organization.
29. 74% of recruiters say anti-harassment strategies will be important for recruiting in the coming years
More so than ever, company cultures is an extremely important factor applicants consider when looking for a job. If a company has a culture that the candidate does not perceive as a fit for their personality, they are much more likely to reject a job offer.
Specifically, nearly 3 in 4 US recruiters believe that cultivating comprehensive anti-harassment strategies and policies will be very important to increase employee retention and company loyalty.
In short, employees are much less likely to stay at a company if they do not feel safe or if they feel like their concerns are not being met.
In the wake of the #MeToo movement, organizations need to be even more vigilant about identifying and rooting out harassment in their workforce.
30. 80% of employers agree that “soft skills” will be important for the future of recruiting
Many businesses seem to be focused on finding candidates with so-called “hard” technical skills, like engineering, accounting, or proficiency in science.
However, equally important are the “soft” skills like interpersonal management, communication, conflict resolution, and decision making and leadership qualities.
You would be surprised at just how many companies are struggling to find people who have the requisite creativity, adaptability, and time-management skills. 80% of employers (8 in 10) report that they believe soft skills have become increasingly important to their company’s success.
31. 1 in 4 American employees have quit a job because of the training process
Training is one of the most important parts of a new hire as that is their first glimpse of what working at a company is really like.
According to a study performed by iCIMS, Almost 1 in 4 American workers admitted that they have quit a job because they were unsatisfied with the onboard training process.
Further, 44% of workers said they considered quitting during training but did not do so. Since first impressions matter so much, HR staff should make sure that new hires are introduced to the organization and trained well.
One major reason employees feel compelled to quit during training is a lack of direction. If employees feel like they are not being trained in an adequate manner, they will question their position at a company.
32. 61% of workers state that job interviews do not adequately inform them of their actual job expectations in the position
Interviews are supposed to be where a candidate gets the majority of their information what it is like working at a company and what will be expected of them. It is a bad sign then that 61% of workers surveyed by GlassDoor said that they felt the expectations set during their interview did not match the actual requirements of the job.
It is important to make sure that job requirements and expectations are accurately explained to candidates or else they may be more inclined to leave earlier.
33. 83% of recent graduates expect formal job training
Building on the last few points about proper job training and employee retention, although 83% of recent graduates believe their education adequately prepared them for the job, nearly 84% of recent graduates expect formal job training at a new position.
This means that HR departments should focus on updating their training procedures to match the expectations of new emp0loyees. Otherwise, they run the risk of putting them off with unsatisfactory training.
This fact runs tandem to the fact that 24% of employers believe that recent graduates are not ready for work at all.
Most recruiters blame the lack of skills in recent graduates to an abundance of book-learning over real-world learning, lack of liberal arts skills, and no focus on internships during school.
Over 3 in 5 recruiters agree that a 4-year degree aloe does not prepare job seekers to be successful in today’s market.
34. Recruiters estimate that the average salary for new hires next year will be $56,532
According to data from iCIMS, recruiters estimate that the average salary they will pay new hires next year will be $56,532. This figure has changed almost $10,000 from $45,361 last year. This bump in expected new hire salaries is due to the increasing competition for qualified employees among organizations. In fact, one of the main reasons recruiters say they have a hard time filling positions is a failure to meet salary expectations for new hires.
As the average salary goes up, competition for new hires is expected to increase yet again next year. That means that if recruiters are going to be competitive and attract quality talent, they have to offer higher starting salaries than their competition.
35. 74% of tech professionals have increased the hiring rate of freelancers and contingent workers
Based on another survey from iCIMS, nearly 3 in 4 tech companies report that they have increased contracting of freelancers or other contingent workers.
Hiring managers agree that hiring freelancers and contingent workers cut costs and give access to more specialized skill sets. Even with expected average salary raises for new hires, 64% of recent college graduates say that they will most likely get a second job freelancing or in the gig economy to make ends meet. For recruiters, this means that hiring freelancers will become a more popular option for tech companies in the following years.
