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The world of recruitment is shifting rapidly. Digital transformation is revolutionizing businesses, and the IT industry is no exception. Companies are now focusing on building an attractive talent pool for the next phase of digital disruption by incorporating new technology and processes into the recruitment process. With the advent of Digital technology, it’s never been more important for recruiters to have the right tools and resources to succeed.

Let’s examine the recruitment practices in the IT industry in the 1990s and how they have changed due to digital transformation.

IT recruitment in the 90s

There was significant demand for talent during the 1990s as the IT industry was expanding quickly. However, the hiring procedure for IT positions was very dissimilar from now. The internet was less widely available than now, meaning job seekers had to rely on more traditional methods of finding job openings.

At that time, recruiters would get offline resumes in the mail, scan them using software, and enter the information into a database. It also includes placing classified advertising in newspapers and journals and attending job fairs and networking events. In contrast to submitting a resume online through a job portal, resumes were usually sent or given in person to the company. As a result, applying for a job could take a lot of work.

The Decade of Noughties (2000-2009)

With the internet booming and then came websites for everything. Recruiters started posting online job boards while waiting for people to apply online. Online recruitment boards began to grow and evolved into the current recruitment landscape. 

 Another popular method of recruitment was through recruitment agencies. These agencies would act as intermediaries between companies looking to hire IT professionals and job seekers looking for IT positions. Recruitment agencies typically have a database of candidates and match them with available work based on their skills and experience.

Social recruiting era

The rise of social media paved a new path for recruiters, as social media has become an essential tool for recruiting and hiring top talent. With a vast pool of potential candidates at their fingertips, companies can easily connect with professionals in their industry, advertise open positions, and attract top candidates through social media platforms like LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook.

In today’s digital age, One of the significant advantages of recruiting through social media is the ability to target specific groups of people. Companies can use hashtags and targeted advertising to reach specific demographics, such as recent college graduates or experienced professionals in a particular field. Allowing recruiters to narrow their search and find the best candidates for their open positions.

Social media allows companies to showcase their culture and values, attracting candidates seeking a company that aligns with their personal goals. By sharing company updates and content, recruiters can provide candidates with a glimpse into the company culture and attract those who fit it. Social media recruitment offers an efficient and cost-effective way to connect with and screen candidates. Instead of spending time and resources on job fairs or resume databases, recruiters can use social media to quickly and easily connect with candidates.

Malpractice during assessments has been drastically reduced since the inception of AI in recruitment. AI-based proctoring tools have come up in large numbers to assist recruiters in identifying potential resources and eliminate candidates that indulge in malpractices.

Additionally, artificial intelligence (AI) in IT recruitment has become increasingly popular in recent years, allowing companies to automate certain aspects of the hiring process and find the best candidates for their open roles. AI-powered recruitment tools such as neohire can analyze resumes and job descriptions to identify the most qualified candidates, saving time and resources for recruiters. 

Conclusion 

Overall, digital transformation transforms IT recruitment by making it more efficient, effective, and convenient. By leveraging social media and AI, businesses are transforming recruitment with the newfound channel and cutting-edge technology. Companies that embrace these technologies will be well-positioned to find and hire the best talent in the industry.

In today’s digital age, the recruitment process is evolving at breakneck speed and hiring great talent with the right skill sets hasn’t been this onerous in the past. The pandemic’s impact and the constant shift in recruitment trends have contributed to this transition. As we look back at the start of the decade, recruitment looked completely different, with the TA teams solely relying on traditional recruitment models. But now, the hiring tables have turned, and the recruitment industry has already begun its digitalisation journey.

