As the nature of work has changed, recruiters and human resource professionals have had to adapt their methods. The recent rise of remote work has required new strategies and tactics, and competitive recruitment has taken on a whole new meaning.

To navigate the ins and outs of modern recruiting, it's important to understand what recruiting looked like in years past and how jobs have changed over time. Twenty years ago, many recruiters used phone calls and networking initiatives or reached out to candidates who were referred via word of mouth. Companies relied on one or two in-person interviews to make hiring decisions, rather than multiple rounds with different teams, and recruiters mainly filled in-office roles.

More recently, human resources professionals started to rely on technology in recruiting. Recruiting technology streamlined the process of sourcing and recruiting candidates. For example, mass e-blasts allow recruiters to connect with potentially thousands of candidates with the press of a button. Recruiters also began to specialize in specific fields, such as tech, sales, marketing, and more.

How remote work changed recruiting processes


When hybrid and remote work took off during the COVID-19 pandemic, recruiters began implementing an often-arduous, multi-step recruitment process that included numerous rounds of virtual interviews, panels, and presentations before the final-offer stage. They also homed in on compensation, calculating it by years of experience and typical earning potential.

Rather than simply filling a role and moving on, recruiters emphasized learning-development opportunities, cultural fit, benefits, and professional growth in their conversations with candidates. For example, instead of asking about a candidate's potential to earn profits, recruiters began asking candidates about what the company could do for them and vice versa.

In general, modern recruiting puts the "human" in human resources and recruitment, an element that was missing for so long. This shift stemmed from listening to the needs and desires of applicants rather than solely prioritizing economic gains.

Recruiters are also embracing technology, non-traditional hiring methodologies, and a diverse talent pool. They are taking advantage of 60-second video candidate intros, take-home challenges, and virtual interviews. Importantly, they focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts, including pronoun awareness, pay equity, and disability accommodations.

Recruiters are also getting more competitive in their efforts to attract top talent by using layoff lists and keyword search features, poaching from other companies, and automating workflows to gain momentum. In addition, competitive recruitment involves salary transparency and honest, open-ended dialogues.

If you're trying to navigate today's job market by expanding beyond traditional recruiting methods, here are a few modern recruitment strategies to keep in mind:

1. Listen carefully to applicants.
In order to strategically stay ahead of the competition, listen to applicants’ desires. Schedule flexibility is one of the top elements that today's candidates look for in a job. And CareerPlug recently reported in its survey of hourly workers that 55% are job searching to increase their pay.

Competitive recruitment requires that you listen to people. Ask your candidates what they want and then use the insights to create actionable to-do lists. Tailor the conversations and the employee experience to reflect candidates' priorities, whether that means focusing on work-life balance, mental health awareness, or remote-work options.

2. Use technology to your advantage.
Improve your processes and bolster your applicant pool with the help of available technology. When searching for potential candidates on LinkedIn, for instance, use search filters and keywords to find the most relevant talent.

Technology is your friend in the recruitment process, and tools that automate the earlier stages of the application process or facilitate video interviews through Zoom, Skype, or Teams can help speed up hiring timelines. Using artificial intelligence to focus on candidates' potential for skill acquisition rather than just their experience can help you bring on candidates that human intelligence alone might overlook. Even technology like blockchain can make the recruitment process more efficient for potential applicants and more effective for you.
3. Leverage company culture.
It's no secret that one of the main drivers of the Great Resignation has been toxic company cultures. Potential candidates can get a lot of information on a company's culture through various channels that weren't available two decades ago. And they won't hesitate to turn elsewhere if they get a negative impression during their job search.

When scoping out companies to work with, applicants often visit Glassdoor or Indeed to see reviews, salary ranges, and more. It's difficult to get the big picture of a company's culture through a review website, though. When recruiting for your company — especially for remote or hybrid positions — emphasize and demonstrate your supportive culture. Explain that communication and camaraderie are still strong, even across time zones. This goes a long way with applicants who may be hesitant about remote work.

Even though recruiting has changed drastically over the past 20-plus years, focusing on people is as important as ever. Once you've mastered that component, you can prepare for other changes in the human resources field before they arise.

Alexis Russell is U.S. HR business partner for Jotform. Based in San Francisco, she is the point of contact for all things recruitment at Jotform.