36. 80% of millennials say they are open to working overseas
As globalization increases and the workforce becomes highly mobile, more job seekers say that they would be willing to consider positions overseas.
Nearly 4 in 5 millennials surveyed by PWC.com said that they would seriously consider a position that would require them to move to another country. Population shifts and changing trends in a global market mean that many companies will take up locations across seas to find locations that are competitive and cost-effective.
Such employers will have an easier time finding millennial candidates who would be willing to work overseas.
37. The US. employment rate is the lowest it has been in 18 years
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, the US unemployment rate has decreased to almost 4%, the lowest it has been since a high spike of unemployment at 10% in the wake of the 2008-2009 global financial recession.
The last time the unemployment rate was this low was in 199 when it was just over 4%. As the economy gets back on its feet, more jobs are available, the more people get jobs, and more people go out looking for jobs, the state of the economy will make competition between employers for quality new hires increase. The glut of open positions means that top-quality candidates will have many options to choose from so recruiters need to offer good work benefits to rope these candidates in.
38. The top hard skills desired by employers last year were cloud computing and statistical analysis
The rise of big data and statistical analysis in the tech world has created a booming demand for candidates with tech and computer-related skills.
According to LinkedIn, the number one desired hard skill among recruiters last year was experience working with cloud and distributed computing with statistical analysis coming in a close second. As tech companies begin to rely more on digital infrastructures and statistical analysis of markets and financial data, demand for these skills in the tech sector is expected to increase greatly.
The next top three hard skills most desired by employers were middleware and integration software, web architecture/development, and user interface design.
39. 64% of workers say that their job gives them a sense of meaning and purpose
One thing that recruiters and employers will have to keep up with is the younger workforce’s changing views surrounding the value of work and money.
Contrary to older generations, millennials and Gen Z individuals say that job satisfaction is more important to them than income or job stability.
This means that millennials are more likely to look for positions where their desires are met and they get a sense of meaning and fulfillment. Nearly 64% of workers globally say that their job is a major source of meaning and purpose. Further, an amazing 40% of millennial workers say that they would be willing to take a pay cut if they felt that their job gave them more meaning in life.
Recruiters and employers can appeal to the sentiments of younger generations by offering more opportunities at work for autonomy and self-fulfillment.
Among many things younger job seekers want to see in their company, a sense of social responsibility and community awareness is at the top.
Companies that make their commitment to the betterment of society more generally are likely to be viewed more favorably by the younger workforce, and many younger workers say that having their personal values and their company’s value lining up is an important part of choosing and staying at a position.
40. Most recruiters agree that AI can remove human bias in the hiring process
When asked what the biggest benefit of AI in hiring, most recruiters responded that using AI can save time in the hiring process and cut down on human bias.
One great area for AI use in hiring is in sourcing candidates. AI allows companies to automate their sourcing process to cut time and costs.
Certain AI systems are able to analyze more than 300 million social media profiles a day and index them based on job experience and work skills. Moreover, as AI systems advance, they will become more personalized as to keep candidate engagement up.
Despite the general agreement that using AI in the hiring process is ultimately beneficial, most recruiters (55%) responded that they did not feel that AI would displace anyone in HR departments in the coming years.
Specifically, most recruiters still think that in-person interviews are the best way to gauge a candidate’s skill and that part of the job is not in worry of being automated anytime soon.
41. Tech companies had the highest employee turnover rate last year
In today’s fast-paced technological sector, workers are constantly shifting between jobs and projects.
According to data from LinkedIn, the tech sector had the highest turnover rate out of all industries and contributed to nearly one-tenth of all employee turnovers in the country. Tech companies can both grow extremely quickly and stagnate quickly, so it makes sense that tech workers are among the population switching jobs the most.
Among major tech companies in Silicon Valley such as Uber, Dropbox, Tesla, and Facebook, the average employee tenure was just over 2 years; 2 years shorter than the average employee tenure across all industries.