The market demands are constantly changing, and so are the recruitment trends that play a pivotal role in sourcing the best-fit talent. Hiring candidates, especially the gen z category, is a cut-out task in today’s fast-paced and dynamic recruitment industry. Hence, recruiters need to stay up-to-date with the latest recruitment trends to ensure that they can effectively find and attract top talent. Here are some of the significant recruitment trends that are largely influencing talent acquisition today:

Top recruitment trends influencing talent acquisition:

1. Virtual Recruitment:

Remote hiring or virtual recruitment was one of the significant recruitment trends that turned heads in 2021 and 2022. More than just being a trend, it almost changed the modus operandi of recruitment post-pandemic. As candidates were confined to the four walls, recruiters were left with no option but to leverage video-conferencing platforms like Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Cisco Webex, and others to conduct interviews.

Though virtual recruitment was seen only as a temporary alternative to in-person interviews, things took a turn quickly. Companies found this recruitment model to be simpler, cost-effective and time-saving. Offering a multitude of benefits, it is evident that the virtual recruitment model will continue even in the coming years and shall remain a top recruitment trend.

Fact Drop – According to a Forbes report on recruitment, 60% of recruiters today consider video-conferencing technology to interview candidates.

Source : Forbes

2. The Role of Artificial Intelligence:

There is no doubt that technology has taken over the digital era. AI, Machine Learning, IoT, Big Data, and Robotics have already redefined how businesses operate today. Thanks to the constant technological advancements and innovations. Amongst the advanced technologies leveraged today, AI plays a greater role in the recruitment industry. From automating candidate sourcing to screening, and evaluation – AI significantly helps optimise recruitment processes.

A larger ratio of recruitment platforms available today is built on Artificial Intelligence as its core technology. Keyword-based resume screening, chatbot support for candidates, elimination of interview bias, and data-driven decision-making have completely changed the dimensions of recruiting, with AI playing the anchor role. Hence, it’s no doubt that AI will continue to transform the recruitment industry in the coming years.

3. Diversity Hiring:

Diversity and inclusion aren’t something new to our ears, but the increasing focus on diversity hiring recently has led to this becoming a major recruitment trend. As companies have started to shed the spotlight on gender-neutral hiring and diverse workforce, recruiters have recognised that diversity hiring is not just a trend but a practice to follow in the coming years.

Companies with a diverse and inclusive workforce have shown signs of improved productivity and operational efficiency. Diversity hiring has, in fact, had a greater impact on improving brand value and positioning. Hence, it’s important for HR teams today to constantly focus on DEI going forward.

Did you know? – A report by Mckinsey&Company reveals that companies are missing out on 39% of job applicants because of a lack of perceived inclusion.

Source : Mckinsey&Company

4. Hybrid Work Model

Is there someone who would say “No” to a hybrid work model post-pandemic? Not really! Though the work-from-home model came as a timely solution during the covid-19 outbreak, it has now become a policy of the new normal hiring. Compared to all the recruitment trends the industry has witnessed in recent years, this has been widely adopted.

Even as companies welcome their employees back to offices, the hybrid work model is still the most sought-after. In fact, a greater ratio of gen z candidates today specifically look for companies that offer flexible work environments. This model also enables companies to hunt down global talent without geographical constraints. As covid-19 is soaring again, the hybrid work model shall remain a top recruiting trend in 2023.

5. Predictive Analytics:

This is one of the newest trends in hiring that is assisting companies in assessing and forecasting a candidate’s potential behaviour. Recruiters could already narrow down possible recruits based on their experience, whereabouts, education, and more on various digital platforms. Predictive analytics has given further insights by providing recruiters with a list of the most suitable personnel for the job position (even those not actively looking for a job). This fresh trend has been beneficial for companies that are making use of it.

Predictive analytics can be used within the talent acquisition process to help make informed decisions and gain insight into areas of strength and weakness. This can also help lower recruitment costs, identify any issues in the process, and speed up the process of filling roles. On top of this, analytics can demonstrate the success and return on investment of recruiting software.

6. Candidate Experience

Another important trend in talent acquisition is the focus on candidate experience (Which never goes out of trend). This refers to a candidate’s overall impression of an organisation during the recruitment process. A positive candidate experience can increase the chances of a candidate accepting a job offer and improve the employer’s reputation as a desirable workplace. To improve candidate experience, recruiters should ensure timely communication, be transparent about the recruitment process, and offer feedback to candidates.

