200 Recruitment Statistics: Trends, Problems, and Strategies

Recruitment is the process of identifying, attracting, and selecting qualified individuals to fill job vacancies within an organization. It is a fundamental function of human resource management and is crucial in building and maintaining a capable and productive workforce.

Effective recruitment is essential for an organization to attract and retain talent that aligns with its goals and values. It contributes to the company's overall success by ensuring that it has the right people in the right positions. Additionally, a well-executed recruitment process can enhance your organization's reputation as an employer.

Editor's Top Picks

Among the top 100 revenue-generating recruitment agencies, 80% operate on a global scale. ²

While 92% of millennials acknowledge the importance of monetary compensation in a job, they also consider companies that may not offer six-figure salaries if they provide other valuable rewards. ²⁰

A substantial 90% of job applicants rely on their smartphones to search for employment opportunities. ²⁷

Social media platforms are the choice of 92% of employers when it comes to seeking potential talents. This preference outpaces traditional methods such as advertisements, employee referrals, and even traditional job boards. ⁴²

On average, job openings remain unfilled for a period of 28.1 days. ⁵⁸

General Recruitment Statistics

Obtaining employment and integrating new employees has undergone significant changes in recent years. This transformation is primarily based on businesses' innovative approaches to attract potential candidates.

Companies have recognized the significance of compensation as a crucial factor in influencing prospective employees' decisions when accepting a job offer.

The primary concerns for recruitment professionals included improving the caliber of recruits (52%), increasing employee retention (24%), reducing the hiring process duration (23%), broadening the pool of potential talents (22%), and promoting diversity in hiring (22%).¹
Most staffing and recruitment specialists (66%) viewed globalization as a valuable opportunity.¹
Among the top 100 revenue-generating recruitment agencies, 80% operate globally.²
More than half (56%) of US companies intend to provide sign-on bonuses to recent graduates from business schools.¹
Millennials are expected to make up 75% of the US workforce by 2025.³
An overwhelming majority (87%) of recruiters believe that having a four-year college degree sets apart entry-level applicants.⁵
Eight out of ten recruiters include reference checks as a component of their candidate screening process.⁶
There has been a substantial decline of approximately 20% in applicants' emphasis on solid conversational skills and enthusiasm.⁷
64.7% of IT sector professionals have voiced anxieties about possibly losing their jobs due to the COVID-19 crisis.⁸
In the early stages of the pandemic, there was a significant reluctance among employees to change jobs, leading to a nearly 47% decrease in job applications across all sectors.⁹

In the competitive recruitment landscape, a clear emphasis has been placed on enhancing recruitment quality and fostering long-term commitment. With 66% of staffing experts acknowledging globalization's promise, it's no surprise that most top-earning agencies cast their nets worldwide.As strategies evolve, incentives like sign-on bonuses for business graduates in the US are becoming more prevalent. Yet, amidst these changes, traditional benchmarks like a college degree and reference checks still hold significant weight. Meanwhile, the pandemic has shifted perspectives; the IT sector, for instance, has witnessed heightened job security concerns.Concurrently, the initial phases of COVID-19 saw many professionals opting for stability, reducing job shifts significantly. Understanding these nuances becomes pivotal for crafting effective, human-centric recruitment strategies as we move forward.

The COVID-19 pandemic has had a notable impact on HR technology, primarily in two key areas: a general reduction in employment and a substantial increase in remote work arrangements.¹⁰
Notwithstanding the widespread decrease in HR employment, industry experts anticipate that the trend will return to pre-pandemic levels by 2022.¹¹
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant surge of 135% in the number of remote job opportunities.¹²
In the United States, only 46% of HR professionals are fully prepared to adapt to a virtual recruiting and hiring process.¹³
Approximately 78% of organizations have adjusted their recruitment and hiring volumes in response to the pandemic, with the majority either freezing hiring or slowing it down.⁸
The pandemic has led to a short-term increase in layoffs, reaching 12.8%, while new hires have been comparatively low at 3.8%, which is equivalent to three new hires for every ten layoffs.¹⁴
In 2020, 60% of companies implemented hiring freezes, and only 5% increased the volume of new hires.¹⁵
Less than 2% of survey respondents have reported that COVID-19 had no disruptive impact on their recruiting and hiring operations.¹⁶
As of May, the unemployment rate in the United States was 13.3%.¹⁷

