The Latest Hiring Trends in an Active Market

Currently, the overall unemployment rate sits at 3.8%, the lowest it has been in 18 years! There are now as many job openings as there are unemployed people in the United States. As a direct result, this is a very active recruiting market for job seekers, and employers are using some new recruiting trends to help them find the top talent.

Blind Resume Screening

One hiring trend employers are adopting is blind resume screening, which helps to hide bias information on resumes. Employers do this by using software that automatically hides specific information, like an applicant’s name, address, or college that can lead to bias hiring. The software keeps only hiring-relevant information in place for employers to review and can help to identify those who truly qualify. Conversely, this also helps to eliminate certain candidates based on factors that don’t affect the position or qualification of a candidate.

Diverse Teams

Another hiring trend we’re spotting is employers using diverse teams to make their hiring decisions. The teams represent blends of difference ages, races, genders, and experiences which can help to eliminate an unconscious bias by a particular hiring manager. More employers have been including this in their hiring methods, which is giving applicants a good advantage early in the hiring process. With this trend’s induction, employers have seen a large increase in interviews being conducted with Hispanic and African American women.

Alternative Hiring Paths

Many employers have also begun using alternative hiring paths to attract candidates. Using traditional resume-driven hiring paths can cause candidates to be eliminated based on a single requirement that doesn’t affect a candidate’s knowledge or skill. Eliminating or bypassing a requirement like a college degree in certain positions where a degree isn’t truly essential for success in the position opens the candidate pool greatly. Pre-screening tests, mock projects, or short assignments are being used in lieu of a standard resume to screen potential candidates.