The way we work and our relationship with your work has dramatically shifted over the last two years. So why are our recruitment processes largely the same?

If we’ve learned anything, it’s that we can’t put all employees into the same box. They’re as different as their skills are, and they’ll each be looking for something specific from their employment opportunities.

The climbers 
These people are “career-oriented”; they care about work-life balance but are willing to make tradeoffs for their jobs. Their motivations are competitive compensation, job title, company status and career advancement.

The caregivers
A huge chunk of this group is made up of mothers that are now ready to return to work. Some are actively looking for work, while others are passively job seeking and seeking the opportunity that can justify them re-entering the paid labour force. Still motivated by compensation, flexibility is a major priority, alongside employee health and wellbeing and career development. THey’ll likely be looking for flexibility when it comes to their working hours and schedules.

The newcomers
These are your up-and-comers. They’re likely still training and they’re keen to get a foot in the door.  They typically are free of caring responsibilities and mortgages. Compensation is lower down the priority list, with the cohort focusing on flexibility, career development and meaningful work.

The long-timers
They’ve done their time, they’re financially stable and they’re in it for the love of the industry. Money is less of a priority, so their motivations often centre mostly around the promise of meaningful work.

“What you’ll see in most of those groups is that flexibility is a must these days,” says Clarice Major, a human resources expert. “The last two years have seen so many of us shift our priorities to our health and that of those around us. Job seekers are going to want to be working for an employer that has also evolved and is willing to work with them on setting up an arrangement that works for everyone.”