Challenge #1: Too many candidates<\/p>\n
More than half (56%) of employers who claim it\u2019s difficult to hire say it\u2019s because there are too many candidates, with 51% of job seekers reporting the same. More than a third (39%) of employers are also seeing more candidates per job opening compared to last year.<\/p>\n
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What\u2019s causing it: Almost half (46%) of employers point to the economy, while 41% say it\u2019s due to better algorithm matching capabilities. Employers will likely continue to see an increase in candidates as more job seekers turn to artificial intelligence (AI) tools to apply to more jobs faster than ever before.<\/p>\n
Indeed user tip: Premium Sponsored Jobs<\/a> give you advanced targeting and smarter matching capabilities to help you connect with quality candidates more quickly and reduce your time to hire.<\/p>\n Challenge #2: Too few roles<\/p>\n The perceived lack of available roles also amplifies the \u201ctoo many candidates\u201d problem. Some 44% of job seekers are seeing fewer job openings, and among job seekers\u2019 top challenges for landing a job, 40% point to a limited number of roles.<\/p>\n Indeed<\/p>\n What\u2019s causing it: Almost three-quarters (74%) of job seekers say the economy, while 45% blame widespread layoffs and restructuring. On the employer side, many are following the Fed’s lead and taking a more conservative approach to growth and hiring as global conditions and the economic outlook remain murky<\/a>.<\/p>\n Challenge #3: Mismatched expectations on pay<\/p>\n Among the most notable data points is a comparison of job seeker and employer perspectives on compensation. Whereas 55% of employers think candidates would be willing to accept a lower salary, only 37% of job seekers say they would take a pay cut in order to get hired in today\u2019s market.<\/p>\n Indeed<\/p>\n What\u2019s causing it: The sobering \u201cexpectation vs. reality\u201d nature of this comparison suggests that employers may be overestimating their hand, especially in the high-salary market. It may also be an indication that employers’ hiring processes aren\u2019t in line with candidate expectations around salary transparency and fair pay.<\/p>\n Different realities, but a shared frustration<\/p>\n It all boils down to this: People are struggling on both sides of the high-salary hiring equation. But one side may be having a tougher time than the other. Almost half (44%) of employers report that it\u2019s hard to hire for high-salary roles, while nearly two-thirds (64%) of job seekers say it\u2019s difficult to get hired.<\/p>\n Indeed<\/p>\n The disparities in perception around the difficulty of hiring, time-to-hire, and acceptable pay make it clear that employers and job seekers are experiencing different realities when it comes to hiring in the high-salary job market.<\/p>\n Employers are stuck in analysis paralysis, replacing decisions with hesitation to avoid making a costly hiring mistake in today\u2019s climate. Meanwhile, job seekers see a shrinking market with fewer available roles and more competition, especially in high-paying sectors like tech and finance, where layoffs have hit hardest.<\/p>\n The hiring process then becomes a vicious circle of stagnation: As candidates\u2019 sense of urgency to find a job grows, so does their frustration with employers over the time-to-hire. Panicked job seekers then apply to even more jobs, further crowding the talent pipelines and adding more work for recruiters \u2014 rinse and repeat.<\/p>\n Build strategies around humans, not processes<\/p>\n Employers don\u2019t have to perpetuate this overextended cycle of hiring. Instead, those who adopt a more human-first approach to hiring can shake some of the more outdated philosophies that can unnecessarily drag out the time to hire.<\/p>\n On the operations side, remember what talent acquisition (TA) teams do best and lean into those strengths. Hint: It\u2019s not writing job descriptions or managing admin work.<\/p>\n \u201cTA builds community,\u201d M.K. said. \u201cA recruiter should be the one building relationships with candidates and making sure the candidate has everything they need to be the best version of themselves for the hiring manager.\u201d<\/p>\n Indeed user tip: For tedious, time-intensive administrative tasks like assessing candidate skills match, Indeed Smart Sourcing<\/a>, powered by AI, can help you quickly find the right candidates for your open roles with advanced search and criteria filtering to help you make quality hires, faster.<\/p>\n From a strategic standpoint, consider how candidates are being selected to interview for roles. Does it rely primarily on where they\u2019ve been, or can more of the focus go toward assessing their relational skills, such as the more human qualities that measure how a person shows up in a situation? A shift to a skills-first hiring<\/a> mindset can open the door to uniquely qualified candidates, even when their experience or education isn\u2019t a perfect match.<\/p>\n \u201cEmployers need to revisit their role in society as educators to the workforce,\u201d M.K. said. \u201cWhen people are being trained on day one, that opens up the opportunity to focus on the individual and their capabilities, not their credentials.\u201d<\/p>\n Reimagine hiring for today\u2019s market and tomorrow\u2019s workforce<\/p>\n A few small but strategic shifts \u2014 like streamlining operations, rethinking hiring criteria, and embracing a human-first mindset \u2014 can go a long way toward bridging the hiring disconnect between employers and job seekers. When employers move faster and focus on fit over perfection, everyone on both sides of the equation benefits.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
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