Talent Acquisition Trends

Imagine you're the CFO of a global company and someone pitches you a recruitment automation solution that will do the work of 400 recruiters and save you $30M per year. What would you do? When I was at LinkedIn's Talent Connect in October, I attended a workshop with John Vlastelica in which he shared that a global company had decided to implement a recruiting automation solution that would allow them to save $30M in costs by eliminating 400 recruiter positions. They also reduced the time to hire from 11 days down to 3. He shared that another company had used recruitment automation software to hire 300,000 workers with minimal human involvement - people only came into the process after background checks had been performed. They also maintained candidate quality and candidate experience while increasing the speed of hire. These kinds of case studies should not surprise anyone, although it is sobering to anyone in talent acquisition - the rapid advancement of AI and automation in recruiting is both exciting and concerning. On the one hand, the potential for efficiency gains, cost savings, and improved candidate experience is huge and undeniable, as these examples demonstrate. On the other hand, we must also be mindful of the human impact - thousands of recruiters are seeing their roles transformed or eliminated. As talent acquisition professionals, it's important to be thinking about how to adapt and provide value in this changing landscape. Some key questions to consider: -How can we upskill and position ourselves to work alongside AI rather than be replaced by it? -What are the uniquely human elements of recruiting that AI can't replicate, and how do we double down on those? -How might our roles evolve to focus more on passive talent sourcing, talent intelligence/advisory, strategic workforce planning, employer branding, candidate engagement, and employee experience? For companies considering or implementing recruitment automation, I believe it should be a thoughtful, strategic decision - not just a blind cost-cutting measure. Here are some key considerations: -What is the optimal mix of human and automated touchpoints to balance efficiency and candidate experience? -How will the balance of AI and human involvement vary based on the labor market dynamics for each role? Roles with talent scarcity may require more human touch to attract and engage candidates, while high-volume roles with ample supply lend themselves to greater automation. -How will we redeploy or reskill displaced recruiters? -How do we maintain our employer brand and human touch with increased automation? The future of recruiting is undoubtedly both human and machine - but the mix is up to each company and may vary by role/department. I'm curious to hear your thoughts - have you been impacted by AI/automation? How are you and/or your company preparing for the intersection of AI/automation and recruiting? #AI #Recruiting #FutureOfWork

Your team’s success hinges on the talent you bring on board. But a slow hiring process can sabotage that success before it even begins. Here’s why dragging out the hiring process is a hidden risk: ⏳ Top Talent Drifts Away: The best candidates aren’t waiting around. 60% of job seekers lose interest if the process drags on. Quick decisions keep them engaged. 🛑 Brand Reputation Takes a Hit: A lengthy process reflects poorly on your company. Negative candidate experiences spread like wildfire, scaring off other top-tier talent. 💸 Costs Skyrocket: Every day a position stays open, your costs climb. Lost productivity and extended recruitment efforts drain your resources. 🔥 Team Burnout: Your current team bears the load when roles go unfilled. This can lead to burnout, decreased morale, and even turnover. 🚪 Opportunities Slip Away: Business moves fast. A delayed hire could mean missed opportunities that your competitors won’t hesitate to grab. Here’s how to avoid the pitfalls: 🎯 Streamline Your Process: Cut unnecessary steps and move quickly. The faster you act, the better your chances of securing top talent. 📅 Set Clear Timelines: Communicate expectations up front. Keeping candidates in the loop maintains their interest and commitment. 🛠 Empower Your Hiring Managers: Give them the authority to make decisions swiftly. Don’t let bureaucracy slow you down. 💡 Focus on Candidate Experience: Even a fast process can be a positive one. Make every interaction count. Did you know that 80% of top candidates are lost to slow hiring processes? That’s a risk you can’t afford to take. In my upcoming post, I’ll share actionable tips to speed up your hiring and secure the talent your team needs. 🚀 Don’t let the best slip away. Act fast, hire smarter!

