5 Trends Shaping Talent Acquisition in 2024

As we near the year’s end, hiring and recruitment leaders are gearing up to navigate a workforce landscape that stands out significantly from what we’ve seen in the past. Recognizing that the hiring and talent engagement process has increasingly leaned on technology, organizations must adapt to this tech-driven shift to remain competitive.

Figuring out what lies ahead in talent acquisition can be a not-so plain sailing task for leaders. Yet, based on what’s been happening lately, we want to point out a few trends in this blog you need to keep an eye on in talent acquisition for the next year.

Talent Acquisition Trends for 2024 

The following trends reflect a growing understanding of their crucial role in shaping effective and future-ready workforce. And for those steering the talent ship, having these trends in the arsenal is not just beneficial — it’s a game-changer in staying ahead of the curve.

1. Gen AI in Hyper-Personalization

In 2022, the global generative AI in HR market showcased a valuation of USD 483.59 million. There is a notable anticipation of a tenfold leap, reaching approximately USD 2,091.4 million by 2032.

Generative AI is already changing the way HR works. Enterprises are leveraging the capabilities of  ChatGPT and Bard to make realistic content, and it’s catching on in HR because AI has evolved quickly, and gives employees more personalized experiences. 

Simply put, generative AI customizes recruitment-related resources like job descriptions, performance reports, and training materials, thus making work more efficient, saving money, and providing talent leaders the information they need.

2. Steering the Hiring Efforts with Data

About 70% of recruiters think that adopting data-driven hiring methods can cut down on time spent in the recruitment process.

Using data provides clear evidence of real business results. Organizations can make decisions based on facts instead of assumptions by incorporating insights from data. This approach not only makes the process more efficient but also adds a touch of precision to candidate sourcing, assessment, and recruitment.

The use of data also helps organizations address unconscious bias in the workplace. By relying on objective information, data-driven decision-making minimizes the impact of biases in evaluating candidates, pushing for a fairer hiring process.

As a growing trend, the use of data is changing and will keep evolving how organizations hire and in a quick time. It impacts decisions at every stage, including talent acquisition, skill assessment, market analysis, candidate evaluation, and compliance.

Talent leaders can also consider addingskill assessments to their data-driven approach. This helps reduce bias in hiring, as the results provide a clear measure of how well-suited candidates are for the job — without revealing the identity of the talent pool. 

3. Tapping Talent in the Making with Early Career Hiring

In the coming decade, one out of every five baby boomers is expected to retire. By 2025, around 27% of the global workforce will be from Gen Z. The straightforward conclusion is that there will be a need to replace those skills.

Reacting to the competitive talent environment, organizations are progressively adopting early career hiring as a growing trend. Talent managers and recruiters are actively reaching out to students inuniversities well before they enter the job market.

For young talent who may need a few more skills to hone skills, early career hiring can also be used as an opportunity to grow your workforce. Use apprenticeships or internships to develop the exact skills you need from this fresh talent pool. Since early-career individuals seek professional growth and skill development, your investment in them is likely to improve both their abilities and job satisfaction.

Here’s what you as a talent leader can do:

• Share growth opportunities: Explain career paths, support learning, provide tech access, and encourage mentorship to engage young employees effectively.
• Talk about social impact: Connect work to values, show corporate responsibility, and focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEI&B) efforts for post-COVID talent attraction.
• Be personal: Connect genuinely, start outreach early, build relationships with students, and use transparent content marketing to engage and attract young talent effectively.
• Checking skills is important in early career hiring. It speeds up the process and helps find candidates who fit the role and match the culture, making talent acquisition more efficient and precise.

4. Investing in Employee Growth and Retention Initiatives

Climbing the career ladder and helping them make a shift to a role that suits their career — is a key ingredient in top-notch employee retention strategies nowadays. And with each passing year, there are reports that show that when employees grow professionally within the company through learning and development programs, their overall work experience improves. Let’s dive into this fascinating connection.

While many think company culture and perks are the main attraction for employees, a new report shows a different story. Most employees (64%) are happy in their current roles and plan to stick around for more than a year (59%), but they also want more. About 13% desire chances to move up within the company, 20% hope for flexible work hours, 8% want to learn new skills, and a big 45% are looking for better pay.

So, how do we go about this? Here’s a small playbook to it:

• Internal Mobility: Encourage career growth by sharing internal job options. Connect them with learning opportunities for better employee satisfaction and retention.
• Validating on Onboarding Experience: Smooth onboarding is key. Surveys after onboarding help fix issues, making employees happier and, in turn, boosting satisfaction levels within the company.
• Mental Health Support: Check in on employees regularly. Surveys can reveal burnout causes. Promote work-life balance for a healthier, more productive workplace.

5. Gamifying the Approach to Recruitment

Candidates commonly navigate traditional interviews with rehearsed responses. The typical Q&A format fails to showcase genuine skills and qualities. 

Enter gamification — a new approach turning the mundane hiring process into an engaging testing environment. Through custom games, industry challenges, company quests, and behavioural quizzes, gamification tests creativity and aptitude of the candidates.

Employing gamification in talent acquisition initiatives can help you in:

• Saving time: Gamification speeds up hiring, giving quick results. Assess candidates instantly, making the interview process 40% shorter and more efficient.
• Improved candidate experience: Makes hiring smoother. Filters the right candidates by using game elements in interviews.
• Cuts down on bias in hiring: It uses fair, data-driven assessments, avoiding assumptions and ensuring a precise and entertaining evaluation of diverse talents.
• Reliable system: Gamification is a trustworthy system. It draws conclusions from real data, avoiding bias and contributing to a clear and reliable hiring process.

Conclusion

In the coming year, watch for talent leaders and other key figures to incorporate these trends into their strategies, recognizing their importance beyond being mere add-ons. Talent leaders also need to be adaptable and forward-thinking to spot the right talent in this competitive market — it’s like staying ahead in a game where being informed is crucial.

Here’s where Disamina can help you in your talent acquisition efforts: 

Disamina has everything you need to check candidates’ skills with tests like aptitude, behaviour, and psychometrics. If you’re hiring tech folks, our coding tool helps you do online tests and find the best developers. And for campus recruitment, Disamina makes it easy to run drives in many places at once, with a simple online tool to watch candidates from afar.