The Top 10 Countries With the Highest Number of Foreign Workers

It is estimated that approximately 42% of the layoffs resulting from the pandemic are likely to lead to permanent job losses.¹⁴
Virtual recruitment has become the most commonly used method in the hiring process.¹⁸
A substantial 65% of millennials place significant importance on organizational culture, a sentiment that surpasses that of baby boomers and the younger generation.¹⁹
While 92% of millennials acknowledge the importance of monetary compensation in a job, they also consider companies that may not offer six-figure salaries if they provide other valuable rewards.²⁰
Beyond salary, millennials prioritize factors such as job security (87%), time off (86%), working with great people (80%), and having flexible work arrangements (79%).²¹
While cash remains a crucial factor, brand reputation holds significance for both genders. Before applying for a job, 39% of women consider the company's brand to be "very important," and the same holds true for 33% of men.²²

HR professionals who have faced challenges in adapting to these changes, even though many organizations have adjusted their hiring volumes in response to the pandemic.

The pandemic has brought about short-term layoffs, increased unemployment rates, and a substantial proportion of layoffs that may lead to permanent job losses. Despite these challenges, virtual recruitment has emerged as a dominant method in the hiring process.

Recruitment Trend Statistics

Keeping on top of the most recent developments in recruitment is essential for companies and human resources experts to draw in and keep top-notch personnel in today's fiercely competitive job landscape.

According to 86% of recruiters and 62% of employers, the job market is driven by candidates, meaning that candidates have a significant influence on the hiring process.²³
Passive job seekers make up the majority, comprising 73% of all candidates actively or passively seeking employment.²⁴
More than 14% of candidates have identified a company's values as the most crucial marketing material that affects their decision to apply for a job.²⁵
Glassdoor reports that 89% of job seekers consider their mobile devices indispensable for job searching, and 45% use them daily for this purpose.²⁶
Only a minority of organizations have fully mobile-optimized career websites: 29% of Australia's largest companies, 30% of Hong Kong's largest companies, 32% of the largest universities in the United States, and even lower figures (10%) in Southeast Asia.²⁷
Mobile devices are responsible for 16% of all job applications submitted.²³
The most commonly used interview technique among HR professionals is structured interviews, employed by 74% of organizations.²⁸
A substantial 82% of companies utilize some form of pre-employment tests to evaluate candidates.²⁹
Most companies, 56%, provide signing bonuses to new hires from business schools, with a median bonus amounting to $10,500.³⁰
A significant 80% of survey respondents acknowledge the growing importance of soft skills such as creativity, adaptability, and collaboration for their company's success.³¹

In the modern job market, candidates have been identified as the driving force, suggesting a traditional recruitment power dynamics shift. While most of these seekers remain passive, they're discerningly influenced by a company's values and heavily reliant on mobile devices for job hunting.Surprisingly, many organizations have yet to optimize their career sites for mobile, even as the emphasis on soft skills in potential hires surges. With its technological lags and evolving candidate expectations, understanding this landscape is essential for companies hoping to stay ahead in recruitment.