This means that employers should try to source candidates from tech companies who have been employed at their current position for at least two years to increase the odds of winning them over.
42. Nearly 7 in 10 employees feel they are overqualified for their current job
Despite the fact that a sizable portion of employers believe that new entrants to the workforce are not prepared for their jobs, 68% of workers feel that they are overqualified for their current positions, whether due to education level or previous work experience.
This means two things: as the number of jobs increases, competition for top-quality hires who realize they have many options will increase, but at the same time, workers that recruiters peg as underqualified will nevertheless be likely to ask for higher salaries that match their perceived employment level.
Companies need to be responsive to how under or overqualified their candidates and employees may feel and adjust hiring habits to follow suit.
43. Company culture is extremely important for job seekers deciding on a position
Compared to traditional things such as salary or benefits, an increasing number of workers claim that company culture is an important factor when looking for a position.
In fact, almost a third (32%) of currently employed workers say that they would be willing to take a pay cut for a position at an organization with a better company culture.
Elements of company culture include work environment, company mission, value ethics, and company goals/expectations. Interestingly, millennials are much more likely than older generations to say that they want to work for a company that is dedicated to promoting social welfare and community service.
However, most millennials say that they feel their company focuses too much on profit, efficiency, and production, the three things millennials say that companies should focus on the least.
In other words, most younger employees seem to feel that their company values and their own values do not sync up.
Considering how important company values are to younger workers when choosing a job, employers are recommended to orient their company culture around an ethos of social responsibility and giving back to the community.
44. 3 in 4 recruiters use behavioral interview questions to assess soft skills
One way that recruiters gauge the skill set of candidates is by asking them behavioral interview questions.
These questions present a scenario to the candidate and ask them how they would handle the situation and what decision they would make. 75% of employers say both that they use behavioral interview questions to gauge candidates’ skills and that they think behavioral interview techniques are a good way to judge employee fit.
A very simple behavioral interview technique is to ask candidates to describe a time they achieved some goal or managed conflict between teammates.
The point of these kinds of questions is to analyze candidates’ decision making and problem-solving skills.
45. 27% of employers are transparent about salaries and pay ranges
Most employees agree that salary expectations are one of the most important job factors when deciding on a position (see tip #6).
In light of this fact, more companies are taking steps to be more forthcoming about salary offerings and ranges during the recruitment process. 27% of employers stated that they are transparent about salaries to new hires.
This is opposite the historic trend of employers not revealing information about salary ranges as they feel that can cause employee disputes.
While this is true, not giving employees transparent information about salary ranges makes them more likely to accept a position from a company that does, so most companies would be better served by being more straight up with salary ranges at their organization.
Conclusions/Final Considerations
So there you have it, 45 tips on hiring trends that are 100% backed by data and science.
To sum up our findings in bullet point format:
- Recruiters will have to deal with higher salary expectations to fill positions and retain top-quality talent.
- An increasingly large portion of the workforce expects comprehensive benefits packages; including but not limited to PTO, vacation, health benefits, and flexible scheduling.
- Recruiters need to take advantage of the powerful recruiting resource that is social media.
- Still, the number one thing that determines job acceptance is salary/compensation
- Positive company culture and a commitment to corporate social responsibility are two very important factors for attracting millennials workers.
- Companies need to step up their mobile game and tap into the mobile recruitment market through responsive website design and streamlined applications
- Hiring managers need to focus on better training methods to acclimate and retain new hires.
- Health and wellness benefits are an increasingly important part of searching for a job.
- Companies should take advantage of employee referrals and employee professional networks to source new hires.
- Companies need to take a more active role in sourcing passive candidates as these turn out to be the best quality hires.
As the economy continues to grow and technological change drives industries, hiring managers will have to keep up to accommodate a new global workforce. They need to keep in mind that this new crop of workers is vastly different from the old guard in terms of their values and motivations. By changing their hiring practices to accommodate these shifts, companies have a better chance of attracting and retaining quality talent.