Traditional hiring methods like job advertisements and face-to-face interviews may seem outdated in our digital age yet are still used by many companies that are hiring.

Where does 'traditional' hiring ends and 'modern' hiring begins? We've outlined the shift in trends of how companies hire today.

Searching for talents

Advertisements → Social recruiting

Traditionally, companies would find potential hires through job advertisements. A candidate's journey to getting hired starts from responding to the advertisement and securing an interview.

Now, companies can easily find top talent by approaching them on social media (and vice versa). Using social media as a recruiting tool allows employers to get to know the candidate beyond their resume and engage them in a more informal manner, among other benefits outlined by Undercover Recruiter. It's not about the title and where someone worked anymore - it's about the who and how.

The rise of social recruiting means job seekers have to be more mindful about their online presence. A survey by Digital Pulse reveals that 55% of hiring managers reconsidered a candidate based on what they found on the candidate's social media account.

Crafting job postings

Emphasis on tasks → Emphasis on expectations

Crafting job postings and advertisements has also changed to emphasize expectations over tasks. As shared on TLNT, job descriptions that focus on tasks convey low standards and minimum requirements. In fact, conveying more about a company's culture results in more engaged and relevant talents when it comes to job opportunities.

Focusing on expectations instead emphasizes the importance of being aligned with the company's values and contributing to its mission.

Assessing role and cultural fit

Face-to-face interviews → Data analytics

Previously, candidates can expect to undergo up to seven rounds of interviews, getting closer with each grueling stage to their desired job offer.

More modern and growing companies now use data analytics to summarize hundreds and thousands of job applications for all the important information that they need. This cuts down the time needed to select and interview qualified candidates, which is good news for applicants who are truly a good fit.

The days where a single interview can make or break a job offer may soon be over. More and more research show that interviews are unreliable for accurately sizing up a potential hire.

More casual visits rather than formal interviews create a much more productive experience for both the company and candidate. It's a far more transparent conversation, which allows both parties to understand each other on another level that isn't necessarily the case during formal meetings.

For now, traditional hiring is still not truly a thing of the past. Yet, the more companies are willing to use unconventional methods to hire, the more likely they are to recruit young, versatile talents into their ranks.

Job seekers - Are you ready to try a fun, low pressure alternative to traditional job hunting? Create a Wantedly profile and get to meet the actual people behind companies and learn what makes them great!

Companies - Start your search for your next star hire here with Wantedly. With Wantedly Visits, you'll discover the talent that you never even knew you needed!

Founded in 2010 (originally from Tokyo), Wantedly is a social hiring platform that allows talents and companies to meet based on shared mission and values, rather than salary and benefits. Striving to Create a World Where Work Drives Passion, the platform provides opportunities for talents to discover their dream companies, while allowing companies to showcase their brand story and passion projects to build their dream team.