It can pay (literally) to keep an eye on recruiting trends. Just like any workplace activities, recruiting and hiring also go through cyclical trends. It is important to stay on top of these trends, as they will help you better find and attract the top talent your company needs to succeed. This year is over halfway complete and there have been some clear recruitment trends that appeared this year. The top five recruitment trends focus on social networks, mobile recruitment and other important aspects to recruit the best of the best potential hires.

1. Increased Focus on Quality of Hire- The importance of quality over quantity is especially important in 2015. This means taking time to find quality candidates for the job instead of numerous options to choose from. Skywalk Group holds a standard of finding quality candidates to ensure your company gets long-term and dependable new hires.

2. Intense Competition- What exactly does this mean? Intense competition extends beyond salary. Competition includes work/life balance, work schedule (day/evening shift), job security, opportunity for advancement, a desirable work environment and company reputation. Candidates are considering most, if not all of these factors, when facing a career opportunity. Companies must consider what they have to offer in comparison to their competitors in these areas.

3. Social Networks- To source quality candidates, social networking sites will become a key player for the rest of the year. In a 2014 study from the Pew Research Center, 87 percent of millennials use Facebook, 23 percent use LinkedIn and 37 percent use Twitter; Gen-Y is also active on social media, with usage levels for Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter being 73, 31 and 25 percent, respectively. In short, social networks are where an increasing number of potential hires are spending their time online, so meet them where they are.

4. Increase in Passive Candidates vs. Active- Recruiting passive candidates is on the rise. According to Hire Velocity, 12 percent of the workforce is actively looking for a new job while just 28 percent are cautiously and casually searching for different opportunities. The group estimates that 45 percent are willing to be approached by a recruiter about a career move and 15 percent are not interested in a new job, so why not reach out to these passive candidates? The perks are heightened in this pool of candidates – they have the right skill set (hence their current employment), they are dependable employees, and their qualifications come at face value (less likely to exaggerate experience and skills).

5. Mobile Recruiting- According to Smart Insights, mobile device use has surpassed desktop use by a wide margin (51 to 42 percent) in 2015. For companies looking to recruit top talent, this means you need to include mobile recruiting in your strategy. Is your website easy to use and navigate on mobile devices? Is it easy for a prospect to contact you or apply directly from your website on a mobile device? These are the questions you need to be asking.

Staying up to date on the latest trends in recruiting allows you to stay competitive and better attract talented individuals to work in your company. If you need assistance with recruiting top talent for your organization, contact Skywalk Group today to get started with finding the best candidates for the jobs you need filled.