AI won't replace recruiters. Recruiters using AI will. The talent landscape has fundamentally shifted, yet most hiring processes remain stuck in 2010. I've watched countless companies waste months on outdated hiring methods while their competitors secure top talent in days. 👉 Manual resume screening misses 65% of qualified candidates 👉 AI-assisted matching increases candidate quality by 37% 👉 Smart tools reduce time-to-hire from weeks to days The companies winning the talent war aren't just throwing money at the problem. They're leveraging intelligent systems to identify patterns humans miss and eliminate unconscious bias from their process. Your ATS was revolutionary in 2005. In 2025, it's the equivalent of using a flip phone when everyone else has smartphones. The future belongs to companies that embrace both human intuition AND algorithmic intelligence. What's holding your company back from modernizing your hiring approach? The answer might be simpler than you think. #AIRecruitment #TalentInnovation #HiringTechnology #FutureOfWork #TechHiring

Top talent will NEVER join a company with a mediocre recruiting process. They assume the rest of your company matches that experience. Yet most leaders treat their recruiters like transactional rubber stampers — then wonder why they can't hire A-players. The reality: how you treat your recruiters gets reflected in your recruiting process. Treat them like cogs in a machine? That's EXACTLY how they'll treat your candidates. Here are 8 ways treating recruiters as strategic partners transforms your hiring: 1. Give them a seat at leadership meetings A biz recruiter pitched "we need an implementation specialist" for months. Candidates weren’t biting. Then she learned this hire would unlock a $2M contract. Changed her pitch to "we need this role to hit Q3 revenue." Filled in 2 weeks. 2. Make recruiting metrics visible company-wide When engineering managers check recruiting dashboards daily, magic happens. One team went from "where's my hire?" to "I see 3 strong candidates entering final rounds." Transparency turns recruiting from blame game to team sport. 3. Let them push back on unrealistic demands A recruiter shared w/ me why she quit her last role: "I was tired of smiling when they wanted senior engineers for junior salaries." Smart companies empower recruiters to say, "that's unrealistic." The rest lose their best recruiters. 4. Include them in offer strategy, not delivery Watched a startup land their dream candidate in 48 hours — beating higher cash offers — because their recruiter could negotiate on the spot. Most make recruiters deliver pre-baked offers like pizza. 5. Invest in their tools like engineering Teams tracking candidates in Google Sheets wonder why they can't compete. Companies investing in real recruiting tools see 4x productivity gains. Your engineers get the latest MacBooks. Why make recruiters work in spreadsheets? 6. Give them time to build relationships One Gem customer filled 70% of roles in 3 weeks. How? They maintained relationships with past candidates for YEARS. Most measure recruiters on this month’s roles they need to fill. So they spam everyone and start from zero next quarter. 7. Empower them with data "Trust me, the market's tough" doesn't move executives. "Your salary range is 25th percentile — here's the data" does. Give recruiters access to data and industry benchmarks. Watch them become business partners overnight. 8. Celebrate their wins like revenue That top 1% engineer who chose you over FAANG only happened thanks to your recruiter — celebrate them like AEs winning deals. Ring the gong. Most companies only notice recruiters when hiring stops. TAKEAWAY In this market — 2.7x more applications, 90% unqualified — the difference isn't headcount. It's whether you treat recruiters as strategic partners or paper pushers. Your recruiters are interviewing for new jobs right now. Still think they're just order-takers?

🚨 PSA for Talent Acquisition Pros 🚨 It’s time we stop treating hiring managers like customers. Repeat after me: The hiring manager is not your customer; they are your partner. Here’s the deal: when you treat someone as a customer, you prioritize pleasing them. You nod. You say "yes" to every unrealistic request (Sure, we’ll find a bilingual AI guru with 10 years of experience for $60K). You lose sight of what actually matters—hiring the right talent. But when you reframe the relationship as a partnership, the dynamic shifts. Now, you're in it together. You push back on bad ideas. You co-create solutions. You hold each other accountable. And guess what? This isn’t just better for you—it’s better for them, the team, and the company. Is this hard for people-pleasers? Absolutely. It’s a muscle you have to build. It starts with courage, a little humility, and a lot of clarity on what great hiring looks like. But the payoff? Fewer bad hires, fewer regrets, and a seat at the table where decisions actually happen. Stop being the order-taker. Start being the talent advisor. 🚀 Thoughts? Let’s hear them 👇

