4 Exciting Recruiting Trends In 2018
4 Exciting Recruiting Trends In 2018
Last year we looked at the 7 trends that would define the recruitment industry in 2017. With the continually improving economy and unemployment at a 16-year old low, what will the new year bring?
One trend that stayed the same is hiring volume will increase. In 2017, 56% of recruiting teams predicted their hiring 
volume would increase.
A recent survey by Indeed found that hiring will continue to increase in 2018: 61% of recruiters expect to hire more people in 2018 than they did in 2017, while 29% expect to maintain current headcount, and only 10% are planning to reduce their hiring.
The strong economy appears to be driving most of this demand: 56% of employers are hiring to support business growth and only 13% are hiring to backfill.
Focus on conversion rates in sourcing
SocialTalent’s latest Global Recruiting Survey found the average recruiter sourced 225 candidates for a single hire, an overall conversion rate of 0.4%.
Top performing recruiters, on the other hand, were 150% more efficient. They sourced 91 candidates on average for one hire for an overall conversion rate of 1.0%.
In 2018, one of the top recruiting trends will be a focus on quality over quantity, which means adopting software tools to improve candidate matching and recruiter efficiency.
Entry-level hiring becomes a priority
According to the same Indeed survey, 41% of employers say entry-level positions are hardest to fill compared to 20% who believe executive level positions are their most difficult hires.
Indeed suggests companies may need to start offering incentives and accept truly entry-level candidates – those without prior experience and train them – rather than require 1+ years of experience to tap into a bigger talent pool.
Candidate experience becomes a differentiator
Organizations are starting to pay attention that a great candidate experience is an important differentiator.
In 2018, the growing mindset of “the candidate as consumer” will take hold. Just like today’s consumers, candidates want immediate, real-time updates and access to information about their job applications.
This renewed focus on candidate experience is increasing the adoption of recruitment chatbots.
In a recent survey by Allegis found that the majority candidates are receptive to interacting with a chatbot in the early stages of the application process Sixty-six percent of candidates are comfortable with a chatbot taking care of interview scheduling and preparation.
While candidates still prefer a human touch first and foremost, they understand that’s not possible at every touchpoint. Candidates are open to communicating using alternative methods, if that means speeding up the job search process and having access to more information.
2018 recruitment trends are very different than 2017 by focusing on conversion rates, entry-level hiring on the rise and focusing on a great candidate experience. Lead Staffing is ready to embrace these new trends and 2018!
