February Tech Talk Recap: Navigating the Future of Attraction, Recruitment, and Selection

Last month, we hosted an exciting and insightful tech talk on Attraction, Recruitment, and Selection, where we were joined by expert guest speakers from Silver Fern Farms, QJumpers, and HiBob. Together, we explored the latest NZ-specific trends that are reshaping the future of talent acquisition. We covered everything from the growing reliance on AI to skill shortages, the importance of learning and development (L&D), the rise of flexibility in the workplace, and how technology is a game-changer in each of these areas.

Key Takeaways:

Trend One: Growing Reliance on AI

• Weakening Demand, but Increased Competition: While job demand has softened (online job ads have fallen 27.2% year on year) competition for in-demand roles is still fierce
• More Applications, More Challenges: The number of job applications per listing across all channels is averaging 80 applicants per job and some are getting as many as 500 applications!
• Implications for Hiring Teams: With a flood of applications, hiring teams are feeling the administrative burden. To stand out in a crowded market, we discussed strategies for making job ads more eye-catching and using the right platforms to attract top talent.
• AI to the Rescue: One of the standout moments of the talk was exploring how AI is transforming the recruitment process. From generating job descriptions and crafting social media posts to sourcing candidates, screening applications, and matching talent to roles, AI is saving time and reducing workload. QJumpers shared how they’ve reshaped their approach to handle the surge in applicants. Rather than sifting through hundreds of resumes, they now use AI Sourcing to proactively identify and reach out to the best candidates. It’s a game-changing shift that’s streamlining hiring and helping them connect with top talent more efficiently. HiBob demonstrated how their software can help track and optimise these workflows, making the entire process even smoother.

Trend Two: Tackling Skill Shortages

In key sectors like IT, healthcare, engineering, and construction, skill shortages are a growing challenge. IT, in particular is struggling to find talent in areas like software development, cybersecurity, data analysis, and AI. To address this, we explored the importance of thinking outside the box in our recruitment strategies—looking beyond local candidates and considering internal talent or global sourcing.

One of the questions we posed to our audience was: "How well does your Talent Acquisition team leverage your Marketing team's expertise?" Marketers excel at standing out in crowded markets and have creative skills that can be applied to attract candidates. Could your marketing team’s strategies for attracting customers be adapted for talent attraction? What would your marketing team say about your job ads?

Trend Three: A Deeper Commitment to Learning & Development (L&D)

With technology evolving at astounding speed, employees must continually learn and adapt to stay ahead. Companies that don’t invest in L&D risk falling behind. Talent is actively seeking roles that offer opportunities for growth, and we discussed how fostering a culture of continuous learning can ensure your teams remain innovative and agile in the face of emerging challenges.

Trend Four: Flexibility

The demand for flexibility has never been greater. Employees now prioritise the ability to control their work schedules and locations, and this flexibility is becoming a key differentiator in the talent market. Companies that embrace flexible work hours, remote options, and personalised benefits are better positioned to attract and retain top talent.

From an HR perspective, flexibility is reshaping traditional processes. HR teams are shifting their focus to results, self-management, and candidates' ability to thrive in flexible, output-driven environments. HiBob showed us how their systems can track employee tenure, quality of hire, and performance—all critical factors in creating a more flexible workplace.

The conversation continues!

Join us on April 8th for the next Tech Talk, where we’ll explore Employee Engagement and Experience in depth.

We’re thrilled to hear from Culture Amp and Hamilton City Council as they share their journey in implementing a solution to gather data, identify key hotspots, and transform their performance review cycle.

But that's not all! Mondy Jera will also be joining us to offer valuable tips and tricks from a data perspective when evaluating employee engagement platforms.

Don’t miss out—this is one you’ll want to be a part of!

Register now

A Big Thank You to Our February Guest Speakers

A huge thank you to HiBob, QJumpers and Silver Fern Farms for their support and contributions to our February Tech Talk. We couldn’t have done it without you!