More than half of companies, 51%, intend to hire temporary employees, while 44% actively seek full-time employees.³²
A substantial 90% of job applicants rely on their smartphones to search for employment opportunities.²⁷
Approximately one-third (32%) of organizations no longer consider resume gaps when evaluating job candidates.³³
A significant 54% of HR decision-makers anticipate an increase in their company's recruitment spending within the following year.³⁴
Organizations planning to expand their recruiting budgets intend to invest in various areas, including new recruitment technology processes (59%), job advertising (57%), hiring additional recruiting roles (45%), expanding existing recruitment technology (43%), focusing on employer brand initiatives (35%), and implementing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs (33%).³²
A notable 45% of talent acquisition professionals intend to outsource jobs to freelancers and gig workers.³⁵
Most corporate recruiters plan to hire candidates with specific advanced degrees, with 92% looking for MBAs, 88% seeking Masters in management, and 86% recruiting Masters in data and business analytics.²⁷

Companies Top Recruiting Priorities

The most crucial skills identified by corporate talent acquisition managers include learning, motivation, and leadership (62%), interpersonal skills (61%), and strategy and innovation (60%).³⁶
A significant 60% of corporate recruiters globally view online degrees as equivalent to in-person degrees.³⁶
The top priority for 61% of recruiters in the coming year will be enhancing the quality of candidates they attract.²⁷
Despite concerns about economic recession and layoffs, 77% of employers have not reduced their hiring plans or implemented hiring freezes in 2022.³⁷
A majority, 60%, of talent acquisition professionals anticipate an increase in hiring for the following year.³⁸
There has been an 8.7% increase in the number of job applications within the first 30 days for job positions between Q2 and Q3 of 2022.³⁹

By acknowledging and adopting these recruitment patterns, companies can improve hiring procedures, draw in high-caliber candidates, and construct robust, inclusive teams contributing to business achievements. Come along with us as we explore the fluid realm of recruitment and unveil the approaches that can result in effective talent acquisition in the constantly evolving social media environment.

Numerous employers use social media platforms to discover and gather information about prospective job candidates. This has shown how important social media has become across all industries and how quickly it grows.

A significant 82% of companies utilize social media to engage with passive job seekers.⁴⁰
Intriguingly, 37% of American employees fall into the category of passive candidates, demonstrating an interest in new job prospects but not actively seeking them.⁴¹
Social media platforms are the choice of 92% of employers when seeking potential talents. This preference outpaces traditional methods such as advertisements, employee referrals, and even traditional job boards.⁴²
Furthermore, a shift in the future is apparent, with 9% of companies that currently do not use social media for recruitment expressing an intention to adopt it.³²
Combined with the existing 84% that already do, this implies that 93% of businesses will utilize social media for their hiring needs.⁴³
As nearly 70% of employers utilize social media for candidate screening, the importance of upholding a professional online presence cannot be overstated.⁴⁴
Social media has become a fundamental tool for job seekers, with 79% relying on it in their job hunt. In a reciprocal manner, just as employers assess candidates online, applicants also research companies to evaluate their reputation and trustworthiness.²⁵
Furthermore, diversifying job search strategies has become customary. A substantial 52% of recent job seekers explore four or more platforms during their search, while a mere 11% rely solely on a single resource.⁴⁵

In today's digital-driven recruitment scene, social media has become the dominant channel for companies and candidates. Most businesses tap into platforms like LinkedIn and Twitter to engage even with those not actively job-hunting.By the same token, while valuing the digital impressions companies present, job seekers have broadened their search strategies, hopping between multiple platforms. Maintaining a polished online image has been highlighted as critical for employers and potential employees.

