Top 4 Recruitment Trends You Really Need To Keep Up With If You Are To Get A Job

Top 4 Recruitment Trends You Really Need To Keep Up With If You Are To Get A Job

By Lilian Wamaitha
Over the past few decades the job market has changed considerably.
Technological advancements have resulted in the creation of new jobs while automation has resulted in shrinking of jobs.
And due to that, companies are in high competition for top talent.
And the only way to survive in this competitive scramble for opportunities and talent is by keeping up with the trends in the labour market.
That said, here are recruitment trends that you should keep up with that are transforming the way hiring is done.
1. Insistent on quantity over quality
When a position is advertised, there are over 300 people who send in their application. Most of them are not qualified and hence the employer has to filter through so many CVs trying to find the right candidate for the job.
Now more than ever recruiters and HR managers are keen on efficient recruitment process that filters unwanted applications. This means to save time and resources an employer will rely on software that help then get just the right candidate for the job.
Gone are the days when employers used to go through each and every application and spend so much time looking for what they want in just one CV.
Now they will take literally 30 seconds if they are not using software and if they don’t see what they are looking for – skills and experience, they will move on to the next candidate.
So in as much as you are applying for jobs, ensure that you are qualified for the job and have made that clear in your application.
2. Use of application tracking systems
More and more Kenyan employers are making use of application tracking systems (ATS) to find suitable candidates for open positions.
The question is; does your CV have what it takes to beat the bots?
You would admit that when you send in an application it never hits you that a machine might be going through your application.
The truth is a majority of the time when you make your application through a system, be lest assured that 90% of the time you application will be reviewed using the application tracking systems.
ATS relies of keywords and if those keywords don’t appear in your job application, take it from me that you will not be moving past the application stage.
This is why you will keep saying that you send application for jobs you are qualified for but never hear from the employers.
What’s the way forward? Whenever you apply for a job, have the HR manager as well a machine in your mind.
3. A rise in companies relying on recruitment agencies
Here is the truth; even if recruitment relies sometimes on technology like the application tracking systems, at the end of the day, the decision still rests with the recruiter.
And this has seen an increase in companies using recruitment firms like Corporate Staffing Services to hire on their behalf.
The recruitment process is very expensive not to mention time consuming and companies want to concentrate on other businesses than recruitment.
That’s why they will seek a recruitment firm. One because its affordable and two because recruitment firms understand the industry as well as the job market and have large databases of candidates that a single company would never have.
So what does this mean for you as a job seeker?
Rather than just relying on direct applications to companies, also make recruitment companies your friends.
Build a rapport with them and when a position comes up at maybe Total or Oracle, if you are qualified, you will be the first on their mind.
4. A change in how interviews are conducted
With all the changes being experienced in the job market, employers have redesigned their interview approach.
Today, recruiters are already using various methods to interview including video conferencing and social media interviewing.
There is also a growing need for the company to test your skills in a real life environment where you may find that you can be asked to work for a company for three to five days just to gauge how well you will fit in.
Maybe you are looking for a new job, to change careers or your first job. It’s important that you stay abreast with the recruitment changes happening all around you. As I mentioned, we are slowly moving from the normal recruitment as we have known it, to application tracking systems dictating if you get the job or not. Keep up with these and turn around your job search once and for all.
Lilian is a Communication Officer at Corporate Staffing Services, a HR and Recruitment firm offering trainings, coaching and job placements. Click here to register your CV details.