The beginning of a new decade see’s us presented with an opportunity to reflect on the developments of the past ten years. The old adage is that everything changes, and the world of recruitment is no exception.

Construction, mining, civil, commercial, industrial, manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, and rail projects have all been subject to the revolutionary shifts that have taken place across technology, economics and the way that we work. Read on here to learn more about what we see to be the greatest developments that have taken place in the spheres of recruitment and training from 2010 to 2020.

Information – access and utility

We said that everything changes, but if you want to know why you have to look deeper. Far and away the greatest source of change has been in the ways that we access and use information. The recruitment and training sphere is not unique for having been pushed to evolve in its approach to information. But the changes have nevertheless been revolutionary.

For jobseekers, the information age has brought with it new ways of engaging with prospective employers, new avenues of professional development, and made conducting research easier than ever. At Zoom, we’ve seen an unprecedented growth over the last ten years in the numbers of jobseekers and prospective candidates that are making use of information technology to take their careers further.

For employers, the evolution in access to and the use of information has reshaped recruitment into a field characterised by a deeper analytical bent. Along with it, recruitment has growingly been given its due as an integral part of any forward-thinking business strategy. 

Nowadays, a good job in a competitive field will typically see a huge influx of applicants in a short period of time. To find their candidate, larger scale employers typically need a team of discerning eyes (nothing new), but they now also need professionals with a strong grasp of data, analytics and strategy.

These ‘new school’ recruitment attributes help ensure that the usual influx of candidates are not only vetted effectively, but that a higher calibre of candidate populates the talent pool from the outset. The past ten years have seen employers equipped with an enhanced tool set when seeking to attract their desired candidates. Permitting them the ability to positively select for the attributes that are more likely to garner strong results and success in their organisation.

The human element is playing out differently

We’ve talked about the development and reach of data and analytics. Some keen observers have noted that there has been a tendency for some organisations to put new technology and digital interfaces forward at every step of the way. 

You’ll hear people from all walks of life and all lines of work talk about the declining status of the human element in our working lives. But at Zoom Recruitment, we believe that the developments of the last decade are evidence that the human element isn’t going anywhere, it’s just playing out differently.

Searching online for a role, developing an optimised online presence, perfecting your interview manner. It all sounds a little too clean and surgical, and that can be a source of frustration for those who want their work to feel ‘human’. But systems, processes, and structured approaches to getting employed aren’t replacing the human element, they are just reshaping how it is expressed.

At the broader services level, we have found that a far greater percentage of businesses are likely nowadays to refer their contacts to a recruitment agency that they have had a productive and successful relationship with. Professionalism, trust, and the nature of working relationships are evolving.

The importance of job satisfaction, career progression and enjoying the way you make your life possible; they are all still key aspects of what makes for a viable career move. The recruitment sphere has grown into its role as a facilitator of the sorts of employment arrangements that see these key aspects made part of the conversation. 

The technology that has reshaped recruitment over the past ten years has made it possible for a more sophisticated understanding of employment to make its way forward. In line with that, the most evolved organisations are embracing the details that make their recruitment processes more human.

There is a greater focus given to the candidate experience

Hand-in-hand with the growth of data driven strategies and analytics is the shift that has taken place in how we treat the candidate experience. While the candidate experience has always been a factor, the past decade has seen a resolute shift sector wide toward facilitating better candidate experiences every step of the way.

From the job search stage through to onboarding and performance analysis, forward-thinking organisations are those that are developing a more holistic understanding of the recruitment and training process. The reasoning is simple, differentiation is a point of strength in recruitment and a complete picture is always better than having only parts of the story.

The organisations that have made the effort to enhance the candidate experience throughout previously untapped stages in the recruitment process have seen their message reach further, their brand reputation strengthened, and their employee performance metrics bolstered. 

The world of recruitment has evolved beyond the impersonal approach. The organisations that are making the effort to personalise their approach and elevate their candidate experience are those that have had the most profound successes throughout this past decade.

Look forward with Zoom Recruitment

Much has changed, but there are plenty of things that have stayed the same. With over 20 years of experience in recruitment across mining, construction, civil, commercial, manufacturing, warehousing and logistics, and rail projects, Zoom Recruitment is an organisation that understands how to stay across the changes that are taking place within recruitment.

If your organisation is looking to develop a fresh take on your existing recruitment efforts, you can begin by getting in contact with us at Zoom Recruitment. Our mission is to provide tailored, innovative and cost-effective staffing solutions across a wide range of industries. The past decade has seen many changes, and the coming decade will see changes further still. Stay ahead of the curve with the services of Zoom Recruitment and Training.