LinkedIn is pivotal for 75% of individuals making career decisions when changing jobs. Those influenced by LinkedIn are perceived as twice as appealing to employers, and the platform's networking capabilities give candidates a competitive advantage.³⁸
On Facebook, career-related content is actively sought after by 81% of job seekers.⁴⁶
Since 83% of job seekers are active on Facebook, it is an ideal platform for job postings.⁴⁷
For younger generations, social media is a treasure trove of job opportunities. A substantial 62% of Gen Z individuals have come across job openings on these platforms.⁴⁰
This trend diminishes with age, with 56% of millennials and only 12% of baby boomers finding jobs through social media.⁴⁸
LinkedIn is the primary tool for 90% of hiring professionals when seeking potential hires. The talent pool expands significantly, growing tenfold, when employee networks are tapped into, underscoring the effectiveness of LinkedIn as a recruitment platform.⁴⁹
A 56% majority of hiring specialists confirm that they identify their most ideal candidates through social media, surpassing other recruitment methods like job boards, where only 37% believe they find the best candidates.⁴⁰
In the world of recruitment-focused social platforms, LinkedIn takes the lead, with a substantial 90% of recruiters relying on it for their hiring needs, while 55% and 47% also use Facebook and Twitter, respectively.⁴⁰
A noteworthy 92% of employers engage in candidate screening through social media.⁴⁰
67% of employees openly acknowledge using these platforms to assess potential job applicants.⁵⁰
What's striking is that more than half, precisely 54% of businesses, have declined a candidate solely based on their social media content.⁵¹
In the world of job hunting, a substantial 79% of individuals turn to social media, with LinkedIn being the preferred platform for 75% of them, playing a pivotal role in their career decisions.⁵²
A substantial 70% of hiring professionals acknowledge their successful recruitment of candidates through social media, which aligns with the prevalent online presence of younger job seekers.⁴⁰
Approximately 21% or one in five hiring authorities have expressed a reduced inclination to consider a candidate who lacks a social media presence.⁵³

How Social Media Is Used for Recruitment

Top social platforms for attracting high-quality candidates: LinkedIn (53%), Facebook (33%), YouTube (22%), Twitter (21%) and Instagram (20%).⁴⁰
The primary motivation for 82% of employers to utilize social media in the hiring process is to connect with passive candidates.⁴⁰
To establish connections with potential hires, 45% of companies actively share engaging content on social media platforms.⁵⁴
Upon coming across a professionally presented social media profile of a candidate, 33% of employers have proactively reached out to initiate contact.⁵⁵
Over a third of businesses have adjusted their recruitment approaches to prioritize mobile and social media platforms, focusing on smartphone users.⁵⁶

Statistics on recruiters’ social media usage underscore the role of online platforms in the search for and interaction with potential candidates. These platforms have evolved into indispensable tools within contemporary recruitment strategies. However, recruiting via social media is not without its challenges.

Problems for Recruiters

The field of recruitment is in a continual state of change, offering both prospects and difficulties for recruiters and employers alike. Attracting high-caliber candidates has risen to the forefront as a significant objective, yet it comes with challenges.

In this dynamic setting, recruiters encounter a range of hurdles, including candidate expectations, the competitive landscape for talent, and the necessity to stay flexible in the face of evolving technology.

For a significant 76% of recruiters, the most prominent challenge is the task of attracting high-quality candidates.⁵⁷
On average, job openings remain unfilled for a period of 28.1 days.⁵⁸
Surprisingly, 17% of recruiters either do not know of or do not track their average cost per hire.⁵⁹
Recruiters, on average, dedicate approximately one-third of their workweek to sourcing candidates.⁶⁰
42% of managers express concerns about their ability to locate the required talent.⁶¹
A considerable 72.8% of recruiters are grappling with the challenge of locating candidates who are a good fit for the positions they are trying to fill.³⁶
An overwhelming 86% of the most qualified candidates for job openings are currently employed and not actively seeking new employment opportunities.²⁷
About 20.8% of recruiters find it challenging to keep up with the demands and expectations of candidates.²⁷
High-quality candidates are typically available in the job market for only ten days before hiring.⁵⁵
A significant 55% of job seekers abandon their job applications after encountering negative online reviews.⁶²

In the modern recruitment landscape, a predominant challenge has been sourcing high-quality candidates, evidenced by job openings lingering for over four weeks. Interestingly, many recruiters need more insight into their hiring costs while devoting a significant chunk of their week to candidate search.As the best-fit talents often lie in passive pools and have brief market availability, recruiters are further pressed. Moreover, in this digital age, candidates are swayed by online reviews, a factor only half of employers actively consider, underscoring the importance of employer branding in attracting top talent.

