The hiring landscape is changing fast. From robot recruiters, to shifting candidate expectations, these changes are having a huge impact on the job market and the business world as well. The first step to keeping up with these changes is to know what’s new and what’s actually valuable. Only then will you be able to weave the top trends into your own hiring processes for measurable results. Here are four trends for 2018 we think will really help move the bar.

Embrace Apprenticeship

From President Trump to German Chancellor Merkel, national leaders are recognizing the value of apprenticeship programs in building skilled workforces. Germany’s very low unemployment, high wages and low youth unemployment is testament to the value of a long-term approach to investing in employment. Vocational schools and universities, as well as organizations across the globe are starting to adopt more apprenticeship programs for jobs in manufacturing, trade and other high-skill jobs.

Smart Hiring

Artificial intelligence is projected to quickly become a critical part of the hiring process, to the point that HR teams will need to focus substantially less effort on identifying and reaching out to qualified candidates. Unilever has gone all in with technology and adopted AI to hire entry-level employees and has reported that doing so has greatly increases diversity and reduce hiring costs. They have automated much of the first round of the hiring processes, and now bring in real people only when they are needed and most impactful.

Taking the Team Approach

In 2016, Deloitte conducted a study around the human resources challenges, and the results were clear. There is a critical shift taking place in the business realm that encompasses a disruption of functional hierarchy. Organizations are now better suited to be built as a network of teams as opposed to a traditional hierarchy-based pyramid. In light of this, job roles and descriptions are changing and employers are increasingly forced to rethink internal mobility and career growth within their workforces, with a growing emphasis on skills and learning now key aspects of an employee’s overall performance.

Building a Compelling Employment Value Proposition

Finding high-quality talent has become more difficult in recent years, and it isn’t about struggling with a limited candidate pool. Job searchers are struggling to land jobs as much as companies are worried about competing for those very same candidates. This has made employer branding a very important strategy for businesses around the world. In order to stay competitive, employers need to market their job opportunities much as companies need to market their products or services. To do so, many businesses find it helpful to develop an in-depth employee value proposition that communicates a company’s best-selling points and highlights what makes them a great place to work.

There are so many ways in which the world of work is changing. How are you working to keep up? Contact a recruiting expert from Verum Technical to find out today.