2022 Talent Acquisition Trends
When Tina Hazlett founded Spectrum Recruiting Solutions in 2018, times were simpler in many ways. Financial markets were stable, unemployment rates were reasonable and doing business remotely was not the status quo. Times have certainly changed and companies like hers have either adapted or disappeared. Now as we begin 2022, she is thrilled that the “human factor” is back and bigger than ever in recruiter and hiring. As she puts it,
“Authenticity from both sides of the table is at the forefront of conversations to ensure a strong cultural match and long-term commitment. Companies are adapting to the fact that people aren’t staying in the same job for 20 plus years anymore. As such, they are finding new ways to engage folks and make them want to stick around.”
What else is in store in the new year and how will companies like Spectrum acclimate to the new job market? Let’s take a look at the future of hiring for job-seekers, employers and recruiters in Utah and beyond.
2022 TRENDS FOR JOB SEEKERS:
- The candidate-driven market will continue - Employers no longer hold all the cards. The playing field has leveled. Interviewing is happening from both sides of the desk. Clear communication and the setting of clear expectations before onboarding are more critical than ever. At Spectrum, we pride ourselves on finding and placing the best, most impactful candidates with your company; the ones who outshine their competition and can jump right in and add value.
- Remote work will continue to increase - In business and life, geographic restrictions are dissolving.Job seekers love the flexibility and enhanced work / life balance that remote employment affords them. Employers will consider hiring remote talent more often, embrace remote employment and realize there are plenty of benefits for everyone involved. As a 100% remote-driven company, Spectrum has been on board since the beginning and will continue to embrace work-from-home and hybrid models.
- Unemployment rates will stay low (particularly in Utah) - At time of writing, the U.S. unemployment rate is down to 4.2% and trending toward pre-pandemic numbers. The rate in Utah is an incredibly low 2.2%. Such low numbers can cause panic in the hearts of recruiters. After all, they’re in the business of employment. Tina Hazlett’s response is,
“Recruiting has always, and will continue to be an industry that keeps me humble. Low unemployment numbers mean, ‘saddle up, we've got work to do’. I also see it as an opportunity for folks who are not thriving in their current situation to safely uproot and try something new. When talented people are in such high-demand, it gently forces employers to recognize the situation and invest in stellar employees. For those folks, we’ve got resume guides, interview guides, social media profile assistance, networking strategies, industry trends, current market conditions, help, help, help, prep, prep, prep!”
2022 TRENDS FOR EMPLOYERS:
- Higher focus on retention - There is a growing need for employers to prioritize genuine employee engagement, internal mobility and proactive nurturing; to cater to the overall employee experience. Culture, health, wellness and work / life balance have long been industry buzzwords but they are more relevant now than ever. Spectrum facilitates and advocates environments which promote from within because it encourages retention. It may seem counterintuitive but even recruiters don’t like revolving doors and we believe it’s the best way for everyone to succeed. We are happy to help companies build solid, internal talent pools. Until then, they have access to the best STEM-related network around: OURS!
- Hiring more for soft skills – Employers will be more open to creative suggestions, which for us, is a breath of fresh air. We are able to strategize with clients to develop unique hiring plans. Companies are more prone to consider a candidate with a background that doesn't typically align to the role, but who has valuable, transferable skills and, as importantly, is a tight cultural fit.
- Presenting an established brand will be more important than ever – IYKYK. If you don’t, you’re drowning in the past, man. In today’s market, your brand image may be the only thing to set you apart from other prospective employers. Spectrum works harder to help with this than anyone else in the business. We create all original job descriptions, social media ads, postings on multiple job boards and much more to ensure our clients’ open positions get maximum exposure. As Hazlett says,
“Our strategy and attitude toward recruiting is unlike anything else in the market. I’m not going to share the secret sauce, but I can tell you that each position requires all-hands-on-deck to deliver top talent quickly. Our clients are truly our partners and we represent them with the same ‘pleasantly pushy’ passion we represent ourselves. Companies hire us when they do not have the time, tools or resources to locate the person they need. We offer myriad options, including direct-hire recruiting, what we call ‘Recruitment Process Ownership’ and consulting to help our partners polish and expedite their own internal processes. We’ll give you the what and bill you for the how!”