Half (50%) of all candidates expressed that they would not consider working for a company with a poor reputation, even if the compensation offered was substantial.³⁶
A substantial 45% of hiring managers face difficulties filling much-needed positions due to the lack of qualified talent.³⁶
Only 10% of candidates who use the mobile version of a website to apply for a job read the job description from start to finish, whereas 70% of applicants using the desktop version read the job description in its entirety.⁶³
Job hunting behavior differs by generation, with boomers, Gen X, and some millennials favoring desktop versions of careers pages, while Generation Z prioritizes mobile-first job searching.⁶⁴
According to 52% of talent acquisition leaders, the most challenging aspect of their work is screening candidates from a vast pool of applications.⁶⁵
The average cost of the hiring process has risen to $4,000.⁶⁶
A significant 64% of candidates would share negative application experiences with their family and friends, and 27% would actively dissuade others from applying to the same organization.³⁶
Lengthy and complex application processes have caused 60% of job applicants to quit the application process midway.⁶⁷
Unfilled job positions are a source of concern for 60% of employers.⁶⁸

Most Common Job Offer Rejections

An overwhelming 81% of recruiters find it increasingly challenging to attract top talent, with 33% considering it very challenging.²⁷
A significant 65% of talent acquisition managers report that their job has become more stressful in the past year.⁶⁹
Among these managers, 61% identify the primary obstacle to filling job positions as the lack of available talent, while 51% attribute the challenge to competition from other companies.⁷⁰
Recruiters find specialized or technical jobs (64%), high-volume positions (48%), and entry-level roles (41%) to be the most challenging to fill.²⁷
The most challenging positions are to find candidates for our individual contributor roles (69%) and managerial positions (52%).⁷¹
A substantial 88% of HR professionals anticipate that hiring in 2023 will be equally challenging or even more challenging than it was in 2022.⁷⁰

Technical and specialized roles remain the most challenging, and the talent competition intensifies. Despite the difficulties, HR professionals are bracing themselves for another challenging year, with hiring expected to remain a complex and demanding task.

Recruitment Incentive Strategy Statistics

Organizations have been actively exploring innovative methods to strengthen their recruitment strategies. These fresh approaches are designed to appeal to and retain a broader selection of highly qualified candidates. These strategies include enticing compensation packages and flexible work arrangements, among other tactics.

A noteworthy 88% of companies globally have already integrated AI into various aspects of their HR processes.⁷²
The utilization of AI for recruitment is widespread, with 100% of Chinese firms and 87% of US employers incorporating some form of AI into their hiring processes.⁷³
Roughly 44% of organizations expedite their recruitment procedures by leveraging publicly available data, such as information from social media profiles.⁷⁴
A substantial 67% of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) offer flexible work arrangements to their employees.⁷⁵
A significant 80% of millennials express a desire to work internationally, showcasing their interest in global employment opportunities.⁷⁶
68% of companies increased their salary offers to attract potential candidates.⁷⁷
An overwhelming 83% of executives believe companies are transitioning toward open-career models.⁷⁸
More than half, 51%, of organizations have added temporary positions to their workforce.⁷¹

AI integration in HR processes has been widely embraced, streamlining and personalizing candidate search using public data. With shifting work dynamics, small to medium-sized enterprises have been observed offering flexibility, possibly catering to a millennial workforce with a penchant for international opportunities.As companies pivot towards more fluid career models and diverse employment structures, competitive packages, including heightened salaries and temporary positions, have been introduced to attract the best talent.

