2018 Hiring Trends:
- New Hiring Trends
- The Digitization of the Interview
- The Computerization of the Resume Selection Process
- Traditional Hiring Trends (Independent of Technology)
- More Diversity in Teams
- More Competition
- Move beyond traditional skills and more focused on highly desirable advanced skills
Buckminster Fuller (The inventor of the Geodesic Dome) essentially said that wealth is being able to control a forward number of days. This makes perfect sense. Food has more value than goal to someone in a life boat. One takeaway from this world view is that being able to predict, what in the future you need to thrive, is a critical wealth accumulation driver. The better able you are to predict the future the better able you are to accumulate the things that allow you to accumulate wealth.
For most of us then, getting a job is an important step in accumulating the things we need to thrive. So, now the point of this post. What do I predict are the important “Hiring Trends” we need to pay attention to.
2 Broad Hiring Trends – New Hiring Trends and Greater Focus on Traditional Hiring Trends
I divided the Hiring Trends into 2 Broad categories, relatively new trends brought on by the digitization of our world and those trends that have been around since the beginning of time like increased competing.
Clearly the new trend of digitization has impacted the trends like competition. In the old days you only had to compete with your local market. And depending on how small your local market was, it’s possible that there was very little competition. However, today, with the digitization of our world, you are competing with everyone in the world. The point here is that the trend is toward more digitization and that is going drive more completion and diversity.
New Hiring Trends
2 new hiring trends are both related to the domestication of the electron. In the middle 1800’s we discovered we can measure and control electrons. Through a fairly rapid process of innovation we now that networks that move electrons around at the speed of light all over the globe and computers that can calculate incredible amounts of data.
In terms of the hiring treads this has in a the transformation of the interview and use of Artificial Intelligence to filter resumes.
The Digitization of the Interview
Interviewing has remained largely unchanged for years. But now, because of digitization we’re seeing a dramatic evolution that’s giving those responsible for hiring a powerful and exciting new alternative for interview and assessment approaches.
Most good mangers know, traditional interview techniques are not much better than per chance. One study I saw reported an astounding 46% of all new hires fail within 18 months. And Google research reports that unstructured interviews used by most simply don’t predict on-the-job performance.
Essentially today’s hiring managers believe that traditional interviews are largely ineffective in their ability to predict future on-the-job performance.
I saw another study from Google that suggested there is little evidence requiring candidates to undergo as multiple interviews has its limits. Google reports that beyond four interviews, little value is gained.
Also, recognize that because these interviews are recorded, managers can review and re-review them many times and those that can’t be at the original session can also view them at any time.
Another interesting hiring trend is many companies are avoiding questions that reward good storytellers and those who shamelessly take credit for the work of others work, over those might be too modest to report their own success.
What’s Actionable about this Hiring Trend.
We leave a lot of “Digital Breadcrumbs” today. Employers are now searching all these digital breadcrumbs to find out about us. They can search for your name. They can see what you’ve posted. They can see your life easily. And, as is expected they can use that information in the interview process.
So, what’s actionable for you in hiring trend is to scrub your digital breadcrumbs to make sure what you want a hiring manger to see is what they actually see. Absent being able to control what may or may not be out there to find, you need to be able to highlight those things you want highlighted an explain those things that need explaining.
Another important hiring tread in this category of the digitization of the interview is the “Video” Interview. What’s actionable here is to you need to learn to be comfortable with a video interview. Actually, there is a lot of upside for those that can master this hiring trend.
What’s actionable for you is to use the same tools employers use. You might not have to be surprised by interview questions. It’s possible with the Internet and social media, you can now know exactly what questions to expect because there are now literally hundreds of sites that provide the most commonly asked interview questions.
The Computerization of the Resume Selection Process
The robots are coming, and they’re changing the way employers are filtering and focusing their hiring process. Computers have gotten faster and smarter and employers are exploiting it. Employers can now scan a lot of data and look for keywords that help them filter out those without the basic job requirements and focus on those with the specific job skills they are looking for.
Many employers are already using big data to solve retention issues and analyze potential candidate success rates. Soon companies of all sizes will be able to harness computerization to objectively evaluate candidates better.
What’s Actionable about this Hiring Trend.
You need to match your digital resume to what you think the employer is looking for. When I started out, I printed one resume and used the cover letter to highlight the things I wanted the employer to see. Now, you can modify your resume for a specific employer. And you should.
Traditional Hiring Trends
More diversity in the workplace
Diversity is on every recruiter’s mind. 82% of talent acquisition leaders believe diversity will be the top trend to shape recruiting.
Companies recognize the social and financial benefitts of attracting a diverse workforce to be a competitive advantage.
In the past, my experience was hiring managers tended to look for people like themselves. The current hiring trend is to actively try to avoid this.
What is Actionable about this Hiring Trend
Better get used to working in a diverse team. A Forbes study attributes workforce diversity and inclusion as a key driver of business growth and internal innovation. I actually saw a Deloitte study that found diverse companies had 2.3 times higher cash flow per employee compared to non-diverse companies.
More Competition for Jobs
Before the Automobile and the Internet competition for most jobs was local. Today it is global or at least national. Many information jobs can be done remotely. So, you are now competing with a much larger pool of talent.
What is Actionable about this Hiring Trend
You have to up your skills to compete in a larger talent market. You need to know what others are able to do and match and/or exceed them. Now this is nothing new. Competition is a natural element of our communities. I’m pretty sure the best cave man spear thrower got the job of throwing the spear.
Move beyond traditional skills and more focused on highly desirable advanced skills
Many firms are realizing that in addition to the assessment of traditional skills, there are some advanced skills that are highly desirable in new hires. As a result, interviewers have begun to focus on identifying the specific skills needed.
In the past, a company may hire just a computer programer. Today however, they might be looking for a Javanet programmer with extensive knowledge in Emergency Room Health Care Records.
Google assesses the “career trajectory” of candidates and their ability to do “this as well as the next higher job.”
What is Actionable about this Hiring Trend
Find out what the Employer is specifically looking for an highlight those skills.