Final Thoughts

Overall, these are just a few significant trends influencing talent acquisition. However, recruitment agencies must stay abreast of new technological developments to remain suitable for the job. By staying up-to-date with these trends and adapting their recruitment strategies accordingly, organisations can position themselves as top employers and attract top talent.

Talent Acquisition Strategies

Recruiting top tech talent, in most cases, might look like a cakewalk from the outside, but it seldom works that way. With the constant upsurge of tech jobs post-pandemic, life has been challenging for the HR and Talent Acquisition professionals who are constantly battling it hard to find great talents. The highly competitive job market and the demand for adept tech talent have forced companies to unravel robust and hassle-free recruiting strategies to attract the best-fit tech talent. 

With a multitude of recruiting strategies available today, you might wonder if choosing one is that big of a deal. But the most significant roadblock truly lies here! It’s essential that your recruitment strategies don’t just meet the hiring numbers but also align with specific key parameters like,

• Your recruitment goals
• Your company’s culture
• Vision & core values 

The secret of my success is that we have gone to exceptional lengths to hire the best people in the world.

Steve Jobs

So, the million-dollar question is: What is the best-recruiting strategy you can leverage?

Well, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all recruiting model that you can completely bank on. As the hiring goals and requirements vary with businesses, it’s pivotal to analyse a handful of best-fit recruiting strategies that perfectly coincide with your recruiting goals. To help you with the next tech talent hire, our in-house experts have recommended some of the top recruiting strategies that’ll aid you in identifying the best talent in the technology field. 

Devise compelling job posts 

Compelling job posts are the first step towards a successful hiring roadmap. Great minds demand great value; hence a customary job post isn’t going to do you any favours. Ideate job posts that convey your company’s value proposition, culture, and vision and equally resonate with your brand voice. 

Well-defined job posts that precisely brief the requirements, job description and responsibilities create better first impressions. Every candidate you hire shall be the face of your company in future. Hence, it’s vital you choose the best of the lot. 

Hit niche job boards 

We know you are looking for great tech talents, but what if you constantly go around in circles and knock at the wrong doors? Well, many HR and TA professionals today confine their talent hunt to certain boundaries, limiting the scope of exploring niche job boards. 

You need to look beyond the careers page to find the game-changers. Hit niche job boards, career websites, diverse tech communities, and tech job channels to target the right industry and candidates. 

Create Employee Referral Program 

One of the most efficient and easiest ways to hire tech talent is to create a well-developed and rewarding employee referral program. Do you agree that no one can communicate your brand values better than your employees?

So, define a structured employee referral program and create an extensive network of talent pools within your organisation. Encourage your employees to refer qualified professionals from diverse domains and incentivise them to keep the hiring ball rolling. This saves a lot of your operational time and also fastens the hiring process.

Leverage Social Channels 

Greater the visibility of your job posting, the higher the chances of recruiting. And the best way to increase visibility is Social Media Recruiting, without any doubt. Beyond just sharing your job posts, social recruiting allows you to advertise jobs, connect with high-potential talent and personalise the hiring process. 

Before you kickstart your social recruiting, it’s essential to analyse the diverse social channels and choose the ones where your ideal candidates are largely active. This way, you can devise a targeted recruiting model and an effective social hiring strategy. 

Organise Hackathons and Tech Events 

Hosting hackathons/tech events could be your perfect hack if you are looking to hire a large pool of tech talent. Organising hackathons are a great way of connecting with potential candidates and establishing a solid brand presence. Unlike the traditional hiring process, hackathons offer greater scope to evaluate the coding and problem-solving skills of the candidates. 

This is an excellent way of sourcing candidates with the right blend of technical skills and cultural fit. Hackathons are also considered one of the most intriguing and interactive models for hiring gen z developers.

