Linkedin, a business and employment-focused social media platform. The platform has made three key predictions for the future of recruiting based on Gen AI’s promise to transform the way work is done.
This was based on a discussion with top talent leaders and thousands of recruiting professionals who were surveyed, and billions of data points generated on the LinkedIn platform to analyze and introduce LinkedIn’s 2024 Future of Recruiting report.
The aim is to help recruiting leaders and teams prepare for the year ahead and beyond and to avoid feeling overwhelmed by all the changes sweeping the field of recruiting.
The key issues have centered around employers demanding that workers return to the office, and the ability to fill skills gaps which are only getting harder. Navigating these trends and others has been tough.
What the report indicates
The report offers six predictions for the future of recruiting and includes insights into some of the most important trends reshaping the talent landscape, as well as tips to help attracting, hiring, and retaining the best talent.
However this article will focus on three of the predictions. Here’s a preview of some of the predictions covered in the report:
AI will supercharge recruiting
One significant finding from the report is the extent to which talent professionals believe generative AI will revolutionize recruiting.
Although only 27% of the talent professionals surveyed by LinkedIn are currently using or experimenting with generative AI, 60% are optimistic about its potential in recruitment.
Additionally, the number of recruiters who have enhanced their profiles by adding AI skills increased by 14% last year.
Recruiting professionals recognize the potential of generative AI to significantly enhance both the speed and outcomes of their efforts.
The survey highlights that the greatest benefit for those using generative AI is the ability to draft job descriptions more quickly and easily. Furthermore, recruiters appreciate AI’s capacity to automate routine tasks, freeing them up to focus on more rewarding aspects of their roles.
As understanding of generative AI deepens, talent leaders anticipate its adoption will accelerate over the coming year, with recruiting teams employing the technology in diverse ways, from sourcing candidates to personalizing outreach and matching internal candidates with vacancies.
However, even as generative AI becomes more integrated into mainstream recruiting practices, the necessity for a human touch remains emphasized in the report.
Top recruiters will distinguish themselves from their peers by engaging in activities that AI cannot replicate, such as forming meaningful relationships with candidates and providing exceptional candidate experiences. Consequently, soft skills like communication and relationship-building will remain essential for effective recruiting.
- “The best recruiters must be great at building relationships and creating high-touch candidate experiences that will help them rise above the bots,” says John Vlastelica, CEO at Recruiting Toolbox.
- Recruiting will help build the skills-based workforce of the future
One word poised to receive significant attention from recruiters in the upcoming year is “skills.”
More employers are acknowledging the necessity of adopting a skills-based approach to hiring and talent development to fill skill gaps and adapt to evolving market conditions.
Recruiters are leading the initiative in skills-based hiring while also assisting companies in developing effective upskilling and internal mobility programs. Indeed, 73% of recruiting professionals identify skills-based hiring as a priority.
Additionally, 84% of talent professionals believe that Talent Acquisition (TA) and Learning and Development (L&D) need to collaborate more closely, an increase from 78% last year.
The arguments supporting the evaluation of candidates based on their skills, rather than solely on their degrees or previous job titles, are compelling. According to LinkedIn research, skills-based hiring can expand employers’ talent pools by tenfold.
This approach reveals qualified workers who may have previously been overlooked. Skills-based hiring also promotes diversity by providing opportunities for individuals from historically marginalized groups who may lack formal degrees. Consequently, the number of job listings on LinkedIn that do not require degrees surged by 36% between 2019 and 2022.
Moreover, companies are not only focusing on hiring employees with the right skills but are also increasingly investing in the development of in-house talent.
As upskilling has become more critical for employers in recent years, it is now even more essential due to the rise of AI, which is creating a demand for skills that cannot be fulfilled solely through hiring.
According to Erin Scruggs, Vice President and Head of global talent acquisition at LinkedIn,
- “The talent pool for AI skills is very small, so we have to work closely with our leaders on this build-versus-buy strategy and how we can get internal talent to pivot, learn new skills, and become AI experts versus only going after a handful of people who have the right skills in the external market.”
Talent leaders will increasingly serve as talent advisors, partnering with L&D to ensure their companies have the right upskilling and internal mobility strategy to meet talent needs.
Recruiters will advocate for flex work policies
Return-to-office mandates are on the rise and that’s making it harder for recruiters to find top talent.
Over the past year, the number of applications for remote jobs soared by 146%, while the number of remote job postings dropped by 46%.
Meanwhile, flexible work as an employee value proposition (EVP) has grown in importance, especially for Gen Z.
From 2021 to 2023, the importance of flexible work as an EVP increased by 10% among all job seekers and by 14% among Gen Z job seekers, according to LinkedIn data.
LinkedIn survey results indicate that this dynamic is significantly hindering recruiters’ efforts.
Only 7% of recruiting professionals believe that fully in-office work policies have a positive impact on recruiting, compared to 77% who say flexible work policies have a positive impact.
Recruiters are acutely aware of how remote work expands the available talent pool by allowing companies to hire individuals outside of their home base.
Offering flexible work options also helps companies enhance their employer brands. While recruiters do not set remote work policies, they can highlight the importance of maintaining flexible work arrangements by gathering data and sharing it with the C-suite.
According to Gregory Karanastasis, Global Head of Talent Acquisition at Accenture,
- “TA’s job is to show business stakeholders how the talent pool shrinks when we don’t consider flexibility.
- “There’s going to be some goodwill built up for companies that have been consistent with flexible policies.”
