New Year, New Hiring Trends: What the Experts Say Is Coming in 2019

Another year has come and gone. New technologies and hiring trends made 2018 an exciting time for talent acquisition. But don’t think for a second things will slow down in 2019. If you want to attract and hire the best candidates, you need to know what trends are coming and how they will impact your hiring process.

To help give you a leg up in the coming year, we checked in with experts to see what hiring trends will define 2019. With these insights, you can adapt your hiring process to get the talent you need. Here are the hiring trends coming in with the new year:

1. Innovation will be a big talent magnet

Innovation is not to be ignored anymore, particularly in the hiring of millennials. Creating an innovative environment is the only way an organization can truly differentiate itself. But that means an HR function must work tirelessly to attract and, most importantly, retain change agents in their business. The only way this can really be done is by helping drive a culture of innovation that focuses on constant growth and rewards for the right behaviors. The most innovative HR leaders are focused on the development and engagement of talent as opposed to the old school approach of rewarding talent.

Ed Batchelor, Managing Partner for Hardman Batchelor International

2. Recruiters will address the skills gap and talent shortage simultaneously

With more job openings than people to fill them, recruiters have a long road in 2019 to combat the effects of a tight labor market. Not only do recruiters need to overcome the lack of candidates to fill positions, but they will also need to find creative ways to overcome any skills gaps that exist. Finding ways to offer training or career development represents a significant opportunity for differentiation.

Claudette Dunlap, Director of National Sales at TempWorks Software

3. Real world assessments will be the way forward

A trend that will gain strength in 2019 is giving candidates small assignments or tasks to get more insight into their skills and qualifications. Tasks that mimic something they’d be expected to do on the job will become more common. It could be an assignment after an initial phone screen or the first round of interviews to weed out any candidates who have grossly embellished their resume.

Hiring managers need to learn how to design assignments that are comprehensive and will provide them with a good idea of the candidate’s skills. At the same time, these tasks need to be fair and respectful since you’re asking them to use their free time to complete extra work.

Val Streif, Senior Content Manager at Pramp

4. Reverse mentoring will be used to bridge the generation gap

Former CEO of General Electric, Jack Welch, popularized the concept of reverse mentoring. He paired 500 senior and junior employees together to help bridge the generational divide, especially around disruptive technology advances and tools. Organizations need to understand how to lead and manage across multiple generations. The divide between Millennials — and now Generation Z — and Baby Boomers is significant. Pairing a Millennial with a more senior leader helps the organization understand the intersection between generations. It also creates a company culture that embraces and attracts a variety of talent.

Janet Dulohery, Head of HR at SE2