It’s a new year, and it’s a great time to take a closer look at what recruitment trends the industry will embrace this decade. Recruitment technology and the marketplace continues to evolve, as does the nature of work itself. Here are 7 recruitment trends to watch out for this year.

1. APIs—The More Robust, the Better

HR tech needs a solution to its own skyrocketing success. From AI to Big Data, the abundance of navigable information for HR teams is now matched with a glut of technology to aid users throughout the hiring process. While at one point HR team members may have feared replacement through automation, it’s now largely considered a necessity for bigger organizations.

So, the tech that aids HR teams has a lot of competition, and it will be exciting to see which systems rise to the top. APIs allow tech to communicate with employers’ pre-existing systems so an HR team doesn’t have to shift between systems and can have a seamless workflow and accessible data. Recruitment tech that is most adaptable with robust APIs will do the best in 2020.

2. Personalized Tech

As recruitment tech continues to evolve, we will see a greater movement towards employers picking and choosing tech based on their technological needs rather than implementing one system that serves as a one-size-fits-all model. While the “one-stop-shop” may be desirable for both employers and tech companies, the technologies available have changed so rapidly over the previous decade that picking and choosing the best items in the tech stack will continue to be the best practice for recruitment, and will offer employers the chance to personalize their tech based on what they truly need.

3. Continued Acquisitions

The other side of the “tech stack” recruitment trend will be tech companies expanding their service offerings. Last year, acquisitions of job ad tech services were booming. It will be exciting to watch that continue as HR tech companies continue to develop products to see what tech sinks and what tech swims. In other words, navigating the tech market won’t solely rely on research by HR decision-makers, but rather will become easier by watching the recruitment tech industry creating value through acquisitions.

4. Responsive and User-Friendly Tech

Some recruitment trends this year focus solely on the end-user. For example, one of the hurdles employers face with the rapid changes in tech that have taken place over the last decade is the “hype” fatigue that comes with sorting through all the bells and whistles or new tech to discover what’s actually necessary and value-adding. Tech companies will continue to evolve to better serve and communicate with employers, to make their tech user-friendly, and to keep systems easy to implement.

While the magic of algorithms can take a lot of the busywork out of the hiring process, better education of a tech service to its users will be a key feature of any successful recruitment tech company moving into the next decade. Rather than seeing AI solutions simply take over, get ready to see more education and service provided for the HR team to understand those solutions.

5. Greater Focus On Candidate Engagement

While automation in sourcing will continue and AI and ad tech have become particularly effective for HR teams, once the candidates are sourced and the resumes are sorted, the cornerstone to actually convert a quality candidate into a quality hire will be how well employers can maintain a high level of candidate engagement. This recruitment trend’s focus will not just be just for individual jobs, but also on consistently nurturing talent pools. In 2020, candidate engagement will be a key focus for employers in order to provide an excellent experience for top-tier candidates and garner repeat applicants. Keep an eye out for candidate engagement tech solutions.

6. Mobile Optimization

Expanding the mobile market has been a recruitment trend since the early aughts. With candidates searching and applying for jobs while they are sitting in a café or on the train, employers will need to ensure their job ads and applications are accessible in multiple formats, for multiple devices. Reaching candidates with job ad tech has never been easier, and the next step in the process—getting those candidates to actually apply—will be a key focus for employers to stay competitive. Streamlining the application process, making use of apps, and texting with candidates will make it possible to engage applicants while they’re on the go.

7. Gig Recruitment

The nature of work is changing to allow people the flexibility to work remotely and to change jobs more often—not just once, but several times over the course of a career. So, one recruitment trend that’s not going away is the contingent workforce, and with it, a tipping point that will require tailored practices in hiring for short-term work and knowing the legislation for contingent staff for your state. 

Enticements for gig workers will likely not include hiring bonuses and severance packages, so HR teams will have to get creative in offering incentives to attract hires that may not be long-term investments. Further, you will have to adjust to the new norm by offering a seamless process for workers who may not show steadfast devotion to a company, and design a system to acclimate an evolving staff efficiently.