Recruiting Trends for 2016

Unemployment is low, the economy is picking up steam and there are plenty of great jobs out there. Knowing what employers want from top talent helps keep your job search relevant in a competitive labor market. Therefore, it behooves you to stay on top of one recruiting trend after another as you try to find the perfect fit for your skill set.

1. Referrals

Referring someone for a job is one of the best means for finding top talent. This recruiting trend seems counterintuitive compared to surfing online job boards, but having a connection within the company is the key to finding the perfect job. Tap into your network as much as possible for your job search.

2. LinkedIn Rules

One recruiting trend keeps growing with each passing year, and that's LinkedIn. Employers continually use this social media website for business professionals to seek out passive candidates, and job seekers always try to make connections with their network on LinkedIn. Make sure you have plenty of high-quality contacts on here, and take your personal brand to new heights with this valuable tool.

3. Other Social Media

Don't neglect Facebook or Twitter while focusing on LinkedIn. Recruiters turn to your social media presence to find out more information and to seek out passive hires. Passive opportunities occur when you don't actively seek a position yourself, but an employer may try to track you down as an ideal candidate for an upcoming opening.

4. Passive Candidates

A recruiting trend regarding passive hires indicates people with a keen online presence have an advantage. Nearly three-fourths of business professionals consider themselves passive candidates. Have your resume ready, your social media active and your LinkedIn updated in case an opportunity knocks.

5. Keywords

Keywords are still relevant as a recruiting trend simply because they make a search easier on both sides of the process. Employers search social media and resumes with keywords, and job seekers narrow their choices with keywords.

6. Mobile

Many career websites are optimized for mobile devices. Find out if a recruiter has an app to download for your smartphone or tablet as you try to find a job.

7. Video Cover Letter

Add a video cover letter to LinkedIn to enhance your profile. Two minutes is a good length, and make sure your personality comes through for the hiring manager since many hires happen on personality and attitude if your skills and qualifications are equal to someone else's.

8. Engaging Job Descriptions

It's hard to stand out from the crowd when companies try to land the right candidates. Look for compelling and engaging job descriptions that catch your attention. You might have to do some creative searching to find these, so remain open-minded about the possibilities.

9. Nonbiased Hiring

Many companies turn to nonbiased hiring techniques to find the absolute best person for the job. Removing names of candidates from resumes removes any age or gender bias, while telephone interviews get rid of visual bias. Beef up your skills to take advantage of this trend.

The overall, number one recruiting trend seems to be using your network to get the best information and a referral. Find people you trust through LinkedIn to get the inside scoop on hiring, what the company is looking for and what to include on your resume.

Photo courtesy of Dita Margarita at Flickr.com