LinkedIn’s Global Recruiting Trends: Key Takeaways from 2016 Survey

For Employers

LinkedIn just released their 5th Annual Global Recruiting Trends Survey. Pertinent to both outside recruiting firms as well as in-house recruiters, the study highlights a renewed importance of relationships and demonstrates how new trends in recruiting can affect talent acquisition and retention.

Here are Key Takeaways from the LinkedIn survey:

Valuing Quality of Hire: Talent leaders agree that this is the most important metric when tracking performance but differ exactly about how to measure. Some rely on new hire evaluations, some through turnover and retention statistics and others through the hiring manager’s satisfaction. Even with these approaches, only 33% of respondents feel that their methodologies are strong.

Employee Retention is a Top Priority: Employee retention is top of mind among talent acquisition leaders. In contrast, internal hiring (which helps address employee retention) is significantly lower on the priority scale with a third saying it is not a high priority.

“Retention is a common question among prospective job seekers when evaluating companies. Companies reinforce their retention plan by demonstrating that they have a vested interest in the development and progress of their employees.”

– Kristina Paudler, Bristol Associates Director of Healthcare Recruitment

Click here to view the complete LinkedIn 2016 Global Recruiting Trends Survey

Employee Referral Programs: are being recognized as a key source of quality hires and importance is being placed on improving referral programs within companies. While social professional networks and job boards take first and second place to find quality hires, employee referrals are in third place and gaining. Most likely this is because employers are finding that referred employees have a longer tenure and higher job performance.

 “Employee referrals are the single most important thing we do in recruiting. It is the number one source of good, quality hires. Unfortunately, most companies treat their referral program like an HR program. If you really want to succeed with referrals, you need to treat it like a marketing program.

— Steve Klingensmith, Recruiting Manager, Booking.com

 Click here to view the complete LinkedIn 2016 U.S. Staffing Report

The Employer’s Brand: Talent acquisition is increasingly seen as having a direct correlation to the employer brand and, after a dip last year, employer brand is re-emerging as a top priority. As a result, organizations are creating more proactive strategies and using more outbound channels, like online professional networks and social media.

“As the competition for talent grows, companies are finding that employer branding is the key to standing out from the crowd. Having a great reputation makes it much easier for companies to attract the best candidates, and it makes it easier for us, as recruiters, to ‘sell’ the opportunity to interested parties.”

— Nora Bright, Bristol Associates Vice-President and Co-owner

Partnership with marketing: As companies increase the investment in their brand, they are working with cross-functional partner — like marketing. Many talent acquisition leaders see marketing as key to building employer brand excellence.

A Focus on Internal Hiring: Since internal hiring isn’t a top priority, it’s somewhat disorganized. Currently, most internal hiring occurs on a case-by-case basis with very few defined programs in place.

The survey included these recommendations: “Not only should talent leaders formalize the internal recruiting process, but recruiters should maintain relationships with candidates post-hire and keep them in their long-term pipeline.”

Survey Methodology: LinkedIn surveyed 3,894 talent acquisition decision makers who work in a corporate HR department and have some authority in their company’s recruitment solutions budget. These individuals focus exclusively on recruiting, manage a recruiting team, or are HR generalists.

Bristol Associates, Inc. is an executive search firm with over 50 years of excellence in recruiting nationwide. Bristol specializes in recruiting for the Casino Gaming; Hotels and Resorts; Travel, Tourism, and Attractions; Facilities and Concessions; Food and Beverage Manufacturing; Restaurant; Hospital and Healthcare; and Nonprofit industries.

If you’re interested in working with Bristol Associates, click here if you’re an employer or here if you’re a candidate.

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