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Watch for these 5 hiring trends in 2019

As we head into a new year, leading recruitment executives predict hiring trends to prepare and plan for whether you are looking for a job or looking to fill one.

Watch for these 5 hiring trends in 2019

[Photo: Joshua Ness/Unsplash]

BY Kathleen Davis4 minute read

With the holidays over, many companies are restarting hiring efforts that may have stalled at the end of last year. But that doesn’t mean hiring will look like it did in 2018. As CareerBuilder CEO Irina Novoselsky explains, recruitment trends are impacted by many factors–from unemployment rates to technological innovation and beyond.

The unemployment rate is going down, allowing job seekers to get behind the wheel and to be picky about their opportunities. In turn, this results in higher competition and a longer process to fill a cubicle seat. Novoselsky adds that a growing digital and remote working landscape continues to redefine the professional sphere. Generations that adopt the gig economy mindset and are able to take their job anywhere they please force businesses to think differently about employees, contractors, and what success looks like. As we head into a new year, leading recruitment executives predict hiring trends to prepare and plan for:

Companies will utilize technology to streamline the interview process

Anyone with access to a computer can technically apply for any job out there–regardless of whether they are qualified or not. In response to this free-for-all, many recruitment firms and databases have created ways for employers to streamline their hiring process using technology to field applications. The CEO and founder of ABS Staffing Solutions, Ariel Schur, explains that rather than wasting anyone’s time with several in-person meetings, online features will allow hiring managers to send out personality, writing, or functional tests an interested professional must complete before moving forward. This saves headache–and heartache–on both sides of the process. “There is nothing more frustrating than falling in love with a candidate you believe would be the perfect fit only to discover that they are a terrible writer during the final hiring process,” she adds. In addition to these virtual quizzes or run-throughs, Schur also predicts most companies will conduct several rounds of Skype interviews before inviting candidates into the office, to save on commuting time and cost.

Social recruiting will become more prevalent

Though LinkedIn is a no-brainer tool for seeking applicants, Schur explains there are several untapped platforms that most companies haven’t yet considered. From Twitter to Instagram, social postings can go beyond an update, and can offer more to lure in the right candidate or find the ideal job. “Both employees and employers can utilize these platforms to build relationships, vet opportunities, and make employment decisions,” she says. This might look like running social ads for a position you’re hoping to fill, or reaching out to influencers in various industries to see if they are open to contract work. No matter how you use it, there are thousands of connections you likely already have that you aren’t considered. “Recruitment marketing is the process of trying to attract new individuals for organizations using different methods and to think outside of the box. Companies will be smarter with how they utilize their social sites to attract candidates,” she continues. “They’ll want to be more competitive and sexier and tap into what people want.”

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Competition will be fierce

Thanks to low unemployment, higher productivity, and a growing consumer confidence, Novoselsky predicts strong job growth will extend throughout 2019, not only for full-time professionals but for temporary workers, too. Because there will be more jobs created, naturally, industries will become more competitive, and she says employers will need to respond with an aggressive approach to financial compensation, cultural perks, and other incentives. Because of this, she thinks more companies will increase their focus on diversity to attract an even wider pool of applicants, and perhaps be open to more modern ways of working. This might include remote work, consultants, and other novel ways of looking at what it means to be a professional.

Technology will continue to be indisputable

Though Novoselsky does predict STEM-related occupations will dominate fast-growing occupations, with a big quest for software and app developers, as well as IT specialists, technology isn’t only in these fields. In fact, she explains, outside of traditional tech, jobs like registered nurses, postsecondary teachers, accountants and auditors will increase in demand, and people in these roles will encounter tech more regularly during their day-to-day tasks. According to a CareerBuilder survey, 69% of employers said every job is essentially a “tech job” because some part of the responsibilities is dependent on their ability utilize various technologies. “This shift will push companies to create upskilling and reskilling opportunities for current employees to make sure that they remain competitive, and will require job seekers to pursue skills and educational opportunities to meet growing demand for high-wage jobs that involve tech,” she explains.

Candidates will be hired on potential career trajectory–not their degree

As new generations of entry-level-age workers are emerging without a degree, companies are pushed to reconsider the importance of an expensive diploma. Novoselsky believes that in the coming months, candidates will be selected based on their potential career trajectory and not necessarily what they did or didn’t achieve educationally. CareerBuilder actually doesn’t require a degree for its openings because they don’t want to lose out on great talent who didn’t decide to take the traditional route. “Employers will invest more in providing competency-based training to develop potential talent and have them grow with the company, offering upskilling opportunities almost immediately upon a candidate’s hire,” she predicts.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Kathleen Davis is Deputy Editor at FastCompany.com, Supervising Editor of Fast Company podcasts, and Host of The New Way We Work podcast. She frequently covers topics including Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, gender equity, education, economic inequality, remote work, and the future of work. Previously, she has worked as an editor at Entrepreneur.com, WomansDay.com and Popular Photography magazine. More


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