Back in 2020, remote working became the norm when the Covid-19 pandemic started. Hence, most people would remember it as the turning point in working setups, and it is a fair conclusion to draw - because it all seemed to happen so fast. 

 

But nothing actually transitions overnight, and the shift had actually started years earlier. However, the pandemic did contribute to speeding up the transition, and the working trends we see now are what would have been inevitable anyway.

 

Traditional work trends are a thing of the past now, and so are the traditional recruiting trends changing as well.

With that in mind, let us dive into the top early recruiting trends in 2022 that will define the future of recruitment.

 

6 Early Recruiting Trends Of 2022 That Will Define The Future Of Recruitment

Remote Working Is Spreading Exponentially

While it may seem like a new concept, the concept of remote work has been around for a couple of decades now. And why not? Working remotely saves the worker the time and cost of commutation to the workplace offers the luxury of working from anywhere and also enables them to improve their work-life balance. And these are just a few of the benefits remote workers get to enjoy. Some even get to work in their pajamas and are perfectly productive while doing so.

 

Given that almost everyone was working remotely for over a year since the start of the pandemic, it’s a privilege they would not want to give up now. Of course, there are still those who work from traditional offices, but the number of those who prefer it over remote working are few.

 

In order to keep pace with this trend, you should probably get yourself up to speed with how to go about identifying and hiring remote candidates.

 

Talent Networks Are Widely Relied Upon

Companies no longer want to invest the HR personnel’s time and energy in shortlisting profiles and screening candidates. Talent networks help organizations shortlist better quality profiles that are pre-qualified, in the sense that people who are known to people you know are likely to be more reliable and authentic.

 

As recruiters, you can rely on the opinion of alumni who parted amicably, employees (through employee referrals), talent communities, and other talent networks. But don’t get carried away by the influx of employee profiles from talent networks, because others' opinions need not always match your objective judgment.

 

Freelancing (GIG) Is Preferred By The Workers

Job security is a myth, and everybody knows it now. Maybe a decade ago, workers preferred to be the employees of companies and it made them feel safe. But recessions have made the workforce wiser and everybody understands that performance and value to the employers is what keeps you employed, and not the type of employment on paper. Because of this realization, people now prefer to be free to work as freelancers or contract workers and are happy to not chase the mirage of a secure nine to five job.

 

And this trend works well for recruiters as well, because hiring freelancers is a simpler process than inducting full-time employees. Plus, freelancers back themselves to stay employed on the basis of performance, and it largely guarantees better profitability.

 

However, you need to set the right expectations at the time of hiring the freelancers, and managing them is a different ball game altogether, so it’s sometimes to keep in mind.

 

Skills Based Hiring Is On The Rise

Skills-based hiring is the term given to the hiring strategy in which the job skills of the candidates are considered more important than their credentials. Of course, education and experience matter, but when it comes to delivering on the job, there is no substitute for having the right skills. The job market of this decade is driven by skilled candidates who can work independently, and their demand has gone up, especially with the increase in remote working.

 

However, while skills can be developed, attitude is intrinsic. This is probably the biggest limitation of skills-based hiring. Apart from this, skills-based hiring as a strategy is a real win-win. 

 

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Are Prioritized

A diverse workforce adds tremendous value to the organization’s reputation and profitability in the long run. Even the growth curve of a great organization often depends on the extent to which they encourage diversity. When you value and encourage diverse opinions, backgrounds, and experience levels, among other diversities, you will be on the track to achieving a diverse work culture.

 

But it does not necessarily mean that you look for a multi-racial workforce just to prove that you encourage diversity. The value of merit must not be compromised. You need to achieve diversity, but not at the cost of quality.

 

Soft Skills Are More Critical Than Ever

Soft skills are of quite a few types and not all of them are required for all candidates. So as a recruiter, it is up to you to judge what kind of a soft skill, whether active listening, body language, written communication, or any other soft skill is what is needed for a given job.

Simply put, you need to evaluate the soft skills depending on the role for which you are hiring.

Keeping Up With The Early Recruiting Trends In 2022

These early recruiting trends of 2022 are definitely not a flash in the pan. They are highly prevalent and not keeping up with them can make your effort hiring strategies and the hard work you put in futile.

These six hiring trends are truly defining the future of recruitment and it would be wise to keep pace with them. Yes, it is easier said than done, and that is why we suggest that you rely on software that will make your job as a recruiter easier to perform. Recruiters are overburdened as it is, and it is no small matter.

If the routine work is automated through a good talent acquisition cloud, you will have more time and energy on your hands to strategize better, and implement strategies to keep up with these early recruiting trends.