Inflation, the cost of living crisis, urgent talent gaps. UK organisations, hiring managers and candidates continue to face a turbulent time in the job market. But there are ways to stay ahead of the curve, and a strong interview strategy is more important than ever for long-term success.
In this article, we look at the key trends in hiring that you can leverage in 2024 and beyond.
Transcription
AI-assisted transcription is a no-brainer tool to capture your interview notes and transcribe them into text. Advantages include reduced human error and time released for interviewers to focus on analysing candidates’ body language and responses, without the worry of note-taking. The Equitas platform for instance, streamlines and automates parts of the interviewing process, saving 50% of interviewer time and getting to offer faster.
Interviewer training
Interview training might be nothing new, but it’s more effective than ever. Effective training builds confidence and equips teams with better communication skills and leadership techniques. Inclusive interview training also helps to protect your company from unintentional bias or discrimination.
But it’s not just helpful for inclusion and employer development. Well trained interviewers are key for brand protection. Remember that every interview touchpoint is an opportunity to build your brand, while dissatisfied candidateds talk quickly. Good interviews are a great recruitment tool, too: a study by IBM found that candidates who are satisfied with their experience are 38% more likely to accept a job offer.
Values based interviews
There has been a vast growth of organisations that use some type of values-based interview structure. Colleagues might not share an office space or even work from the same country in today’s hybrid and remote working culture, but they can be united by core company values.
Values and behaviours are increasingly part of what candidates seek out for long-term happiness and fulfilment. Aligned values can be the very reason candidates will target an organisation or be swayed by a role.
In findings from a 2023 Tiger Recruitment survey, nine in ten people agreed they couldn’t work for an organisation that didn’t share their values. Companies that communicate values clearly attract a wider talent pool where diversity of thought is celebrated.
Want to learn more about values-based hiring? Explore our deep-dive here.
International hiring
An extensive Korn Ferry report has revealed that by 2030, more than 85 million jobs could go unfilled because there aren’t enough skilled people to take them. One way to fix that? Widen the talent pool across borders.
Equitas client HSE (Health Service Executive in the Republic of Ireland) is one of the many companies leveraging international hiring with positive results. S. With our software, they can tap into a global talent pool more easily and efficiently, with full support of our remote hiring capabilities.
AI and automation
In 2023, we found that people were fully immersed in rapid digitalisation and the ever-evolving world of AI and automation. In 2024, we’ve seen the endless possibilities and advantages that AI brings, but we are also becoming more familiar with risks and challenges. Here are three of the most pressing AI trends we face in hiring:
1. AI notes
Robotic process automation (RPA), also known as software robotics, utilises intelligent automation technologies to carry out repetitive office tasks. Caution must be used around an over reliance on this technology, which includes AI note-taking.
Reducing interview notes to bullet points can introduce a high risk of bias: f context is left out or oversimplified, then there is a drop in ability to score answers as a whole objectively. What should be helping instead adds complexity and risk while creating unreliable data.
2. AI scoring
As a result of the complexity of AI models, understanding the logic behind a certain AI score can be challenging. It’s also important to consider that poor quality data can result in inaccurate predictions and potentially unfair decisions. AI scoring also calls into question the relationship between human verification and machine learning.
If you’re interested in learning more, the documentary Coded Bias shines a light on prejudices and threats to civil liberty in facial recognition algorithms and artificial intelligence.
3. Asynchronous and candidate fraud
From ChatGPT to Google Bard and Microsoft Bing, the tech world is moving fast and it’s hard to keep pace with growing threats and opportunities within the world of recruitment. The time before a candidate comes in for a face-to-face meeting always has potential for fraud or misrepresentation. But now, we have additional questions.
How do we know candidates are who they say they are, have completed tasks, application questions or one-way video interviews without relying heavily on AI? And to what extent should it matter?
Candidates have always had the chance to seek extra help with preparation from peers or coaches for an upcoming interview. It is a reality that hiring managers need to be savvy to this in 2024 and beyond as technological advances offer more sophisticated tools. Staying up to speed with the latest hiring trends, should help managers put their best foot forward to hire with confidence.
10 top tips to help managers stay ahead of hiring trends
So in the backdrop of a changing landscape, how do hiring managers stay ahead? Follow our tips for creating a well-rounded interview process. Added benefits include a more consistent scoring process, a reduction in the risk of bias, plus the huge, time-saving gain thanks to a tried-and-tested, clear approach.
- Familiarity with an ATS and what components can be automated in your process
- Write engaging and well-researched job descriptions which have been signed-off by the right internal decision makers
- Implement social media outreach and paid campaigns on the correct platform for your target group
- Conduct video-led interviews and follow DEI best practices
- Use audio recording and transcription for effective note taking
- Research and implement the correct interview framework for your goals
- Follow a consistent approach to scoring to reduce bias
- Utilise auto generated feedback to keep candidates informed throughout your interview process
- Prioritise and consistently review candidate experience and communication touchpoints
- Use data to analyse feedback from candidates on your own interview process to improve and drive standards
Want some help staying ahead of hiring trends in 2024? Equitas Interview Intelligence software can help you deliver fair and inclusive interviews that help you hire top talent, build diverse teams, and save time in the process. Book a demo today to learn how.
