2025 Hiring and Recruiting Trends

Why you can trust my advice

With years of experience as an office manager, HR specialist, and recruiter, I’ve witnessed first-hand how hiring and recruiting have transformed. I’ve helped the companies I worked for prepare for these changes and was at the forefront of developing effective implementation strategies.

Drawing from my experiences and continuous professional development, I now share these insights with employers to help them navigate and succeed in today’s evolving employment landscape.

Top 6 hiring and recruiting trends for 2025

Layoffs and hiring freeze plagued 2024, spurred by high inflation and overhiring during the pandemic, but those aren’t the only trends shaping how organizations hire and recruit going into 2025.

The integration of AI is continuing on an upward scale, and balancing advanced technology with the human element will be even more crucial. Job candidates have voiced their frustrations with traditional hiring methods, craving more transparency and communication.

Additionally, the growing talent shortage is making organizations shift their focus toward skills, rethink return-to-office mandates, and consider whether to continue pushing their DE&I efforts.

1. A streamlined candidate experience will be critical to finding top talent

Monster and CareerPlug surveyed job seekers about their candidate experience. The feedback lets recruiters understand where they’re missing the mark with candidates.

For starters, CareerPlug found that 52% of job seekers have declined an offer because of a poor candidate experience. The candidate experience covers the entire hiring process, from when they apply to the moment they accept the job offer.

That means job seekers are voluntarily rescinding their candidacy due to a negative experience at some point within this process. According to Monster’s 2024 Work Watch Report, the main contributors to a subpar candidate experience are:

• Lack of communication or no response at all.
• Interviewer’s attitude or behavior.
• Long and drawn-out application processes.
• Several rounds of interviews.
• Submitting a resume and filling out the same information on an application.

It’s important to note the common theme for most job seekers’ grievances: time spent. Many job seekers feel their time isn’t respected or valued when subjected to lengthy processes.

How to improve a candidate’s experience

To ensure quality candidates don’t slip through your fingers, start by reviewing your application and interview processes.

One of my favorite strategies that can make a significant difference in your recruitment is reducing application redundancies. It’s okay to be thorough, but most candidates expect to finish an application in less than 30 minutes, according to the 2024 Employ Job Seeker Nation Report.

Once a candidate applies, reach out to them within three days to a week at the most and update them as they move through the process. Don’t forget that many job seekers are being courted by multiple employers. Responding to them promptly and updating them as they move through the process can reduce the chances of you losing out on top talent.

Next, examine your interview process. Does it have several rounds? If so, are all of them necessary? Determine which interviews are essential for assessing the key skills and cultural fit you’re looking for, and see where you can condense or eliminate steps without compromising the quality of your evaluations.

2. Recruiters will have to be even more efficient

Even though federal interest rates were slightly reduced in September, employers will continue to feel the impact of high inflation. As stated in SHRM’s State of the Workplace Report, 68% of HR executives listed efficiency as a top priority, requiring talent acquisition teams to do more with less.

Limited resources and fewer hands on deck have been the narrative over the last few years, and recruiters have adjusted by utilizing AI to easily sift through applications. So what’s the difference?

Candidates are also using AI and chatbots to apply for numerous jobs simultaneously. This exacerbates the issue by leaving recruiters with even more submissions to go through.

How to navigate through a sea of applications

Combing through applications manually isn’t acceptable anymore, and simply scrolling through hundreds of them isn’t effective either. To break through the wall of applications and come out the other side with new hires calls for a robust applicant tracking system (ATS).

One of my favorite ATSs to recommend is Breezy HR because it’s user-friendly and helps you keep track of your applicants with a customizable visual workflow. You can see who’s in your pipeline and what phase they’re in for each position you’re hiring for.

3. AI needs the human element

Throughout 2024, I’ve noticed candidates are becoming familiar with the methods employers use in the hiring process; for instance, they’re realizing that the majority of messages received from recruiters are automated.

It’s leading job seekers to wonder how genuine the correspondence is, with some of them treating these messages like spam or a call from a private number. They also picked up on the increase of AI being used to screen their applications and interviews.

Using AI and ATSs is a strategic move for efficiency, but you can’t remove the human element. Candidates want authentic interactions with the people within the organization.

How to pair AI with the human touch

Going forward, I strongly recommend recruiters establish connections with candidates immediately. Since AI and ATSs reduce the time spent on job descriptions, candidate screening, and outreach, you have time to nurture these connections.

Reach out with personalized emails and text messages to let the candidate know for sure a person is on the other end.

Think phone calls are old school and outdated? They’re not.

According to the 2024 Employ report, 35% of job seekers still highly regard a phone call. Picking up the phone and making a call is a surefire way to present yourself as a human, and it adds a personal touch.

Think back to when you hoped that one job would call you back and how excited you were when you saw their number on your call screen. You may not have realized it then, but the connection with that employer began right there. Replicate this feeling for candidates in your pipeline so you can build the same bond.

4. Companies are divided about DE&I

DE&I has been evolving for a few years, but no one was prepared for the seismic shift brought on by the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) when it announced the removal of “equity” from DE&I, electing to focus primarily on inclusion and diversity.

