The recruiting industry is constantly evolving, changing their methods and practices alongside changes in the economy, changes in job production and changes in demand. But one may argue that the biggest change the industry has seen is in the last decade. Between a new generation entering the workforce to the rise of social media platforms, the last ten years may have paved a whole new path for recruiters and employees alike.
It’s Become an Applicants Market
For many years, even within this decade, employment rates were down. This caused companies to have their pick of the liter, per say, when choosing a new employee. Recently, the tides have turned, and now, with companies in high demand for talent, applicants have more flexibility in not only the company they choose to work for, but also the way they work there. Many applicants are better able to ask, and receive, benefits such as higher salaries, work from home opportunities, and a better chance for advancement. “It used to be that people just wanted a job, but today the applicants have other offers,” says Laurie Bloom, recruiter at The Goodkind Group. “There are a lot of good people out there and often, they get to pick and choose the positions they want.”
Millennial-Driven Workforce
Millenials have changed the way companies search for and find employees. “There are a lot of well-educated millenials out there,” says Bloom. “Certain clients will come to me because, while they could also go to schools and hire the top students, they don’t want to spend the time weeding through all those qualified candidates and finding the ones that will appreciate an opportunity at a firm that is entry-level.” Millenials also expect more from their companies, even those just starting out, and recruiters have struggled to show them that they may not always get what they want right away. “We have to educate them that they don’t have experience and that they can’t really dictate their salary and their position right out of the gate,” says Bloom. “We have to take time to explain to them that they have to put in their time.”
Rise of Social Media for Job Searching
It’s hard to believe, but just 10 years ago, Facebook was simply a social site for college students to keep in touch after graduation. Today, Facebook has grown into its’ own recruitment site, introducing job boards and networking groups all within the platform. Even further, we’ve seen the rise of Linkedin, which has not only become a tool for candidates, but is now a go-to tool for recruiters as well, and Twitter and Instagram, which have all been used, in some way or another, to find jobs and candidates.
On the other side of things, social media has also changed the interview process. Recruiters have to be aware of their candidates’ social presence before they refer them to a client.
A Desire for Entry-Level
Experience has always been a big factor in getting hired for a job. In fact, even for lower level positions, many companies still stated that they wanted a candidate to have more than five years of experience to even be considered. This has changed a bit, says Laurie Bloom, who has seen a rise in clients yearning for less experienced employees. “A lot of people want to hire entry-level so they can groom people with less baggage,” she adds. This is often specific for startups and smaller companies, but larger firms trying to break the millennial gap have also made this switch.
If you are looking for new candidates or need assistance with the changes in the marketplace and workforce, contact The Goodkind Group to learn how we can help you. Give us a call at 212-378-0700 or visit our website to learn more about our services.