End-to-end recruitment automation with ATS

Regardless of the recruitment strategies that you bank on, it’s essential that your hiring managers invest in an end-to-end Applicant Tracking System. The ATS automates the entire hiring process to save operational costs and time. ATS predominantly takes care of all the mundane hiring activities and lets your hiring team focus on more critical tasks. Leveraging an ATS also helps you streamline your hiring process and offers the candidate a better hiring experience. 

Final thoughts: 

As corporates constantly evolve, the operational methods in tandem are getting revamped. Automation has quickly become a buzzword, and the spotlight of the workforce is on saving time and efforts spent on mundane activities. 

I hope by now you have a grasp of some of the top recruiting strategies that’ll aid you in identifying the best tech talent. But the greater focus will remain on “what would work and what wouldn’t”, and you already have answers for this. 

It’s not anymore about choosing a random recruiting model and giving it a shot. It’s more about selecting the best-fit recruiting strategies that align with your hiring goals. So, delineate your hiring goals, leverage the most appropriate recruiting strategies, and march towards a great hiring model.   

As artificial intelligence is taking over a part of existing tech careers, there is always a fear of what’s next. It is good to know what the future holds and needs to make ourselves prepared for it. It’s difficult to accurately predict the top tech jobs in demand for the future, as the job market is constantly evolving and new technologies are being developed all the time. However, there are a few industries and fields that are expected to see significant growth in the coming years. Let us take a look at the tech jobs of the future and plan on what to do next.

Applications Software Developer

As an application developer, you will never go out of the market in this mobile-adopted world. The responsibilities of an application developer are to create and maintain an application. Since all industries are transforming to digitalisation, application development is crucial for everyone to stay on top of their businesses. Strong problem-solving skills, programming efficiency and familiarity with frameworks are foundations of becoming an application developer.

UX Designer

As more companies emerge, the pool of choices for users also expands. Hence along with quality, service and price, customers also look for a smooth user experience while choosing a product. A UX designer is responsible for improving the overall experience of the product or service. They design the interface, layout and overall flow of the product. Communication and visual designing skills are crucial for a UX designer.

Data Scientist

In this data-driven world, being a data analyst will help you survive and succeed as well. There has been a significant increase in data generation in recent years. A data scientist collects, analyzes and interprets large sets of data to help organizations make informed decisions. To become a data scientist, you need to identify and predict trends, visualize data and improve decision-making.

Cybersecurity Specialist

Nowadays, a greater number of devices are connected to the internet, and businesses are adapting to cloud computing. This increases the sophistication of cyber threats. Hence the role of a cybersecurity specialist has never been more critical. 

Their responsibility is to protect the organization’s systems and networks from cyber-attacks, keep the data safe and ensure uninterrupted operations. They must be knowledgeable in networking, security protocols, compliance, operating systems and programming.

AI and Machine Learning Engineer

AI and machine learning engineers are responsible for designing and building AI systems and applications and for ensuring that they are accurate, reliable, and effective. The importance of AI and machine learning is only expected to grow in the coming years as more and more organizations adopt these technologies to improve their operations and better serve their customers. To be successful in this field, one should be commendable in programming and machine learning algorithms. They should also have a solid mathematical background.

Full Stack Developer

Full stack developers design and build a complete website, the front end (user side) and the back end (server-side). As more and more organizations depend on web-based applications to do business, the demand for full stack developers will continue to grow. 

The role of the full stack developer will continue to evolve, with an emphasis on the development of cloud-based applications and the integration of machine learning and artificial intelligence into web applications. Full stack developers who can adapt to these changes and upskill themselves with the latest technologies will be well-positioned to succeed in the field.

Best skills to learn for the future

To summarize, upskilling yourself in any of the following future skills will help you land and hold a high paying IT job:

Conclusion

Technology is ever-evolving regardless of current market conditions. Every ten years, new innovations are made, and everyday needs constantly change. Keeping ourselves updated and upskilled is the only way to face the uncertain future confidently. Above all, continuous learning and development is the most required skill to succeed in any role. The information and technology industry can give you a successful and sophisticated life if you are ready to learn and evolve along with it.