What are top recruitment candidates looking for today?

The aftermath of 2020 has caused companies to refocus on new priorities. Urgent factors such as getting new workers on-board quickly have overshadowed experience and job history. Here we break down the top hires employers are looking for today in 2021.

Skill Development and Emotional Intelligence

The need to find top talent is still crucial but not as essential as finding workers with the emotional intelligence to get things done. Less focus is placed on job titles and education. Instead, an emphasis on individual skills and how skills can influence jobs are the main factors being sought-after. Recruiters are also looking for personality traits that showcase flexibility, adaptability, and a willingness to try new things. Finding transferable skills is essential for workers who will be learning skills they do not already possess. Recruiters also want to know how potential candidates are responding to the pandemic. Understanding how individuals handled the event often leads to stories and impacts that influence hiring and global change.

Adaptability and Work Culture

Since many jobs have become remote, the pool of hires grows. Video conferencing is becoming commonplace for the interview process and earning new jobs regardless of where you are in the world is also becoming an integrative part of the new normal. Many companies are also training before hiring, as a greater focus on soft skills has emerged from the issues related to videoconferencing and the challenges associated with using video conferencing platforms successfully.

Candidates who Work Well Together

Work culture has also changed in response to the uptick in remote work positions spurred by the pandemic. With workers no longer near each other, the need to integrate a sense of community and commitment to the business is essential to sustaining a company’s loyalty. To bring this culture together, recruiters are looking for people who exude a sense of team cohesion. Whether they are baby boomers, millennials, or generation Z, team players will each showcase their ability to work flexibly and adapt to changing roles and expectations in the company.

Diversity and Teamwork

Employers are also looking for workers who showcase diversity or warmness towards diversity. Studies have shown that diverse teams work better together than teams who are more alike than different. Under-representated demographics will be given the upper hand and this will be extended to others who showcase acceptance and the ability to work well with everyone.

The aftermath of 2020 has led recruiters to rely heavily on character and devotion as primary qualities. The need for the showmanship of skills and expertise is less necessary as companies work to rebuild their teams, workplace cultures, and overall strength in the recovering economy. Likewise, adaptability and the willingness to learn new things will be weighed greater than the need for those who already possess the skills required for particular positions within the company. A desire to work is being exchanged for training as companies and hires work together to build for a brighter workplace future.