Just about every single industry on planet earth has changed over the past decade. And recruiting and employment is no different. In fact, our industry has been completely rearranged and reimagined with the advent of new technology and connectivity.
But all that technological advancement hasn’t necessarily led to an enhanced candidate pool or an increased likelihood of landing a dream job for companies or candidates—in fact, it hasn’t really done much except muddy the water. Which is why Certified has evolved right alongside the tech boom of the past decade to offer clients and candidates a more personalized approach to success with the help of technology.
If you think posting a job or searching for a job on Indeed or ZipRecruiter or LinkedIn is all it takes to elevate your business or career, then you’ve been missing out on what’s really happening in the world of employment and recruiting.
Today, clients and candidates can take advantage of our professional recruitment service that not only utilizes technology and connectivity, but also utilizes it’s human experience, intellect, and instinct to take the recruitment process to the next level for everyone involved.
So, we decided to put together a list of what exactly has changed in the industry over the past decade so our clients and candidates can understand the pivotal role a company like Certified plays in generating beneficial results on both sides of the table.
- Everything Has Changed
As we mentioned earlier, the industry has undergone a total facelift in recent years. Laws change, regulations change, insurance requirements change…pandemics happen. Today’s recruitment process is a mixture of Zoom meetings and phone calls, intake meetings and background checks, digital job boards and client coaching. In 2022, finding the right candidate or finding the right job isn’t just a matter of a solid resume or your geographic location. It’s about the intangibles—experience, personality, company culture, perks, and work ethic.
With the advent of remote work, today’s hirers can pick from a national pool of candidates— which means the most qualified and experienced candidates have better opportunities to land jobs no matter where they’re located. But that also means there’s a much bigger net to cast for inexperienced candidates. In fact, today we’re living in an interviewees market—which means candidates have the upper-hand. With so many companies looking for employees to help them either maintain efficiency or scale, there’s never been a market so skewed towards employees finding the right job at the right pay.
At Certified, we specialize in identifying candidates from across California and the nation that fit the expectations and requirements of our clients, while also satisfying the financial and personal interests of our candidates.
- There’s More Opportunity
More opportunity is great for candidates. But it can be detrimental for our clients. Why?
- Because the new generation of candidates are more concerned with establishing an ideal work/life balance than making a ton of money.
- Because the new generation of candidates realizes that they don’t have to live in a big city to make a decent income.
- Because the new generation of candidates sees the entire world as a place to work—not just L.A., San Francisco, Chicago, and New York.
That means hirers need to step up their game when it comes to selling candidates on the benefits of their companies. As we mentioned in our intake meeting blog, candidates today expect perks like extended maternity leave, unlimited paid vacation, remote or hybrid work environments, 401K’s, and quality health insurance. And because these perks have become more and more prevalent, candidates have the opportunity to wait to find exactly what they’re looking for or move on to other companies that offer better perks at any time. With more and more millennials and Gen Z’ers staying at home longer, they have the patience and support system necessary to find exactly what they’re looking for.
So how do companies land and retain quality candidates? By using a company like Certified that vets out potential bad matches to ensure a beneficial environment for both hirer and candidate that can lead to long term employment and growth. That means you can focus on what’s most important—elevating your business.
- Quality Candidates Are Hard to Find
The best of the best are everywhere and can work from anywhere. So, it’s important for our clients to understand that the best candidates may not be living five miles from their headquarters. If onsite work is essential to your business, you may have to accept that what you’re looking for in an employee may not exist. When it comes to hiring the ideal candidate, it’s important to be flexible and approach the process with an open mind. Just because Candidate A who lives nearby doesn’t have the experience you prefer doesn’t mean they can’t grow into a superstar for your company. Now, more than ever, is the time to invest in an employee that can enhance your company culture and bottom line over time no matter where they reside.
Certified establishes trust and transparency with our clients to ensure that although the candidate may not be exactly what you’re looking for on paper, they are exactly what you’re looking for both the short and long term. By understanding candidates are willing to commute, willing to learn, and willing to adapt, Certified can elevate the candidate pool and find you the “quality candidate” you requested. That being said, it’s also wise to understand that hiring a remote employee can actually give you exactly what you’re looking for, as well.
As for candidates, it’s important to know companies today are ten-times more flexible than they were ten years ago. That means finding a role or an opportunity that checks all or most of your boxes is much easier. By being upfront about your deal-breakers and salary requirements, Certified can place you in a work environment that sets you up for the ideal combination of success and balance.
- An Online Presence Is Important
The world moves faster and faster each day, and an online presence empowers Certified to match employers with candidates quicker and with a higher success rate. If you’re in the creative, financial, design, construction, marketing, real estate, or advertising fields, it’s almost required these days to have a digital portfolio or website for us to take a look at to ensure your vision, style, and level of experience meet the requirements of our clients.
If you’re field doesn’t require a portfolio or website, your online presence is still just as important. Quick searches on Instagram, LinkedIn, Facebook, and other social media sites can reveal a lot about your character, work ethic, and personality. Needless to say, it’s vitally important to maintain your professionalism not only on paper, in interviews, and in the office, but also across the digital world. That’s why we work with you to help you maintain the right balance across your social media channels so that you don’t end up the talk of the break room after a long weekend.
At Certified, we recommend both our clients and candidates establish an online presence that speaks to their culture and personality in a respectful way. Nowadays, it’s easy to connect—but content and messaging can become misconstrued. Be true to your company and yourself, and your online presence will (hopefully) resonate with the right people.
- It’s an Exciting Time to Work with a Recruitment Agency
We’ve mentioned how technology has impacted the recruitment industry. And, to be honest, there’s a lot about mega-companies like Indeed, Facebook, and Instagram that have made the industry better for companies like Certified.
How?
Now, we have more access to job posts, job boards, social media, salary ranges, new roles, and networking opportunities to help us find the ideal candidates for our clients and vice versa than we did a decade ago. Obviously, we don’t recommend posting jobs on Indeed for our clients— that results in thousands of HR hours wasted and poring over thousands of unqualified resumes. But, those job boards do provide Certified with a pool of talent that otherwise may have been left behind. Our ability to weed-out candidates and find the resumes and personalities we feel fit best with our client’s goals is what makes modern connectivity an especially valuable tool for us. By reaching out, researching, and setting up interviews with potential candidates, we can dive deep into the personal character of future hires, which empowers us to make good decisions for our clients—and that results in stronger relationships and a greater sense of trust.
Not only that, but with the remarkable success of the remote and hybrid work environment, Certified now has access to clients across the globe. That means we have a greater ability to deliver on the required experience, language requirements, and education suited to the roles our clients are seeking to fill.
On top of this, the past decade has brought in an influx of new jobs surrounding tech, social media, and marketing. In fact, jobs in tech are projected to grow faster than any other field over the next ten years. In 2012, a Social Media Manager didn’t exist. Now, with social media advertising growing by 45.9% over the past year, it’s essential for nearly every upstart and brand to maintain an engaging and growing online presence across several digital channels and platforms.
And lastly, even more good news—salaries are on the rise. In fact, candidates in 2022 can expect a 3.9% increase across all industries—the biggest growth in wages since 2008. And with salaries on the rise, that means there’s a better chance for candidates to find the job that ideally suits them no matter their geographic location, and a better chance for clients to find the high-quality candidate they’ve been searching for.
The world has changed drastically over the past 10 years. Having been an integral part of the recruitment industry since 1963, Certified is certifiably sure we can expect even more changes over the next 10 years. That’s why building a trusting relationship with a company that’s been around as long as we have is vitally important to generating the success, wealth, and work/life balance you expect as a hirer and as a candidate today.
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