In the proverbial war for talent, small business leaders can understandably feel intimidated by the prospect of competing with large firms. Big budgets often spell deeper pockets for salaries, signing bonuses, advanced talent acquisition technology, and recruiting staff resources that small employers may not be able to compete with. The prospect of trying to attract available talent away from the gravitational pull of big organizations can be daunting. Yet, history is full of examples of...

The hiring landscape in 2025 is a balancing act. On one hand, employers must be thoughtful, thorough, and strategic in hiring the right candidates. On the other, they’re racing the clock, because when hiring stalls, top candidates often disappear. According to a recent Robert Half report, 93% of hiring managers say the process now takes longer than it did just two years ago. In a competitive labor market, that delay could mean getting ghosted by top talent.

Among many other things, summer brings a wave of high school, college, and graduate students connecting with employers to gain valuable, hands-on experience through internship programs.

Imagine connecting with someone who caught your attention on a dating app.  You talk a couple of times over the phone, have a video conversation, and then they invite you to lunch.  You’re excited because you are really interested; and it sounds like they are, too. In preparation, you drop off a nice outfit at the cleaners, touch up your shoes, and visit your hair stylist.  You request half a vacation day that afternoon so you have plenty of time to talk. The day...

More and more companies are starting to care less about college degrees and more about what skills people actually have. This change is making a big difference in how employers choose who to hire and how people prepare for jobs.

Much is being written and discussed lately about the adoption of AI in the recruitment process.  One industry expert recently speculated that recruiters are one of two positions (attorneys being the second) that may be up next to have AI replace major aspects of the role. Some sources estimate that between 35% and 45% of organizations are now utilizing AI in their hiring practices.  However, as the saying goes, “it takes two to tango,” and employers should be aware of...

In a complaint filed with the EEOC, the ACLU alleged that Intuit’s use of HireVue software—part of an AI-driven hiring process—unfairly rejected a qualified applicant due to the system's failure to accommodate the applicant's disability. The applicant, a Native American who is deaf and speaks with a deaf accent, was reportedly denied the opportunity because the AI could not appropriately process their disability-related communication.

Have you ever started reading a book or article so dry and uninteresting that pushing past the first few paragraphs felt like a chore? Job postings far too often have the same effect. If your position postings attract a flood of unqualified applicants with only a few possessing the necessary skills, the issue may lie more within your job posting than with a lack of available talent. In a job market where employers continue to compete for strong talent, well-written postings can serve as a...

The last few years have been transformative for workforce management. Remote and hybrid work models are now commonplace, artificial intelligence became deeply integrated into workflows, and multi-generational teams brought new complexities to team dynamics. Unsurprisingly, many managers are feeling overwhelmed by these expanding responsibilities.

Workplace landscapes have continued to evolve this year.  Employers have had to navigate challenges like continued skills shortages and high employee expectations, but at the same time have been presented with opportunities to re-approach how they attract and hire talent.  The integration of artificial intelligence, the emphasis on skills over credentials, and the growing demand for transparency are just some of the shifts reshaping talent acquisition in the coming year....

This year has seen a shift by a growing number of companies away from traditional, skill-focused hiring to prioritizing the selection of adaptable talent. Instead of zeroing in on candidates with specific technical skills, more employers are looking for individuals who can learn quickly, switch roles as needed and remain effective in the face of change. This shift acknowledges that, while technical abilities are valuable, adaptability and a growth mindset are critical for creating a dynamic,...

Boomerang employees, also called rehires or alumni hires, are employees that leave their employer and then come back. It could be months or even years later, and it doesn’t have to necessarily be in the same position.

As degrees and education are being sidelined from job requirements (primarily due to job requirement inflation), employers need to determine if the applicant’s skills meet the level required to be successful for the job.  The jobs themselves likely don’t require degrees, but rather specific skill levels that the degree requirements have screened out, leading to a dearth of candidates for the specific job.  By opening the pool, employers have also increased the diversity...

To test whether employers discriminate against job applicants based on perceived race based on names, economists with the University of California Berkeley and University of Chicago sent out about 80,000 fabricated resumes to 97 large employers using equivalent qualifications but different personal characteristics during the period of 2019-2021. They changed applicants’ names to suggest that they were white or Black, and male or female — Latisha or Amy, Lamar or Adam.

In an era where diversity is celebrated, the contributions of neurodiverse and disabled individuals often remain overlooked. Yet, their unique perspectives offer untapped potential for businesses. The unemployment rate for these workers is around 30-40% leaving many looking for meaningful work. In this article, we explore the benefits, strategies, and resources for inclusive hiring practices of this incredible talent pool.