2022 TRENDS FOR RECRUITERS:
- More social media recruiting – As candidates become more scarce and more selective, agencies will need to continue to find new tactics and platforms by which to reach them. The best way to reach an increasing number of people, is via their favorite social media platform. Recruiters will have to work to increase, improve and automate online marketing strategies to expand their reach. The Spectrum Solution will certainly do the same, with our own brand of relevant, yet light-hearted, hopefully humorous content.
- Remote recruitment processes will continue to be the norm – The interview process has shifted dramatically over the last couple years toward more phone calls and video conferencing as well as (thankfully!) fewer panel interviews. Don’t expect that to change any time soon, if ever. As a fully remote company, we grew up in this environment and so we know it well. We have continually adjusted and adapted and do all we can to help our partners keep up as well. We offer candidates a veritable library of resources to help them prepare for whatever may come next and work closely with clients to tailor the process to suit them best.
- Continued rise in data-driven recruitment – The use of applicant tracking system to sift through candidates is and will continue to be a thing for successful recruiting agencies. The hope is, that such software has and will continue to improve, especially with the help of artificial intelligence. The fact is, there is no substitute for a personal touch and even the best systems will always be limited in their scope and efficacy. In other not-so-news, the job-seeker-friendly market means fewer and more selective direct applicants and an increased necessity to reach passive talent. When asked how she feels on the subject, Spectrum’s CEO says,
“This is where we excel. This is where we thrive. This is what we do. 99% of our candidates are passively looking and trust us with their confidential situation, they aren't posting resumes or vocalizing their job search because it could jeopardize their current position. Candidate partnerships are, and always have been, the foundation of our business and reason for our success. Such relationships go well beyond a single, successful placement.”
THE 2022 TREND FOR EVERYONE:
- More hiring for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) – This will no longer be a trend but a way of life. More and more, companies will implement processes to assure more inclusive hiring practices and it’s about time! Diversity in the workplace boosts business, increases productivity and inspires happier employees overall. DEI hiring leads to more innovation, creativity and wider skillsets within the company, which lead directly to increased revenue. However, diversifying workforces is no easy task. There are often systemic and institutional challenges to overcome as well as an executive disconnect at the top of many corporations. This is not the case with Spectrum Recruiting Solutions and Tina Hazlett, who began the company with the idea of shaking up traditionally homogenous work environments within manufacturing, engineering, science and technology. So, how is Spectrum different? She’s glad you asked:
“On every single search we launch, our team is expected and trusted to put forth every effort and use each resource and tool we have to locate qualified, diverse candidates. As if their passion wasn’t enough, our recruiting teams are financially incentivized to engage and introduce opportunities to a diverse candidate pool. When we recruit and present such talent right out of the gate, our placement success rate is higher and we starting building more diverse teams. Over the past year, more than a third of people we placed are what we consider DEI candidates. This is our mission, our vision, it’s why we do what we do and we can help you do it too!”
As times change, trends become standards and companies must adopt new strategies to adapt to new situations. We have all seen ‘sink or swim’ in action more than we’d like in recent years. Many individuals and organizations have been happy to get by treading water. Spectrum Recruiting Solutions is here to help you not only swim, but wriggle up onto shore, grow some legs and truly start to evolve.
We are not simply recruiters, but strategic talent acquisition partners. We collaborate with you to develop and execute an innovative hiring approach, customized to fit your needs and designed to save you time. To relieve any concerns regarding cost, we offer contingency contract options, which means you don’t pay until we place the right person. We specialize in full-time, direct-hire, professional-level gigs but when you need project-based, contract work, we can help with that too. Volume recruitment? We know a lot of people who are ready to work and we work fast. You want it all? Meet your new internal recruiting team! We call it Recruitment Process Ownership because we take responsibility and work with you to fill any and all vacancies ASAP.
We approach Outplacement Services the same way, going so far as to assist organizations with offboarding and exit interviews as well as offering transitioning employees personalized, one on one job search coaching, resume writing services, online profile optimization, networking assistance and more. All the tools, guidance and introductions they’ll need to land a new position quickly because unemployment doesn’t work for anybody long-term.
We call ourselves The Spectrum Solution not only because we get results in a variety of ways but because we genuinely care about making a difference. We strive to be part of THE SOLUTION. We believe in diversity, opportunity, and mutually-beneficial partnerships for everyone. This is part of our mission and has been our vision since day one. Check us out online at thespectrumsolution.com or via your favorite social media outlet. No matter what product or service you provide, your people are your business and your business is only as solid as your team. We can help you recruit, manufacture and engineer that team.
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