The decision sparked an uproar within the HR community, and understandably so. In 2020, companies like Google and Microsoft pledged to boost diversity and inclusion across all levels of their organizations by 2025.

The enthusiasm was high, but the execution fell short. Many of these initiatives were poorly planned, and underlying issues were still misunderstood. This resulted in mandatory DE&I training sessions that didn’t accomplish much outside of compliance.

Fast forward to this year, businesses are abandoning their DE&I programs, including Google and Microsoft. Many HR activists are disappointed by SHRM and feel they’re somewhat acquiescing to companies and political conservatives who would rather do away with DE&I altogether.

For example, when Florida tried to pass the Individual Freedom Act, a.k.a. the “Stop WOKE Act.” It intended to halt diversity training and teachings about privilege and oppression based on race, color, gender, or national origin.

In light of all this, company leaders are deeply divided on the future of DE&I. In SHRM’s State of the Workplace Report, 50% of executives say diversity and inclusion are low priorities, while 52% plan to ramp up their initiatives.

What you should do about diversity and inclusion

I advise you to consider the future ahead and how labor market demographics are changing. Generation Z (Zoomers) is the most diverse workforce we’ve seen yet, with 47% identifying as non-white, which is why they take diversity seriously.

Plus, roughly 17 million Zoomers are already in the workforce. Dismissing diversity can alienate your future labor force and make it even more difficult to recruit and retain.

It’s vital to keep pushing your DE&I initiatives going forward; it takes more than expert opinion. Speak with your employees to understand what diversity and inclusion look like and mean to them.

Their insights are invaluable in shaping a DE&I strategy that resonates with them and effectively addresses underlying issues. Incorporate this feedback into your plan and regularly review it to ensure it remains relevant and impactful.

5. The focus is on skills

The talent shortage was mentioned before, and it’s impactful enough to change how organizations recruit and retain. Instead of solely relying on external hires, companies are increasingly looking inward, promoting from within and upskilling their current employees.

The focus for external hiring is also shifting toward skills, moving away from traditional titles and positions. This is due to businesses realizing they’re more agile with a skills-based approach versus trying to fill a role based on a rigid job structure.

Moreover, many employers are tearing up the paper ceiling and beginning to forgo degree requirements. It’s a strategic move that gives them access to more than 70 million Americans who don’t have degrees but are highly qualified.

Creating a domino effect, this trend has also increased the demand for soft and transferable skills. Hard skills can be acquired on the job and through training. However, qualities like resilience and creativity are more challenging to develop.

How to prepare for a skills-based approach

One of my top strategies to initiate a skills-based approach is to start with a skills audit. You can’t aim for success if you don’t know what skills you have or what you’re missing, and a skills audit gives you a clear view.

Then, list your company goals and objectives. To go for the win, consider where your business is headed and how your industry is evolving. The best way to prepare for the future is to identify the skills you’ll need.

Take your audit results and compare them with your future needs to identify gaps. Focus on hiring for these missing skills and crafting new job descriptions to coincide with the shift. You may also notice some opportunities to upskill your current staff.

6. Debate over remote work continues

Return-to-office (RTO) mandates aren’t slowing down, and companies like Amazon, Lyft, and Dell are standing firm in their decisions. There are a few reasons behind enforcing RTO policies, but most employers yearn for the in-office collaboration that thrived before the pandemic.

Disney’s CEO, Bob Iger, has expressed this view many times, saying, “Nothing can replace the ability to connect, observe, and create with peers that come from being physically together.”

However, employees’ demand for remote work isn’t backing down either. According to the 2024 Employ Job Seeker Nation Report, 25% of employees prefer to be hybrid or 100% remote. But don’t pack up the office just yet; work flexibility has a generational divide.

Also noted in the Employ report, 75% of Generation Z say remote work is somewhat of a determining factor for job offers, compared to 84% of Millennials who would switch jobs for a remote opportunity. Generation X is split between wanting to be fully remote and being in the office full-time.

There will be a mixture of companies enforcing RTO mandates and those offering flexible arrangements.

How to pick the best option

Choosing the right work model depends on your organization, business nature, and employees. Start by considering if remote or hybrid work is a sustainable option for your business. Determine if specific roles, like frontline positions, must remain on-site.

If you already have remote work in place, evaluate if certain aspects are suffering—for example, collaboration, communication, deadlines, quotas, etc.

Then, assess whether your employees prefer remote or hybrid arrangements. I can’t stress enough how important it is to include your workers in these conversations. Understanding their preferences helps you build strategies that support them while effectively meeting your company goals.

Hiring and recruiting trends FAQs

How do you prepare for these hiring and recruiting trends?

The overarching theme of these trends is all about putting people first and genuinely listening to their needs. Making an effort to hear them out, and I mean genuinely listening, empowers you to create an actionable plan to address their concerns and implement meaningful changes.

Do job seekers care about the hiring process?

Yes, candidates truly care about their hiring experience, and it means more to them than you think. How you handle them throughout the process gives them a sneak peek into their future work life with your company.

Even if you’re offering the best job with fantastic benefits and a great company culture, a negative experience can turn top talent away.

This article was written by TechRepublic contributing writer Brittany Brooks.