What should recruiters focus on in 2024?
There are 3 important priorities I see: AI, mental health, and employee engagement. I am often asked whether robots will replace humans in the workplace. My answer is always the same: robots will only “steal” the jobs of those who are afraid to befriend them. So, I believe the main focus for HR leaders in 2024 should be to embrace technology, AI and automation and make all the necessary efforts for the entire team to learn to incorporate these advancements into their daily tasks. Secondly, the last 4 years have been extremely difficult for everybody, with huge pressure on every level – personal, professional, emotional, social, economic & so on. We are still navigating a rather challenging context, which places enormous pressure on mental health. Therefore, normalizing discussions around emotional wellbeing, creating psychological safety at work and crafting an environment where employees are encouraged to speak up, make mistakes and be themselves without fear of judgement or criticism should be a top priority for HR professionals. Lastly, after many years of struggling to attract talent as a core priority, I think 2024 will bring a shift back to employee engagement. Faced with shrinking budgets and still an uncertain future ahead, along with increasingly disengaged teams, this year will refocus attention on our current teams. It’s the perfect time to reassess company values and reinforce team engagement. None of these priorities have ever ceased to matter, but rather we have had other things to prioritize. It’s during times like these that we see the effects of what we have built – whether it was all huge employer branding budgets under the bridge or if we did manage to build a healthy organizational culture, foster employee loyalty and create a positive work environment.
What is your opinion on AI? Is it taking away from recruiters' jobs? Where can you add value in recruitment selection?
I think AI is a blessing. We finally found the “persons” to do the tedious, dreadful, extremely boring work and we can now focus on the bigger picture and what’s important on a strategic level. And they’re not even complaining. I see artificial intelligence as the most precious gift we’ve been given, because it gives us back the most rare and priceless resource of this century: time. From CV screening, writing job descriptions and sketching interview guides to using big data to identify patterns, prequalify candidates for specific roles and make predictions based on candidate/employee behaviour, there are a lot of ways in which we can gain priceless time via AI. And we should definitely take advantage of it. However, we should not fall into the trap of worshiping it to all extents. We still and will always need the human factor. Plus, let’s not forget that although impressive, AI is still subject to errors, failures, and biases, so we shouldn’t rely on it 100%. We should always have a back-up plan.
What economic outlook do you see for 2024? What are your expectations for the intellectual labour market?
Specialists continue to be the most difficult category of candidates to recruit, especially in fields such as engineering, construction, finance/accounting, or production, where employers generally face a talent shortage. The more specialized the level, the longer it takes to find the right candidates, so for certain positions, closing a recruitment process can take up to 5 months. In most cases, we are talking about passive candidates. These individuals already have a job that meets many of their important criteria and are not necessarily eager for change. Consequently, they do not actively apply for new opportunities, are not always up to date with market opportunities, and can be quite challenging to convince to make a career move. For such positions, employers are forced to resort to a more complex recruitment strategy than for entry-level jobs. Therefore, in our portfolio, alongside traditional recruitment, we have added executive search services, career transition, outplacement (a service offered to employees affected by layoffs and downsizing), and candidate assessment centers.
What advice would you give to young people at the beginning of their career?
I would advise them to stay curious. To say yes to any experience that can help them refine their skills, whether it's hard or soft. To absorb as much information as possible and utilize any volunteer work, internship, or apprenticeship opportunity to build the professional they want to become. They should try as many jobs as possible until they figure out what they want. It's okay not to know what their career should look like from the very beginning. They should use this as a growth opportunity to train their adaptability, one of the most desired skills in 2024. If I have to name some skills to train and refine, I would suggest focusing on public speaking, building a personal brand, openness and curiosity, critical thinking, problem-solving, proactivity, agility, and communication. They should make as many mistakes as possible; it's the only way to learn and grow. And last, but not least, I would advise them to find an employer that is aligned with their values and never settle for less than they deserve.
What is the value system you follow in your daily work?
Transparency and work ethics are something that I truly value and, luckily, these are also among eJobs’ core values. I also place great importance on authenticity and building relationships. Although I am purpose-driven and focused on problem-solving (probably more than necessary), what I value more than anything is relationships. Building them, nurturing them, and making them blossom – whether it’s with my colleagues, business partners or my LinkedIn contacts.
It might sound cliché, but I think that during challenging times, like the ones we’ve been facing for too long now, it’s important to stay rooted in your values and objectives. To know who you are, what you’re worth and what you want to achieve. These can act as an anchor during stormy weather and help you stay focused and not lose yourself.
My supreme objective in both my professional life and personal life is continuous learning and growth. My north star is to constantly grow, improve and surpass myself. In other words, to stay curious and keep refining my adaptability, so that whatever might come, I can juggle with it.
Thank you for the answers Raluca Dumitra, the the Head of Marketing of eJobs Romania!
