Trends in talent acquisition: Takeaways from Cielo’s global TA roundtable series 

Generative AI, emerging trends and the ever-evolving talent market: these topics and more were the focus of Cielo’s global TA roundtable series kickoff. Talent acquisition and HR leaders from various industries gathered in Clifton, NJ and Chicago, IL to share their insights on the future of the industry and get a sneak peek into illuminating new research.

Following each roundtable, Cielo hosted a dinner where attendees networked, exchanged deeper insights and explored collaborative opportunities. These discussions helped build on the knowledge shared during the sessions and fostered connections that’ll drive future innovation in TA.

Here we share three key takeaways on trends in talent acquisition from these insightful conversations.

1. Market factors impacting hiring and strategic decisions

Attendees dove into how micro and macro factors are causing hesitation in strategic hiring decisions.

Micro factors

Talent scarcity: Certain industries are experiencing a shortage of qualified candidates, making it difficult to fill key positions. This scarcity is driving up competition for top talent, leading to longer recruitment times and higher salary demands.

Employer branding: Companies are increasingly focusing on their employer brand to attract top talent. A strong employer brand helps differentiate a company in a competitive job market but building and maintaining this brand requires significant resources.

Employee expectations: Modern job seekers have higher expectations regarding work-life balance, company culture, and career development opportunities. Companies that adapt to these expectations will attract and retain top talent – but may require significant changes to their HR policies and workplace environment.

Macro factors

Inflation: Increasing costs are impacting budget allocations for hiring and salary adjustments.

Recession fears: The ongoing uncertainty surrounding recession discussions is prompting more conservative hiring practices, with a focus solely on essential roles.

Financial market volatility: Uncertainty in financial markets is making long-term planning difficult, impacting talent acquisition strategies.

Geopolitical instability: Global political tensions are affecting international hiring and mobility, leading to a more cautious approach in expanding global teams.

2. Redefining talent acquisition amid increasing pressure

Talent acquisition is evolving – and even being redefined – as leaders continue to highlight how they’re facing pressure to achieve more with fewer resources.

Efficiency and cost-effectiveness: Leaders are seeking ways to streamline processes and reduce costs without compromising on quality.

Technology integration: There’s a strong emphasis on integrating new tech or optimizing existing tech to enhance recruitment processes.

AI in TA: Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to revolutionize trends in talent acquisition – and the entire industry. TA teams will benefit from:

• Automating routine tasks: AI can handle administrative tasks like resume screening and interview scheduling, freeing up TA professionals to focus on strategic initiatives.
• Enhanced candidate matching: AI-powered tools can improve candidate job-matching by analyzing vast amounts of data to identify the best fits.
• Predictive analytics: AI provides insights into hiring trends and predicts future talent needs, helping organizations plan proactively.
• Barriers to progress: Internal teams who need to be convinced of the benefits AI can provide include Finance, Compliance, Legal and HR.

3. Future of talent acquisition: Technological transformations by 2030

The integration of AI, machine learning (ML) and other technological advancements is transforming talent acquisition – delivering unprecedented efficiency and capabilities. We polled the attendees with a series of questions, including which area of talent acquisition they think will be most impacted by tech by 2030.

The top three responses were:

1. Assessment – Candidate review and selection
2. Sourcing – Candidate aggregation and engagement
3. Strategy – Workforce planning and approach

These results align with broader research conducted by CareerXroads in partnership with Cielo. This research – previewed by presenters – brought together dozens of talent acquisition leaders to explore the integration and balance of technology and personal touch in recruiting. Participants discussed how technology can revolutionize the recruitment experience, paving the way for:

• Increased efficiency: AI and ML automate repetitive tasks, freeing up recruiters to focus on strategic initiatives.
• Improved candidate experience: Technology offers candidates a more engaging, personalized and convenient job search experience.
• Enhanced data-driven decision making: Analytics enable recruiters to make informed decisions based on data instead of intuition.
• Access to a wider talent pool: Technology helps recruiters reach a global pool of candidates, increasing the diversity and quality of the talent pipeline.
• Reduced time to hire: Automating tasks and streamlining processes reduces the time it takes to fill open positions.