Hiring for the New Year — Which Industries May Fare Better or Worse?

The hiring process can be challenging. It is common for employers to either feel overwhelmed by the number of applications they receive or underwhelmed by their quality. In the new year, we expect to see fluctuations in hiring trends as the economy attempts to stabilize after two highly unconventional years.

This adjustment will directly impact how industries seek talent and what trends businesses need to anticipate.

This guide will highlight the industries that we predict will be hiring the most and which will struggle in the coming months. These predictions draw from market research and investment projections. Finally, we will advise you on the five strategies to hire the right candidate successfully.

Let’s take a look.

Industries that May Flourish in Hiring for the New Year

The future of many industries is largely remote and digital, and market trends are already reflecting that. The markets that will flourish the most are the ones that are ahead of the curve with this shift from brick and mortar to online spaces.

But to stay afloat, businesses need the right teams backing them. Listed below are our predictions for the industries most eager to hire in the new year.

Cybersecurity

With everything moving online and office staff now predominantly working from home, the importance of cybersecurity has never been more decisive. Organizations need to know that their data is secure across the board.

From email phishing scams to downright hacking, cyber threats are coming in from all sides. Businesses stand a lot to lose by not investing in cybersecurity.

However, without the right workforce behind them, cybersecurity cannot exist. The increased demand indicates a huge hiring trend incoming.

Artificial Intelligence

The growth and emphasis placed on artificial intelligence have been increasing year on year for over a decade now—it shows no signs of slowing down as an industry.

You don’t need to be a technological genius to get involved, either. The AI sector needs people from all backgrounds, from researchers to administrators. This ever-expanding sector will be sure to be hiring soon and in quantity.

Renewable Energy

At this point, we are all aware of the emerging climate crisis and how it is our responsibility to change our habits positively. A push toward sustainability means businesses associated with renewable energy and green practices will be looking to expand their teams.

Various jobs are available within this sector, from social campaign managers to engineers and technicians and green consultants.

Virtual Reality

Similar to artificial intelligence, virtual reality (VR) is the new frontier. VR is taking over and revolutionizing how we consume content, from video games to movies. Mark Zuckerberg’s introduction of the Metaverse suggests new possibilities for VR to change how we navigate social media.

The rise of VR will require a considerable employment effort in multiple sectors, especially in the software industry. It could be your next calling to invest and put your company at the forefront of change.

Industries that May Have Trouble Hiring for the New Year

Not all industries are booming right now. Yes, it’s important to remain optimistic, especially when seeking a new candidate. However, many people may feel discouraged or unwilling to apply for new roles in the current climate.

Listed below are our estimates for which sectors are not likely to be hiring in the new year.

Small Retail Business

The last two years have affected retail businesses worldwide in devastating ways, but perhaps none more so than small retailers. Whether online or on Main Street (which felt the impact particularly hard), these businesses lost significant profit, with many forced to close down entirely.

While retailers will need to make a concerted effort to get back on their feet, it’s unlikely they will do so by hiring new staff.

Data Recovery Software

It isn’t all good news in the technology sphere. Data recovery software has seen a constant decline in recent years, even though more and more households have at least one computer within them.

The reason? Data recovery is not the specialized service it once was. Now, free software can retrieve files with overall success. It is unlikely that this industry will be hiring.

DVD, Game, and Video Rental Services

Thanks to the powerful emergence of streaming services across multiple platforms, the days of rental stores are pretty much over. While game rental services have tried to make a comeback, they haven’t succeeded.

This industry will likely cease to exist entirely in years to come unless something seriously changes how we consume media.

5 Strategies to Prepare for the New Year

Whether your business falls into one of the industries expected to flourish or struggle, there are actions you can implement to prepare for what will be a year unlike any other. Keep the following in mind as strategies to respond to emerging market trends.

1. Don’t Recruit from Just One Site

Years ago, it may have been appropriate only to put your job advertisement on one site and wait for the applications to arrive. These days, an omnichannel approach is not only desired but expected.

Utilizing multiple sites and social media will capture the attention of more applicants. The combination will ultimately help you find the perfect candidate.

It would be best to consider working with recruitment agencies. Approximately 60% of top recruiters use sites like LinkedIn to find new hires. Plus, more and more job seekers are enlisting their help.

You need to utilize many sources to find the perfect candidate, and that could include exploring mediums you haven’t before.

Don’t be afraid to venture into unknown territory. Your new favorite employee could be waiting there.

2. Prepare for Remote Working Expectations

Remote working is now more popular than ever. Indeed, for some applicants, it’s an expectation rather than a request.

It would be best to consider this before proceeding with the recruitment process. How possible is it for your team to work remotely? Can this role be completed from home? If so, consider making it an option.

Flexibility is crucial to the modern workforce. How employees operate professionally is changing rapidly, and you need to move with the times or fall behind.

Highlight in the job posting that remote work is an option. It will attract more candidates and, potentially, a higher quality applicant.

3. Know Your Brand and What You Can Offer

In most employer-employee relationships, the expectation is that the latter must impress the former. After all, the applicant is the one that wants the job. They should be the ones doing all the heavy lifting, right?

While this may have been valid years before, it is no longer the case. It doesn’t mean employers should oversell themselves, but self-awareness is vital.

Put yourself in the position of a job seeker. What would you look for in a company? Why should they apply for the position you offer and not the one your competitor just posted?

Consider your brand values and what you can personally offer a candidate. It will immediately attract more positive attention from the top applicants.

4. Ditch Lengthy Applications—Go Mobile Instead

Expecting applicants to fill out pages upon pages of information to apply for your offered role is unrealistic. It may have been a viable test of how badly the candidate wanted the role in a bygone era. But now? Prospective employees will see it as an unnecessary inconvenience.

The length of an application shouldn’t decide a candidate’s worth. Their personal merits should.

With this in mind, you should also make your application process mobile-friendly. More people than ever before use a smartphone, including when applying for jobs via mobile.

The more accessible you make the process, the more applications you will receive, ultimately benefiting both parties.

5. Embrace Proactivity

Lastly, but not least, try to be as proactive as possible during the recruitment process. Understandably, you may want to sit back and wait for the applications. But that isn’t always how it happens.

Enthusiasm encourages enthusiasm. Do you want to find an employee that actively wants the job? You must also demonstrate that you also actively want them.

As we mentioned above, using social media and multiple job sites to advertise your position is a great way to demonstrate this enthusiasm. However, market research is also an integral step.

Look at what your competitors are doing to attract their candidates. What benefits do they offer? How are they selling themselves?

Asking these questions and incorporating them into your recruitment process will ultimately yield the most rewards.

Contact ScoutLogic

If you are an employer looking to find the right talent for your business in the coming year, it’s essential to put your best foot forward. Many will be looking for new jobs this year, and ensuring the right candidate finds you is a joint effort.

Be discerning with the applications you receive and understand what your business offers. Also, recognize that a vital part of this discernment is knowing precisely who your candidate is.

At ScoutLogic, we can help you to identify that. We offer a wide range of background screening checks to verify educational and professional validity. Send them our way if an applicant seems too good to be true.

A successful relationship between employer and employee relies on trust, and that’s precisely what we are here to establish.

David Garcia

David Garcia is the co-founder and CEO of ScoutLogic. David is also a senior operating advisor for Norwest Venture Partners. David is a member of the boards of ScoutLogic, YipitData, and Supplier.io and was formerly on the boards of Infutor and Avetta. He has over 25 years of B2B commercial leadership experience in data & analytics companies.