66% of companies are willing to provide training and hire candidates who may lack certain skills but exhibit potential.⁷⁹
Engaging consistently in recruitment activities has been reported by 55% of organizations to reduce their time-to-hire significantly.²⁷
To reduce costs, 40% of employers choose to handle their recruitment processes in-house.⁸⁰
Approximately 75% of employers employ behavioral interview questions to assess candidates' soft skills.⁸¹
Video technology is embraced by 60% of recruiters and hiring executives as part of their recruitment process.⁸²
The global projection indicates the addition of over 5 million information technology jobs by 2027.⁷⁰
An overwhelming 84% of companies utilize social media platforms in recruitment.⁸³
In job searches, 60% of individuals rely on social, professional networks (56%) and word of mouth (50%).²⁷
The most effective tools for talent branding include company websites (68%), online professional networks, and social media platforms.⁸⁴
A significant majority, 7 out of 10 people, use Google to search for job openings.⁸⁵
Only 17% of contingent employees have found jobs using mobile apps designed for on-demand jobs.¹
Surprisingly, 50% of employers do not use applicant tracking software (ATS) in their recruitment processes.⁸⁶
Among companies that use an ATS, an impressive 78% believe that recruitment technology has made the hiring process more straightforward.⁸⁷
A notable 79% of job seekers express their willingness to use social media platforms when searching for employment opportunities.⁴⁰
In response to COVID-19, 58% of recruiters have adapted their recruitment processes and now utilize social media networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Instagram to identify potential candidates.⁸⁸

Incentive Plans Most Businesses Implement

A notable 27% of employers are transparent about salaries and pay ranges, providing candidates with greater insight into compensation.¹
The primary frustration for 52% of job seekers is the lack of response from employers, highlighting the importance of communication during the hiring process.⁸⁹
Approximately 47% of businesses have established a formal communication process encompassing both the post-hire and pre-start periods, ensuring a smooth transition for new employees.¹
An overwhelming 82% of hiring executives place high importance on candidate experience throughout the recruitment process.¹
For 53% of job seekers, clarity in job descriptions, particularly regarding expectations, is a key requirement.⁹⁰
A substantial 86% of applicants believe that employers should treat them in the same manner as current employees, emphasizing the importance of fair treatment during the hiring process.¹

Candidate experience has taken center stage, with hiring executives recognizing its significance, and job seekers expect clear and realistic job descriptions that outline expectations. Moreover, there is a growing demand for fairness and equal treatment in the hiring process, as applicants expect to be treated with the same respect as current employees.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q1. What is the difference between recruitment and talent acquisition?

While both pertain to hiring, recruitment is a linear process that fills vacancies. At the same time, talent acquisition is a strategic, ongoing approach focused on finding the company's specialists, leaders, or future executives.

Q2. Why is recruitment important?

Effective recruitment ensures organizations have the right talent to achieve their business objectives. It helps reduce employee turnover, improve productivity, and promote a positive organizational culture.

Q3. How do recruiters source candidates?

Recruiters use various methods, such as:

Job boards
Company websites
LinkedIn
Recruitment agencies
Networking events
Referrals

Q4. How can one improve the recruitment process?

Improvements can be achieved through strategies like refining job descriptions, leveraging technology, enhancing employer branding, adopting data-driven decision-making, and regular feedback sessions.

Q5. How are recruitment metrics useful?

Metrics like time-to-hire, cost-per-hire, and quality-of-hire help organizations assess the effectiveness of their recruitment strategies, enabling continuous improvement.

In Summary

The recruitment data we examined has revealed significant trends and valuable insights within the hiring field. These findings encompass a variety of topics, ranging from the growing reliance on social media for recruitment to the critical role of clear communication and a positive candidate experience. These statistics offer valuable insights to help enhance recruitment strategies.

Remaining well-informed and adjusting to the ever-changing demands of the talent market enables organizations to attract and secure high-quality talent. It's important to remember that recruitment is an ongoing and evolving process, and constant enhancement is crucial for maintaining a competitive edge in the challenging hiring environment.

Recruitment Software Powered by Salesforce

flair leverages its expertise in human resources to make the recruitment process more efficient and effective. Our approach includes sophisticated candidate profiling, which matches job requirements with the most suitable candidates, reducing the time and costs associated with recruitment.

Book a Call

Sources

Free demo

The flexible HR platform built on Salesforce

Book a demo

What is flair

Why flair

Integrations

flair App

HR Admin

Hiring

People

For Industries

For Roles

For Countries

Watch Success Stories

Getting started

Knowledge

Blog