The world of work is a progressive machine and is always changing. The average nine-to-five is becoming a thing of the past and with the introduction of artificial intelligence, virtual reality and automation people can expect more changes in the way they carry out their day to day responsibilities.
Now I’m not saying we can predict the future but here are the five changes I am expecting over the next decade, within the recruitment industry.
- A New Glossary of Job Titles
By 2030 there is a good chance that a whole new dictionary of job titles will exist, and recruiters will likely need to become fluent in this new terminology or language. One of the reasons for this change will be due to the effects of artificial intelligence and automation. For years now the media have reported that it won’t be long before robots are replacing humans in some of the world’s leading industries. There is no denying that jobs I specific sectors could be effected by the development of these new technologies. However, as some jobs vanish, others will emerge and this is just one aspect that recruiters will have to become accustomed to.
2. Algorithm – Assisted Shortlisting
Not so long ago, recruiters had to sit at their desk working through piles of paper CV’s. Believe it or not, today is not that different! Job boards may help but recruiters still have to read through vast numbers of CV’s to shortlist candidates (albeit digitally). This is both time consuming and can be inaccurate as errors can occur during this selection process.
This CV-centred approach can also be biased. This isn’t always intentional but as humans, it is in our nature to be biased in some ways, especially in terms of gender and age. As the population gets older, banishing age bias will become an important part of recruitment.
This is where assisted shortlisting becomes prominent. In the next decade, recruiters will be able to access powerful programmes that can analyse data in order to shortlist the best candidates for roles, irrespective of age or gender. Recruiters can then focus one executing their practice to cherry pick the top candidates for the given role.
3. Candidates With Varied Roles
People used to view certain roles as jobs for life. Employees could tend to stay at companies for upwards of 15 years. In today’s world of work, employees can be rewarded for long service after only 3 years. Plenty has changed!
Not only do people move companies regularly, candidates change lines of work as well (e.g. Journalists moving into marketing roles). Where the employees themselves see no problem in this varied career, employers can often be of the opposite opinion. Recruiting costs money, therefore they will not want to invest in someone who could quite possibly leave and change their line of work again.
The challenge for successful recruiters moving forward will be to reassure clients about these types of candidates, as well as finding roles that offer a workplace culture and career path that will make the them want to commit their long term future.
4. Safeguarding
As job tenures last shorter periods of time and candidates feel more empowered to begin new careers in different sectors that are in no way connected to their previous remit, safeguarding will become more important than ever.
In future, certain companies in specific industries will require candidates to send DBS checks with their CV’s. Everyone wants to feel safe at work, and standard DBS checks are a step in the right direction towards achieving this. The recruitment industry can play its part in safeguarding companies in all lines of business.
5. Hiring on Potential
Recruiters of the future should begin to screen for potential rather than experience or current skill sets. Shortlists should be made up of candidates who can adapt to new situations and can retain new information.
If employers hire candidates based on their learning potential and enthusiasm to learn new skills, they will create a fluid workforce who can take on more tasks in other areas – Work gets done quickly and with passion.
In the future, the recruitment industry might adopt new tests for learning potential. Today’s recruiters can make a start in applying this during their selection process, by looking out for signs of independent learning or upskilling on CV’s.