What happens when 39% of biotech companies have less than a year of cash runway left? EY's latest Biotech Beyond Borders report reveals a stark reality that's reshaping our industry landscape. This figure represents the highest financial stress level we've seen in at least six years, jumping from just 18% in 2021 to nearly 40% today. The human impact is already visible. The biotech workforce contracted by 5% in 2024 as companies made difficult decisions to extend their survival. But here's what many are missing: this isn't just about layoffs. It's about a fundamental shift in how biotech companies approach talent strategy. Companies that are surviving this prolonged capital drought are adopting disciplined approaches that directly impact talent acquisition and retention: - Tying workforce planning to clearer funding milestones rather than broad growth projections - Consolidating operations and focusing teams on lead assets that generate the most value - Leveraging outsourcing and managed services to maintain lean internal teams while accessing specialized expertise - Making "tough portfolio calls early" - which means being strategic about which roles and departments to prioritize The survivors aren't just cutting costs; they're rethinking their entire approach to human capital. They're asking harder questions: Which roles directly contribute to our next value milestone? How can we maintain scientific excellence with fewer resources? What functions can we outsource without compromising our competitive edge? For talent professionals in our space, this means we need to evolve too. The companies that will emerge stronger are those that can navigate this volatility while still attracting and retaining the scientific talent that drives innovation. The challenge isn't just about doing more with less - it's about being smarter about how we build and deploy our teams. As one EY leader put it: "What got us here won't get us to recovery." The same applies to our talent strategies. How are you adapting your talent approach in this new biotech reality? #BiotechTalent #LifeSciences #TalentStrategy #BiotechRecruitment

The job market is evolving fast, and the strategies that worked last year might not cut it anymore. If you want to stay ahead of the game, here are 10 hiring trends that will impact how you search for jobs and land offers in the coming year. 1️⃣ AI-Driven Hiring Will Dominate 📌 Applicant tracking systems (ATS) are now using AI to filter resumes. 📌 Hiring managers are leveraging AI for interview screening. ✅ Action: Optimize your resume with keywords from the job description and use AI tools like ChatGPT for practice interviews. 2️⃣ Skills-Based Hiring Over Degrees 📌 More companies are dropping degree requirements in favor of skill-based assessments. 📌 Certifications, bootcamps, and hands-on experience are gaining credibility. ✅ Action: Highlight measurable skills and industry certifications on your resume. 3️⃣ Remote & Hybrid Jobs Are Shrinking 📌 Some companies are tightening return-to-office policies. 📌 Fully remote roles will become more competitive. ✅ Action: If you want remote work, target companies that explicitly support it—don’t assume it will last everywhere. 4️⃣ Pay Transparency Is Becoming Standard 📌 More states are requiring salary ranges in job postings. 📌 Companies are being called out for vague or deceptive compensation practices. ✅ Action: Research salaries before applying and be prepared to negotiate based on data. 5️⃣ Job Applications Are Getting Shorter (Finally!) 📌 Candidates are rejecting long, outdated application processes. 📌 Companies are cutting unnecessary steps to attract top talent. ✅ Action: If a company still has a 45-minute application, reconsider whether they respect candidates’ time. 6️⃣ More Companies Are Ghosting Candidates 📌 Employers are still notorious for lack of follow-up. 📌 Automated rejection emails are becoming more common. ✅ Action: If you haven’t heard back in two weeks, follow up—but don’t hold your breath. Keep applying. 7️⃣ Video Resumes & Portfolios Are on the Rise 📌 Some industries are moving toward short video intros instead of cover letters. 📌 Personal branding on LinkedIn is influencing hiring decisions. ✅ Action: Consider creating a short video showcasing your skills, and stay active on LinkedIn. ✅ Action: Read thru the carousel for points 8 thru 10. 📢 The Bottom Line? The hiring landscape is shifting, and the best candidates aren’t just waiting for opportunities, they’re adapting. Stay informed, sharpen your skills, and don’t rely on outdated job search strategies. Subscribe to the HR Uncensored Newsletter (link in bio) for weekly actionable advice. Which trend is your least or most favorite? ⬇️ ♻️ Repost to help someone in your network. ➕ Follow Ricardo Cuellar for more content like this.

