As the market continues to shift, so must hiring managers when searching out top talent. Things that were standard practice even 2 years ago are no longer beneficial when filling positions. Many candidates are coming back into the workforce with a new perspective. They are searching for positions that work into their lives instead of a position to work life around. This new perspective has caused hiring trends to shift in order to obtain the most qualified candidates. Below are new hiring trends that bring in top talent.

Engage Candidates Early

One change that is on trend for hiring new talent is engaging candidates early on in the hiring process. Many hiring managers prefer to wait until the initial round of interviews before narrowing down and engaging candidates. However, with the market how it is now, it is better to engage at the first connection. If you interview a candidate you think could potentially be a good fit, keep the lines of communication open from the get-go.  Many high performing candidates will no longer wait around for over a week to maybe hear back. If they get another offer or interview, they are likely going to take it. Discuss next steps and when to expect to hear back before the first interview ends. Keeping the candidate engaged from the beginning will give you a fighting chance when offering a job.

Zoom Interview Option

In the past, it was not common for interviews to be conducted online or over the phone. Post-pandemic, many people are trying to transition from functioning full-time from home to back to the workforce. Now that technology has advanced, many people prefer the online “Zoom” interview option. This benefits the candidate by allowing them to interview when they may not have otherwise been able to (maybe because they are out of town, lack of child care, illness in the house, etc.). This will also benefit you as a hiring manager because you are able to expand your candidate options while also adding more interviews to your schedule.

Advanced Screening Options

Advanced technology also refers to screening options available to hiring managers. Many companies are now using screening software in order to narrow down their search. This software will qualify candidates based on specific criteria including licensing, experience and skills. Many hiring managers are moving towards the use of screening software to shorten their search and give them the best options for interviews.

Offering Flexibility

Having great medical benefits and a 401-K is no longer the standard in order to stay competitive. Candidates are focused more on work/life balance and are looking for jobs that fit that criteria. One main trend is to offer flexibility through remote work options or unlimited PTO. Managers can increase the pool of talent by offering a work from home option while also decreasing the costs involved in having an in office employee. Also, unlimited PTO has also become a strong trend as many candidates like the idea of not having to stress if a personal issue comes up. This benefit has shown to decrease anxiety overall in the office as well as increase productivity as workers make sure they are meeting guidelines in order to keep this benefit.

As life changes before us, we must do everything we can to adjust and evolve. That means what got us here, may not get us there. It is important as managers to keep a pulse on the ever evolving workforce trends and adjust accordingly. Making a few adjustments may be the difference in bringing in the top talent for your team or not.