Three Recruiting Trends To Watch For In 2021

According to Matt Abbott of the San Francisco–based recruiting firm The Sourcery, which partners with cutting-edge tech start-ups, the global pandemic of 2020 affected both the way companies recruit and also how they retain employees and run their businesses. In the last year, The Sourcery interviewed thousands of candidates, most of them virtual. Given this experience of dealing with the pandemic that is continuing into this year — and probably 2022 — Abbott and his team have some predictions about hiring trends for this year.

• The Development of Sustainable Diversity-Focused Company Initiatives

In the past, many companies placed most of their attention on looking diverse. While this approach checks off many of the necessary boxes, so to speak, it rarely provides a sustainable workforce that is capable of performing as a cohesive group with high-level productivity.

What businesses of today are learning about past mistakes is that simply hiring people from different backgrounds to meet quotas is not enough. Companies need to look at the deeper reasons why they need diversity in the first place. The answer is simple: People from different backgrounds come to the table with unique perspectives and new ways of tackling problems and solving them. Finding the right people with these gifts can give your business an edge. 

The first rule of hiring should be to have your company’s vision clearly in mind when searching for candidates. With the goal in mind of always hiring people from diverse backgrounds who fill a specific need and mesh with the company’s values and mission, your diverse workforce will bring their unique gifts to a team with a common goal that knows the direction their efforts are headed.

• The Rise of Risk-Averse Talent

During times of economic uncertainty, like the pandemic we are living through, it is natural to be cautious with big life decisions. While so many activities have been put on hold during the past year, employed candidates have taken a similar approach.

Many of our clients have communicated to us that candidates are reluctant to leave steady careers. Obviously, there are candidates willing to move, but how can your company assuage candidates’ fears about moving?

Everyone on your team needs to be a company ambassador. 

• The entire team should espouse strong company values and mission so candidates will hear and feel the continuity from top to bottom. 
• Candidates are doing more backdoor company references via LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and social media. Be prepared for candidates’ questions from those sites and be transparent in your answers to them.

Your comp plan must be direct and easy to understand. 

• Do not convolute the process with craft bonus sections or bizarre equity plans. If you have a tough time understanding your plan, how will a candidate accept this offer? 
• The key is not to overcomplicate the process. 

• The Expansion of the Distributed Workforce

Several companies tested the waters of navigating a remote or partially remote workforce prior to 2020; however, the concept took fire with the stay-at-home restrictions during the pandemic. Filling positions during this time took on new and improved recruiting methods. As with many other trends that developed and became established, we may never go back to the way things were pre-2020.

While some say, “Change is good,” they would also agree that it is hardly ever easy. But one advantage to having a distributed workforce is the scope of talent you can tap. Before COVID-19 restrictions, most companies limited their hiring options with a physical location. Many companies have learned that they can recruit top, diverse talent more readily if those location restrictions are removed. This is one trend dictated by the pandemic that’s not going away anytime soon.

Closing thoughts

Hiring new talent for a budding business or even an established one can be an exciting time that offers new opportunities. Getting some help with the process is expected, but make sure you know the limitations of your options and choose accordingly.

It’s always prudent to consider industry trends for a better experience while searching for your next team member. Just remember to have a straightforward vision of your expectations and a clear understanding of your company’s needs. Having this clarity should make your next talent acquisition a smooth, advantageous experience.