Recruiting in 2025? “Great comp and culture” isn’t enough. Here’s what’s actually working: The old pitch is tired. “Great comp. Great culture. Great support.” Cool. But top producers have heard that for years. They want to see something real. They’re watching: • What are your leaders actually posting? • What kind of growth is happening right now? • Are your systems visible, repeatable & working? We’ve shifted from promise to proof. From: “We’re building something special.” To: “Here’s how we helped 3 producers grow 40% in 6 months.” That’s what cuts through the noise. That’s what opens doors. Did you know: 82% of high-income earners now check a company’s leadership on social media before taking a recruiting call. (LinkedIn Talent Trends, 2025). Read that again. Your brand is your recruiter. Your results are your pitch deck. Your consistency is your credibility. If you’re not showing up online, don’t be surprised when people keep scrolling. Are you seeing this shift too? #mortgage #recruiting #leadership

How AI Can Help with Talent Acquisition and Productivity: I’ve long been a proponent of how new technologies can innovate the way we work. In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is not just a trend—it's a transformative force that can reshape how companies find and retain talent and how people perform in their roles. According to a study of 31,000 people conducted by Microsoft and LinkedIn, AI helps workers save time (90%), focus on their most important work (85%), be more creative (84%), and enjoy their work more (83%).   I believe that there are many ways in which AI can make a significant and positive impact on how we work. Here are just a few: 1. Enhanced Talent Acquisition: At Lennar, we’ve started incorporating generative AI into our talent acquisition process, helping us find and schedule interviews with prospective candidates. AI-driven tools are revolutionizing the recruitment process. We will receive over 350,000 applications this year and with advanced algorithms, AI can sift through vast pools of resumes and online profiles, identifying the most suitable candidates with precision and speed. 2. Improved Candidate Experience: AI-powered chatbots and virtual assistants can provide immediate responses to candidate inquiries, send reminders about interviews, and offer real-time updates on application status. At Lennar, we are working on a conversational AI platform to help both potential candidates and our own associates across the country get answers to questions they may have about our company, including culture, benefits, schedule, dress code and other key topics. The more it’s used, the more it learns, adapts and improves, leading to a better user experience. 3. Increased Productivity: AI excels at handling routine, repetitive tasks that can consume a significant portion of an associate’s day. Tasks such as data entry, scheduling meetings, processing invoices and managing emails can be automated using AI tools, which not only increases efficiency but also reduces the likelihood of human error. As AI continues to evolve, its role in augmenting human capabilities will only expand, leading to workplaces that are both highly efficient and rich in creative potential. The use of AI can help us build workplaces that are more inclusive, innovative, and productive. The journey has just begun, and the possibilities are endless. #AI #TalentAcquisition #WorkplaceInnovation #FutureOfWork #HRTech #EmployeeEngagement #SkillDevelopment https://lnkd.in/ecaYUyEt

The WSJ reports a seismic shift in tech hiring: entry-level roles have nearly vanished, hiring processes are lengthening, and employers now expect broader AI skills from applicants. Companies are delaying or canceling postings amid economic uncertainty and prioritizing candidates who can do more than just code—they must be able to collaborate with AI tools, think critically, and learn on the fly. What does this mean for professionals and HR? 1️⃣ Upskill with intention — Boost your AI fluency through bootcamps, certifications, or on-the-job experimentation like prompt engineering and tool orchestration. 2️⃣ Emphasize hybrid roles — Cultivate a mix of technical, critical thinking, and communication skills���you’re now a strategic integrator, not just a doer. 3️⃣ Be patient, be agile — The hiring market has entered a “Great Hesitation.” It’s competitive, yes—but proactive candidates with a future-forward skill set are still getting through. Tech careers might be tough to break into right now—but those who continuously adapt and demonstrate AI-augmented value will stand out. How are you reshaping your role or team for this new frontier? Read the article: https://lnkd.in/eXws8etX #FutureOfWork #TechCareers #AI #Upskilling #HiringTrends #TalentAcquisition #CareerDevelopment